Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer

Original article

Vol. 141 No. 3334 (2011)

Students’ interest in becoming a general surgeon before and after a surgical clerkship in German-speaking Switzerland

  • C Buser
DOI
https://doi.org/10.4414/smw.2011.13246
Cite this as:
Swiss Med Wkly. 2011;141:w13246
Published
15.08.2011

Summary

PRINCIPLES: The proportion of medical graduates entering a surgical career in Switzerland, as well as in most Western countries, is declining. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the factors influencing medical students when choosing a career in surgery and to identify the impact of a surgical clerkship.

METHODS: Between February 2007 and July 2007, fifth- to seventh-year medical students at 15 adult surgical departments in German-speaking Switzerland were asked to participate in an anonymous survey. The survey was distributed at the beginning of the clerkship (T1) with a re-evaluation after its conclusion (T2). It included questions concerning career plans, the anticipated conditions at the workplace, lifestyle in residency and as a board-certified physician, and the perception of surgery.

RESULTS: A total of 185/344 (53.8%) medical students participated in the study. Prolonged working hours during the surgical training period compared to those of other specialties was the only significant predictor for not choosing general surgery as the future field of work (p = 0.02). After the clerkship, medical students rated the possibility of combining professional and personal life, and engaging in a hobby during specialty training in surgery significantly higher (p<0.01 andp = 0.03, respectively). The specialty was named by 33% further students as one of their top three career choices.

CONCLUSIONS: A surgical clerkship might have a positive impact on the choice of a surgical career. As there might be a shortage of surgeons in the future, lifestyle as the main impediment for choosing a surgical career should be kept in mind.

