A new report on how medical students think about the future of their careers shows that one-quarter of aspiring doctors in the United States say they are considering quitting their studies, and many are considering leaving their studies to pursue a career in mental health. and expressed concerns about how to find a balance between academic and research life. .
report “Future Clinician Education Edition” The study, published by health science and magazine publisher Elsevier, surveyed 2,212 students from 91 countries between April and May this year.
“Students are enthusiastic and positive about their education, but concerns about their mental health and academic/life balance, as well as external concerns such as increased misinformation and the impending shortage of clinicians, have led them to withdraw from the course altogether. Some are considering, and others are thinking about, “a non-patient-facing role after qualification,” the report states.
Among medical students surveyed, 60% said they were worried about their mental health, 69% said they were worried about their income, and 63% expressed concern about burnout. and 60% said they were worried about how the clinician shortage would affect them.
Overall, 12% of medical students worldwide said they were considering quitting their studies. Among U.S. students, this percentage is more than double her, at 25 percent.
More than half (58%) of medical and nursing students said they viewed their current research as a stepping stone to a career in the medical field that does not involve patient care.
Tate Erlinger, vice president of clinical analytics at Elsevier, said there are “a variety of reasons” why students consider dropping out.
“A lot of things happened. [that] At least the one that caught my attention was the one that floated to the top. “One is things like cost, and this is not unique to the United States, but American students are more likely to be concerned about the cost of their studies,” Erlinger said.
“I think there is a common chronic feeling of being overwhelmed by the amount of information we have to obtain,” he added.
Professor Erlinger said it was “remarkable” that so many students saw their studies as a stepping stone to management and support roles. This is because such decisions usually occur late in a career.
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