Original scientific paper
Perceptions of Family Medicine and Career Choice among First Year Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Survey in a Turkish Medical School
Alis Ozcakir
John Yaphe
Ilker Ercan
Abstract
Public attitudes to family medicine in Turkey have lagged behind its rapid academic development. The effect of undergraduate
training in primary care on medical students’ attitudes to family medicine has not been assessed. Objectives
of this study were to assess the attitudes of first year medical students at Uludag University School of Medicine in Bursa,
Turkey to family medicine and to determine their career aspirations. The study was a survey of the first year medical
class in 2003–2004. The response rate was 95% (248/261 students). Students were positive about their choice of medicine
as a career but had negative opinions of general practice. Female students were more positive in this respect. Initial preference
was for specialization in fields other than general practice with little knowledge of the academic specialty of family
medicine. Greater undergraduate exposure to family medicine is needed in order to increase knowledge of the field
and influence student career choices.
Keywords
family medicine; student; attitudes; career choice
Hrčak ID:
27394
URI
Publication date:
10.4.2007.
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