Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa; Heart and Vascular Institute, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa.
J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2020 May;159(5):1906-1912. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2019.07.022. Epub 2019 Jul 25.
Recruiting medical students to cardiothoracic surgery is critical given new training paradigms and projected cardiothoracic surgeon shortages. This study characterizes current perceptions and exposure to cardiothoracic surgery among all levels of medical students.
Currently active medical students at all levels at a US allopathic medical school were sent an invitation to complete an online survey. Baseline demographics, medical specialty interest, interest and exposure to cardiac surgery specifically, and awareness of procedures performed by cardiothoracic surgeons were evaluated. Five-point Likert scales were used to evaluate attitudes toward facets of the field of cardiothoracic surgery. Only complete surveys over the 4-week enrollment period were used for analysis.
There were 126 surveys (22%) completed during the study period. Interest in cardiothoracic surgery at any point was indicated by 37% of students, but only 13% indicated an interest at the time of the survey. Interest among first-year students was greater than all other classes (30% vs <15%, P = .02). Lifestyle factors and personal attributes of cardiothoracic surgeons were noted as negative factors influencing cardiothoracic surgery perception, whereas intellectual challenge and clinical impact were cited as positive factors. Increasing interaction with faculty/residents and simulation experiences were factors noted to increase interest in the field.
Although medical students report early interest in cardiothoracic surgery because of intellectual stimulation and patient care attributes, lack of early exposure and perceived poor lifestyle negatively affect interest in the field. Early interaction between students and cardiothoracic faculty/trainees along with early exposure opportunities may increase recruitment.
鉴于新的培训模式和预计的心胸外科医生短缺，招募医学生从事心胸外科工作至关重要。本研究描述了所有医学专业学生对心胸外科的当前看法和接触情况。
美国一所传统医学院的所有在读医学生均被邀请参加在线调查。评估了基线人口统计学资料、医学专业兴趣、对心脏手术的兴趣和接触情况，以及对心胸外科医生所进行手术的认识。采用 5 分李克特量表评估对心胸外科领域各个方面的态度。仅使用 4 周注册期间完成的完整调查进行分析。
在研究期间，共完成了 126 份调查（22%）。37%的学生表示在任何时候都对心胸外科感兴趣，但只有 13%的学生在调查时表示有兴趣。一年级学生的兴趣大于其他所有年级（30%比<15%，P=0.02）。心胸外科医生的生活方式因素和个人属性被认为是影响心胸外科手术观念的负面因素，而智力挑战和临床影响被认为是积极因素。增加与教员/住院医师的互动和模拟体验被认为是增加对该领域兴趣的因素。
尽管医学生报告说由于智力刺激和患者护理属性，他们很早就对心胸外科感兴趣，但缺乏早期接触和感知到的不良生活方式会影响他们对该领域的兴趣。学生与心胸外科教员/受训者之间的早期互动以及早期接触机会可能会增加招募。
