Anticipated specialties and influencing factors among final year medical students in a Nigerian University

Objectives: The study aimed at determining final year medical students’ anticipated specialty choices, the factors they consider important in choosing a specialty and the interrelationship between these variables. Methodology: In a descriptive cross-sectional survey, questions on specialty preferences and influencing factors were asked, using structured self-administered questionnaires. Results: The specialty preferences included: surgery (50.7%), obstetrics and gynaecology (43.9%), paediatrics (20.6%), community health (17.6%) and adult medicine (14.5%). The proportions of preferred specialties did not ‘fit’ those of recent graduates of the National Postgraduate Medical College (p=0.00). The major influencing factors were personal interest (67.2%), potential for high income (22.0%) and perceived benefit to the society (14.9%). Potential for high income was a major factor associated with all the specialties except community health. Personal interest was a major factor associated with all the specialties except anaesthesia. Conclusion: The findings call for career education and counselling to empower students in specialty choice decisions. They also provide a basis for systematic and proportionate manpower development in medical specialties by relevant stakeholders in order to meet personal and national needs. The study indicates opportunities for further research.