A study of medical studentsʼ specialty-choice pathways

Abstract

The process of specialty choice can be described usefully as a socially constructed process of "trying on possible selves" (i.e., projecting oneself into hypothetical career and personal roles). This may explain role models' exceptional influence in disproving negative stereotypes. Medical students' choices can best be facilitated by recognizing their needs to gain knowledge not only about specialty content, but also about practitioners' lives and the students' own present and possible selves.