Introduction: An important goal of the academic neurosurgical community should be to attract the best and brightest medical students. It is promising that the number of neurosurgery residency applicants has increased in recent years. However, much remains to be learned about factors that cause medical students to ultimately make the decision to pursue neurosurgery.
Methods: The Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University has the largest medical school class of private universities in the country. The majority of these students spend three weeks on the neurosurgical service during third year clinical rotations. In November 2014, we began to issue a survey to students to assess their experiences and impressions of a potential career in neurosurgery after this rotation.
Results: At the time of the CNS conference, we anticipate to have data collected from approximately 300 medical students. Preliminary data is described here. As of February 2015, data has been collected from 50 students, 56% males and 44% females with an average age of 26.3 years old. Prior to the rotation, 29% of students were considering a career in neurosurgery. Students expressed concerns in the following areas: 94% for work-life balance, 47% for duration of residency, and 23.5% about litigation in neurosurgery. However, 91% of students are excited about the technology in neurosurgery and 56% of students would seriously consider a career in neurosurgery after spending 3 weeks on a neurosurgical service.
Conclusions: Sidney Kimmel Medical College is one of several medical schools currently offering a clinical rotation in neurosurgery during the third year curriculum. Our data suggests that this rotation has a positive impact on students. Also, by identifying perceptions that detract students from a career in neurosurgery, attending physicians and residents can address these concerns and mentor the best and brightest medical students to pursue neurosurgery.
Patient Care: My research is attempting to better understand what influences medical students to ultimately choose a career in neurosurgery. By doing this, we, as a neurosurgical community, can aim to attract the best and brightest medical students into our field. This will ensure a future of continued clinical innovation, pristine technical skill, and unsurpassable outcomes in neurosurgical patient care.
Learning Objectives: 1. Learn what attracts medical students to neurosurgery.
2. Identify ways in which neurosurgery can be integrated better into a medical school curriculum