Observational studyBMJ open2025
Do structured career counselling initiatives influence specialty preferences in medical students? A longitudinal observational survey study.
Observational study in BMJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Breaking stereotypes or making compromises? gender, income, and the unequal landscape of medical specialty choice.BMC medical education · 2026Article
- Perceptions, attitudes, and curriculum reflections: exploring healthcare students' engagement with basic medical sciences in Saudi Arabia.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
- A cross-sectional investigation of trend in career specialty preference among clinical year medical undergraduates, including factors influencing preferences and discouragement.Frontiers in medicine · 2025Article
- The impact of a longitudinal mentorship program on medical students: A mixed-methods study.PloS one · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveThis longitudinal study aimed to document shifts in specialty preferences, career pathways and intended practice locations among medical students following the implementation of structured career initiatives during the 2023-2024 academic year.
designA longitudinal observational survey study.
settingA private, not-for-profit institution, VinUniversity in Hanoi, Vietnam during the 2023-2024 academic year.
participantsAll year 2, year 3 and year 4 medical students (n=144 eligible), of whom 105 (73%) completed both baseline and follow-up surveys.
interventionsStructured career counselling initiatives introduced at the start of the academic year, including academic mentoring, clinical mentoring, hands-on clinical exposure in year 4 and multiple career counselling activities. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was change in specialty preference over time, measured by students' self-reported first-choice specialty at baseline and follow-up. Secondary outcomes included shifts in factors influencing career decisions (eg, personal interest, income and family expectations), intended practice location (domestic or international) and preferred career pathways (residency, Specialist Level I, master's degree or direct workforce entry).
resultsPersonal interest remained the strongest influence on specialty choice from baseline to follow-up (mean scores 4.27 vs 4.36 on a 5-point scale). A notable decrease occurred in the importance of income (3.82 to 3.22; p<0.001). Students showed increased openness to both domestic and international practice, while the number of undecided students dropped (17.1% to 1.9%). Internal medicine nearly doubled in popularity (12.4% to 24.8%), and surgery maintained the highest stability in specialty preference over the 1-year period (66.7%). Students also shifted towards advanced training pathways, with more pursuing specialist qualifications or master's degrees instead of immediate workforce entry.
conclusionNoticeable shifts in specialty preferences and career pathways were observed after a series of career initiatives were implemented. Although these trends coincided with the new programmes, further qualitative research is needed to elucidate how and why these career initiatives may have influenced decision-making. Informed by these findings, medical educators can refine interventions to support students' evolving preferences and ultimately strengthen healthcare workforce distribution.
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