Duhm Lina, Wittek Agnes, Walter Adeline, Plöger Ruben, Haverkamp Nicolas, Marinova Milka, Strizek Brigitte, Recker Florian
Department of Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany.
Office of the Dean of Studies, Faculty of Medicine Bonn, Rhenish-Friedrich-Wilhelms-University Bonn, Venusberg Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany.
Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2025 Mar;311(3):903-914. doi: 10.1007/s00404-024-07875-7. Epub 2025 Jan 7.
Choosing a medical specialty is a pivotal moment in a physician's career, shaped by personal interests, clinical experiences, and professional interactions. Obstetrics and gynecology (OB-GYN) offers a unique blend of surgical and medical care focused on women's health. Given the growing demand for OB-GYN specialists, understanding the factors that influence students' decisions is essential for workforce planning. This study compares the factors influencing first-year and final-year medical students at the University of Bonn in their decision to pursue OB-GYN.
A total of 325 medical students participated in this longitudinal study, with 112 first-year and 213 final-year students completing digital surveys. The surveys assessed interest in OB-GYN, the importance of work-life balance, night shifts, future income, and the option for outpatient care. Statistical analyses, including Chi-square and McNemar's tests, were used to identify significant changes in perceptions between the two groups.
Interest in pursuing OB-GYN declined from 60% among first-year students to 32% among final-year students (p < 0.001). The number of students concerned about night shifts increased from 48% in the first year to 76% in the final year (p < 0.001). Work-life balance was a critical factor for 97% of final-year students compared to 80% of first-year students (p < 0.01). The potential for outpatient care grew in importance, with 90% of final-year students prioritizing it in their specialty decision (p < 0.001).
The findings show that clinical exposure, lifestyle considerations, and mentorship significantly impact students' interest in OB-GYN. Notably, interest in the specialty declined sharply from 60 to 32%, underscoring the importance of addressing key deterrents such as concerns about work-life balance. These challenges suggest that educational reforms should focus on creating flexible career paths and enhancing mentorship opportunities to attract and retain OB-GYN specialists. By tackling students' concerns about lifestyle and offering adaptable career options, the specialty can sustain interest and ensure a sufficient future workforce to meet women's healthcare needs.
选择医学专业是医生职业生涯中的一个关键时刻，受到个人兴趣、临床经验和职业互动的影响。妇产科提供了一种独特的外科和医疗护理结合的服务，专注于女性健康。鉴于对妇产科专家的需求不断增长，了解影响学生决策的因素对于劳动力规划至关重要。本研究比较了波恩大学一年级和最后一年医学生在决定攻读妇产科专业时的影响因素。
共有325名医学生参与了这项纵向研究，其中112名一年级学生和213名最后一年学生完成了数字调查。调查评估了对妇产科的兴趣、工作与生活平衡、夜班、未来收入以及门诊护理选择的重要性。统计分析，包括卡方检验和麦克尼马尔检验，用于确定两组之间观念上的显著变化。
攻读妇产科的兴趣从一年级学生中的60%下降到最后一年学生中的32%（p<0.001）。担心夜班的学生人数从第一年的48%增加到最后一年的76%（p<0.001）。工作与生活平衡是97%的最后一年学生的关键因素，而一年级学生中这一比例为80%（p<0.01）。门诊护理的可能性变得更加重要，90%的最后一年学生在专业决策中将其列为优先考虑因素（p<0.001）。
研究结果表明，临床接触、生活方式考虑和指导对学生对妇产科的兴趣有显著影响。值得注意的是，对该专业的兴趣从60%急剧下降到32%，凸显了解决关键阻碍因素（如对工作与生活平衡的担忧）的重要性。这些挑战表明，教育改革应侧重于创造灵活的职业道路并增加指导机会，以吸引和留住妇产科专家。通过解决学生对生活方式的担忧并提供适应性强的职业选择，该专业可以保持吸引力，并确保有足够的未来劳动力来满足女性医疗保健需求。
