Medical specialty choice and reasons for change among those Wright State University students who switched their choice between entry and graduation were studied, based on questionnaire findings. For the class of 1982, 35 of the 70 students chose as their eventual specialty their preference at entry to medical school. Primary care specialties…

A review of current trends in primary care career choice is reported. Questions addressed include whether students choosing the primary care specialties share similar attitudes toward their medical role, and whether student attitudes have changed during the last few years as the result of the national focus on primary care. (JMD)

A follow-up study of 148 medical school graduates investigated the predictive value of medical college admissions data for choice of a generalist career (family practice, general internal medicine, general pediatrics). Factors indicating a high orientation toward community service before medical school were found predictive of generalist choices.…

A questionnaire was administered to 339 graduating senior medical students at the Medical College of Georgia to determine different potential sources of influence on career choice. Indebtedness may be associated with the choice of a non-primary care specialty with greater remuneration than primary care specialty. (MLW)

It is proposed that medical schools recruit students from rural areas, have them choose family practice, and train them in rural settings. Specific recommendations for improving content and context of rural medical care education are made, including merging internal medicine, family practice, and pediatrics as a single primary care specialty.…

Three Medical College of Pennsylvania (MCP) surveys are analyzed. One investigated 104 MCP graduating seniors' perceptions of their medical education and specialty and residency choices. The second asked 40 residency program directors in 4 specialties about resident selection criteria. The third had 30 physician employers identify desirable…