The effect of the pediatric clerkship on medical student attitudes toward pediatrics at 11 medical schools
P. B. Kaplowitz, R. Boyle and J. Lu
Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA.
Objectives: To investigate how the pediatric clerkship affected student
attitudes toward pediatrics, and to determine if correlations existed
between changes in attitudes toward pediatrics and in ratings of certain
aspects of the clerkship with an increased interest in a pediatric career.
METHODS: A one-page survey measuring interest in a career in pediatrics and
agreement or disagreement with seven statements about pediatrics was
administered at the beginning and end of the pediatric clerkship at 11
medical schools for the 1992-1993 academic year. RESULTS: The proportion of
students with a strong interest in a pediatric career increased from 6.7%
before the clerkship to 15.2% after the clerkship (for women, 11% to 22%;
for men, 4% to 11%). Attitudes toward pediatrics were more favorable at the
end vs the beginning of the clerkship. The change that correlated best with
change in interest in a pediatrics career was agreement that children are
enjoyable to work with. Of the eight aspects of the clerkship rated, the
patients worked with on the ward received the most positive mean score. The
item that correlated best with increased career interest was a positive
feeling toward the ward residents. CONCLUSION: The recent trend for women
to have a greater interest in careers in pediatrics than men is continuing.
Finding ways to make students more comfortable when they interact with
children and improving the teaching skills of residents could improve
recruitment of medical students into pediatrics.
