대구지역 2개 사립의과대학 의예과 학생들의 의과대학 진학 동기 및 전문과목 선호도 변화 : 1998-2001 ; Change of Specialty Preference of the 2 Private Premedical School Students in Daegu City: 1998-2001

Choosing a specialty is one of the most critical decisions that every medical student has to face. Unfortunately, however the decision is sometimes based on inaccurate perceptions and incomplete considerations of the ramifications of a particular choice. This study was conducted to examine the specialty preference of premedical students and evaluate its related factors in 1998 and three years thereafter. The self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted covering 63 premedical students in 1998 and 70 premedical students in 2001. Among 63 students in 1998, 15 students (23.8%) did not yet decide the specialty, ; and in 2001, 12 (17.1%) students did not. In the 2001 survey, compared with the 1988 survey. interests in ophthalmology, ; dermatology, neurosurgery, plastic surgery, and orthopedic surgery had increased (12.9% of the students preferred dermatology compared with 3.2% in 1988, ; and 11.4% of the students in 2001 preferred ophthalmology compared with 6.3% in 1988). In contrast, the interests in thoracic surgery and general surgery had decreased over the same period. Compared with 3 years ago, the most important factors which influenced the selection of specialty were encouragement of the faculty, the state of chosen department in hospital, risk of medical sue, job risk, and family. In contrast, less important factors, that influenced choosing of a specialty compared with 1988, were student’s character and acquisition of high quality medical technology, opportunity of service to the public prestige of specialty chosen, monetary reward, and chance for getting a job. ; open