Am J Psychiatry 1995; 152:1066-1069
Copyright © 1995 by American Psychiatric Association
Pilot study of current factors influencing the choice of psychiatry as a specialty
EK Lee, N Kaltreider and J Crouch
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco 94143, USA.
OBJECTIVE: This is a time of major shifts in the perception of medical
specialties. The authors have attempted to assess current attitudes of
potential applicants for a residency in psychiatry. METHOD: Pilot
interviews with fourth-year medical students at the University of
California, San Francisco, led to the development of a questionnaire on
factors influencing the choice of psychiatry as a specialty. The
questionnaire was then sent to 113 fourth-year students with an identified
psychiatric interest at nine schools. RESULTS: There was a response rate of
50.4%. The 54 students with a clear career decision had 22 of 38 item
responses that significantly distinguished between those who matched in
psychiatry and those who chose other specialties. CONCLUSIONS: Focused
recruitment strategies are suggested based on answers to the questionnaire
items.
