The impact of surgical clinical placements on medical student’s career preferences

Abstract

One of the most important decisions that medical students will have to make is to choose a career specialty which will affect the rest of their lives. This decision is influenced by many factors related to gender, personality, desired work life balance, mentorship and experiences from clinical placements.Clinical placement is an arrangement in which a medical student is present in an environment that provides healthcare or related services to patients or the public. When that involves a surgical firm, students are actively involved in outpatient clinics, ward rounds, clinical examinations, history taking and operating theatre.