Why Do Medical Students Choose Orthopaedics as a Career?

Abstract

Although faculty contacts and third-year clinical rotations played an important role in student selection of specialty training, they were less influential for those choosing an orthopaedic career than for those choosing other disciplines. Many students choosing orthopaedics made this decision prior to medical school. We believe that increased exposure to positive clinical role models and experiences during medical school would enhance medical students' options for choosing orthopaedic surgery as a career. Anticipated income did not play a deciding role in career selection.