References

  1. Debas HT. Surgery: A noble profession in a changing world. Ann Surg. 2002;236(3):263–9.
  2. Incorvaia AN, Ringley CD, Boysen DA. Factors influencing surgical career decisions. Curr Surg. 2005;62(4):429–35.
  3. Mayer KL, Perez RV, Ho HS. Factors affecting choice of surgical residency training program. J Surg Res. 2001;98(2):71–5.
  4. Bland KI, Isaacs G. Contemporary trends in student selection of medical specialties: the potential impact on general surgery. Arch Surg. 2002;137(3):259–67.
  5. Brundage SI, Lucci A, Miller CC, Azizzadeh A, Spain DA, Kozar RA. Potential targets to encourage a surgical career. J Am Coll Surg. 2005;200(6):946–53.
  6. Tambyraja AL, McCrea CA, Parks RW, Garden OJ. Attitudes of medical students toward careers in general surgery. World J Surg. 2008;32(6):960–3.
  7. Harder F. “I would like to be a surgeon, but.” Ann Surg. 2002;236(6):699–702.
  8. Businger A, Villiger P, Sommer C, Furrer M. Arguments for and against a career in surgery: a qualitative analysis. Ann Surg. 2010;252(2):390–6.
  9. Buddeberg B, Klaghofer R, Abel T, Buddeberg C. Swiss residents’ speciality choices – impact of gender, peronality traits, career motivation and life goals. BMC Health Serv Res. 2006;6:137.
  10. Federal statistical office. BFS / SHIS, Studierende und Abschlüsse der schweizerischen Hochschulen [homepage on the Internet]; c2010 [cited 2010 Oct 8]. Available from: http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/15/06/data.html.
  11. Novielli K, Hojat M, Park PK, Gonnella JS, Veloski JJ. Change of interest in surgery during medical school: a comparison of men and women. Acad Med. 2001;76(10):558–61.
  12. Buddeberg-Fischer B, Stamm M, Buddeberg C, Baur G, Häemmig O, Knecht M, et al. The impact of gender and parenthood on physicians‘ careers – professional and personal situation seven years after graduation. BMC Health Serv Res. 2010;10:40.
  13. Buddeberg-Fischer B, Klaghofer R, Abel T, Buddeberg C. The influence of gender and personality traits on the career planning of Swiss medical students. Swiss Med Wkly. 2003;133(39-40):535–40.
  14. O’Herrin JK, Lewis BJ, Rikkers LF, Chen H. Why do students choose careers in surgery? J Surg Res. 2004;119(2):124–9.
  15. Cochran A, Paukert JL, Neumayer LA. Does a general surgery clerkship influence student perceptions of surgeons and surgical careers? Surgery. 2003;134(2):153–7.
  16. Berman L, Rosenthal MS, Curry LA, Evans LV, Gusberg RJ. Attracting surgical clerks to surgical careers: role models, mentoring, and engagement in the operating room. J Am Coll Surg. 2008;207(6):793–800.
  17. FMH-Ärzteindex. Swiss Medical Association (FMH) [homepage on the Internet]; c2009 [cited 2010 Oct 8]. Available from: http://www.doctorfmh.ch/.
  18. Bovier PA, Perneger TV. Predictors of work satisfaction among physicians. Eur J Public Health. 2003;13(4):299–305.
  19. Cochran A, Melby S, Neumayer LA. An Internet-based survey of factors influencing medical student selection of a general surgery career. Am J Surg. 2005;189(6):742–6.
  20. Lehmann EL, editor. Nonparametrics: Statistical Methods Based on Ranks. Rev. 1st ed. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ; 1998.
  21. Agresti A, editor. Categorical Data Analysis. 1st ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc; 1990.
  22. Chen H, Hardacre JM, Martin C, Lillemoe KD. Do medical school surgical rotations influence subspecialty choice? J Surg Res. 2001;97(2):172–8.
  23. Corrigan MA, Shileds CJ, Redmond HP. Factors influencing surgical career choices and advancement in Ireland and Britain. World J Surg. 2007;31(10):1921–9.
  24. Azizzadeh A, McCollum CH, Miller CC 3rd, Holliday KM, Shilstone HC, Lucci A Jr. Factors influencing career choice among medical students interested in surgery. Curr Surg. 2003;60(2):210–3.
  25. Calligaro KD, Dougherty MJ, Sidawy AN, Cronenwett JL. Choice of vascular surgery as a specialty: survey of vascular surgery residents, general surgery chief residents, and medical students at hospitals with vascular surgery training programs. J Vasc Surg. 2004;40(5):978–84.
  26. Henningsen JA. Why the numbers are dropping in general surgery. The answer no one wants to hear – lifestyle! Arch Surg. 2002;137(3):255–6.
  27. Debas HT, Bass BL, Brennan MF, Flynn TC, Folse JR, Freischlag JA, et al. American Surgical Association Blue Ribbon Committee Report on Surgical Education: 2004. Ann Surg. 2005;241(1):1–8.
  28. Singletary SE. A fire in our hearts: passion and the art of surgery. Ann Surg Oncol. 2010;17(2):364–70.
  29. Wendel TM, Godellas CV, Prinz RA. Are there gender differences in choosing a surgical career? Surgery. 2003;134(4):591–6.
  30. Maiorova T, Stevens F, Scherpbier A, van der Zee J. The impact of clerkships on students’ specialty preferences: what do undergraduates learn for their profession? Med Educ. 2008;42(6):554–62.
  31. Pinchot S, Lewis BJ, Weber SM, Rikkers LF, Chen H. Are surgical progeny more likely to pursue a surgical career? J Surg Res. 2008;147(2):253–9.
  32. Scott IM, Matejcek AN, Gowans MC, Wright BJ, Brenneis FR. Choosing a career in surgery: factors that influence Canadian medical students’ interest in pursuing a surgical career. Can J Surg. 2008;51(5):371–7.
  33. Spraque S, Leece P, Bhandari M, Tornetta P 3rd, Schemitsch E, Swiontkowski MF; S.P.R.I.N.T. Investigators. Limiting loss to follow-up in a multicenter randomized trial in orthopedic surgery. Control Clin Trials. 2003;24(6):719–25.
  34. Hellum C, Johnsen LG, Storheim K, Nygaard OP, Brox Jl, Rossvoll I, et al. Surgery with disc prosthesis versus rehabilitation in patients with low back pain and degenerative disc: two year follow-up of randomised study. BMJ. 2011;342:d2786. doi: 10.1136/bmj.d2786.
  35. Freed GL, Dunham KM, Jones MD Jr, McGuinness GA, Althouse LA. Longitudinal assessment of the timing of career choice among pediatric residents. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2010;164(10):961–4.