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Table 3 Which of the Following will have a Positive Influence on your Selection of a Specialty as a Career?

From: Medical specialty considerations by medical students early in their clinical experience

Question (Factor)‡

ALL

WOMEN

MEN

 

(n = 229)

(n = 104)

(n = 125)

Interesting/challenging specialty (2)‡

91.3%

90.0%

92.4%

A reasonable relationship between salary/lifestyle (1)

72.6%

72.0%

73.1%

Bedside specialty

67.9%

72.7%

63.9%

Control over lifestyle (1)

67.0%

73.7%

61.3%

A specialty that is rapidly advancing (2)

56.9%

53.5%

59.7%

Independent practice (1)

54.1%

52.0%

55.9%

High paying specialty (1)

49.5%

41.4%

56.3%*

Opportunity for private practice (1)

47.5%

41.0%

52.9%*

Performing surgery/procedures (3)

46.1%

35.0%

55.5%*

Much teamwork (2)

36.7%

36.0%

37.3%

Time in the operating room (3)

32.6%

22.0%

41.5%*

Opportunity to perform research(2)

29.8%

28.0%

32.5%§

Work only during the daytime

28.4%

40.0%

18.6%*

Work only in the hospital

13.8%

14.3%

13.4%

Specialties classmates choose (4)

0.5%

0.0%

0.9%*

  1. Values are important/very important answers on a 5 point Likert Scale
  2. vs. women: * p < 0.005, § p < 0.04
  3. ‡ Factors are the result of the factor analysis performed on all the data