Perspectives of preclinical and clinical medical students on surgical specialties: a single-center cross-sectional study in Türkiye

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BACKGROUND: In recent years, there has been a noticeable decline in medical students' interest in pursuing surgical specialties. While various factors such as lifestyle expectations, training length, and mentorship have been implicated internationally, limited data are available from Türkiye. This study aimed to assess the perspectives of preclinical and clinical Turkish medical students on surgical specialties and to identify the factors that influence their decisions when choosing a specialty. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 380 medical students at Ankara University School of Medicine between June 2023 and January 2024. The questionnaire explored demographic characteristics, interest in surgical fields, traineeship experiences, observation of surgeons' working conditions, and perceptions of professional challenges. Statistical analyses included Chi-square, Fisher's exact, and Mann-Whitney U tests. RESULTS: Among participants, 50.8% expressed a desire to specialize in surgical fields. Year of study (p = 0.008) and the opportunity to observe surgeons' working conditions (p = 0.008) were significantly associated with surgical preference. While 54.9% of students who had undergone surgical traineeship expressed a preference for surgery, this was not statistically significant (p = 0.212). Mentorship, a positive training environment, and hands-on observation were reported as encouraging factors. Conversely, high patient load, malpractice concerns, emergency case stress, and perceived lack of work-life balance emerged as major deterrents. CONCLUSION: The findings highlight that clinical exposure and observation of real surgical practice significantly influence students' interest in surgical specialties. Early mentorship and structured surgical experiences may enhance interest, while systemic factors such as workload and litigation fears continue to pose barriers. These insights can inform educational and socio-economic strategies-such as improving work-life balance, reducing excessive workload, and addressing malpractice concerns-to sustain interest in surgery among future physicians.

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