Gender Difference and Specialty Preference in Medical Career Choice

PURPOSE: We are entering a new era of medicine in which an equal number of men and women are becoming doctors. Many factors combine in complex and poorly understood ways to influence a medical student’s career and choice of specialty. This study investigated the preferences of medical students with regard to specialty and examined differences between genders. METHODS: We administered a survey to medical students at the end of their third- or fourth-year clinical clerkships. In addition to demographic data and specialty choice, medical students selected factors that were importance to their choice of specialty. RESULTS: One hundred forty-one medical students completed the survey (81 males, 57%). For medical students who had chosen a specialty, the most common specialty was internal medicine (20.5%). Significant gender differences were observed in choosing orthopedic surgery and family medicine—17 male students chose orthopedic surgery (10.5%) versus 3.3% of female students (p =0.02), and 11 females (9.2%) were drawn toward family medicine compared with 4 male students (2.5%). More female medical students chose lower workloads (19.9%) and low-risk work (14%) than male students (p<0.05). Lifestyle and income have become more important to medical students regarding their choice of specialty. CONCLUSION: There were significant gender differences concerning the choice of medical specialty. Controllable lifestyle remains an important factor for female medical students who are choosing a specialty. We must begin to make meaningful and thoughtful changes in medical center policies that affect a balance between work and home.