The Socioeconomic and Training Influences on Medical Students’ Psychiatry Career Choices

Abstract

Objective: This study investigates the impact of socioeconomic status and training factors on medical students'
preference for psychiatry as a career.
Methodology: Conducted at a tertiary care hospital, the cross-sectional study targeted final and fourth-year
undergraduate medical students. Exclusions comprised students without psychiatry ward exposure, or attendance
at non-specified universities. Data collection involved a self-structured questionnaire distributed both online
and manually, preceded by a pilot study for questionnaire standardization. Independent variables included
age, gender, medical college, and study year, with dependent variables focusing on career preferences and
psychiatry-related knowledge.
Results: Psychiatry ranked as the third most chosen specialty. Demographic analysis revealed that there was
no significance of gender in students’ interest in psychiatry, with a nearly equal ratio of male and female
participants. Among age groups, 23-year-olds showed the highest preference for psychiatry. Factors significantly
influencing psychiatry choice included satisfaction level (p<0.001), exposure to mental illness(p=0.013),
clinical exposure through ward rotations (p=0.026), and lectures (p=0.012).
Conclusion: The study highlights a positive attitude towards psychiatry, ranking it third among career choices.
Notable associations were found between interest in psychiatry and exposure to mental illness, as well as
clinical and educational experiences. These findings underscore the importance of addressing socioeconomic
and training factors in shaping medical students' career preferences in psychiatry