Abdulbaset H Kamour1, Dong Y Han2, David M Mannino1, Amy B Hessler3, Sachin Kedar4. 1. College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States. 2. Department of Neurology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States; Department of Neurosurgery, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States; Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States. 3. Department of Neurology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States. 4. Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States. Electronic address: sachin.kedar@unmc.edu.
Abstract
PURPOSE: There is a national shortage of physicians in brain related specialties (neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatry), with fewer students training in these specialties. This study explored socio-economic and experiential factors that determined medical trainees' interest in brain related specialties. METHOD: Medical students and house-staff at a state university medical school completed a 46-item questionnaire sent as an anonymous email survey. RESULTS: Survey response rate was 22% (n=258). Eighty-eight (34.1%) trainees were interested in brain related specialties. Prior neuroscience experience (29.6%) and effective medical school neuroscience courses (23.9%) were identified as important by those interested in brain related specialties, while "neurophobia" was reported by 30% of those not interested. Multivariate regression model showed that effective college neuroscience course increased the likelihood for interest in brain related specialties (OR=2.28, 95% CI 1.22, 4.28). Factors which decreased the likelihood included parent's possessing professional degree (OR=0.37, 95% CI 0.17, 0.80), personal annual income>$50,000 (OR=0.40, 0.18, 0.87) and current debt level≥$100,000 (OR=0.33, 0.17, 0.64). The proportion of trainees interested in brain related specialties decreased from 51.7% (1st year medical students) to 27% (4th year students) and 25.3% among house-staff (χ(2) test of trend p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Socioeconomic (current personal debt and annual income) and experiential factors (college neuroscience course) influence a medical trainee's interest in brain related specialties. Career guidance and improved, better and early exposure to neurosciences may help mitigate trend for decreased interest in brain related specialties.
PURPOSE: There is a national shortage of physicians in brain related specialties (neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatry), with fewer students training in these specialties. This study explored socio-economic and experiential factors that determined medical trainees' interest in brain related specialties. METHOD: Medical students and house-staff at a state university medical school completed a 46-item questionnaire sent as an anonymous email survey. RESULTS: Survey response rate was 22% (n=258). Eighty-eight (34.1%) trainees were interested in brain related specialties. Prior neuroscience experience (29.6%) and effective medical school neuroscience courses (23.9%) were identified as important by those interested in brain related specialties, while "neurophobia" was reported by 30% of those not interested. Multivariate regression model showed that effective college neuroscience course increased the likelihood for interest in brain related specialties (OR=2.28, 95% CI 1.22, 4.28). Factors which decreased the likelihood included parent's possessing professional degree (OR=0.37, 95% CI 0.17, 0.80), personal annual income>$50,000 (OR=0.40, 0.18, 0.87) and current debt level≥$100,000 (OR=0.33, 0.17, 0.64). The proportion of trainees interested in brain related specialties decreased from 51.7% (1st year medical students) to 27% (4th year students) and 25.3% among house-staff (χ(2) test of trend p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Socioeconomic (current personal debt and annual income) and experiential factors (college neuroscience course) influence a medical trainee's interest in brain related specialties. Career guidance and improved, better and early exposure to neurosciences may help mitigate trend for decreased interest in brain related specialties.
Authors: Phan Q Duy; Serban Negoita; Uma V Mahajan; Nicholas S Diab; Ank Agarwal; Trisha Gupte; Manish D Paranjpe; William S Anderson Journal: Transl Neurosci Date: 2019-08-09 Impact factor: 1.757
Authors: Samuel Hall; Octavia Kurn; Deepika Anbu; Eva Nagy; Oliver Dean; Alistair Robson; Charles Taylor; Ahmad Elmansouri; Kate Geoghegan; December Payne; Matthew Myers; Jonny Stephens; Wassim Merzougui; Scott Border Journal: Med Sci Educ Date: 2021-10-14