Factors Influencing Medical Student Interest in a Career in Neurosurgery

BACKGROUND: Exposure to neurosurgery at the undergraduate level is an important factor in determining future interest in and applications to the specialty. Given the high competition for training posts, this exposure is also becoming an almost essential addition to an applicant's portfolio. We organized a neurosurgical conference aimed at undergraduate medical students. The aim of this study was to determine factors attracting and deterring students from the specialty before and after the conference. METHODS: Responses were collected prospectively from students attending a national neurosurgical conference organized by medical students with support from the local neurosurgical unit. Questionnaires were distributed before and after the conference examining students' perceptions of a career in neurosurgery using free-text responses. RESULTS: Poor lifestyle or work-life balance was the most important factor deterring students from a career in the specialty both before (29.7%) and after (60%) the conference. The most important factor attracting students to the specialty before the conference was the practical (surgical approaches and techniques) aspect (21.9%). After the conference, the most important attracting factor was the rewarding nature of the specialty (18.9%). CONCLUSIONS: The most notable factor deterring students from a career in neurosurgery was work-life balance. Other deterring factors were much less prevalent following the conference. Understanding how exposure to neurosurgery influences students' perceptions is important for developing future initiatives to prevent misconceptions and allow students to make informed choices as well as encourage the right candidates to apply.