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Table 1 Characteristics of included studies

From: Medical students’ perceptions and attitudes about family practice: a qualitative research synthesis

Study

Country

Methodology

Type of study

Technique

Phenomenon of interest

Participants

Analysis

Tolhurst [16] 2005

Australia

Qualitative: phenomenology*

Descriptive*

Focus groups

Factors influencing career interests of medical students.

81 first and final year medical students. (36 male, 46 female). Three universities

Interpretative. Thematic analysis.

Saigal [17] 2007

Japan

Qualitative: phenomenology*

Descriptive*

Semi-structured interviews (students), informal interviews (academic faculty). Field notes.

Factors influencing medical specialty preference in Japan. Understanding of family medicine, primary care and subspecialty practice.

25 medical students or 3rd to 6th year. (17 male, 8 female). One university

Interpretative. Thematic analysis.*

Scott [18] 2007

Canada

Qualitative: phenomenology.

Descriptive

Focus groups Individual interviews

Factors influencing medical students regarding a career in family medicine.

33 medical students: end of preclinical years and end of the clinical years. (6 male, 27 female). Three universities

Interpretative. Thematic analysis.

Thistlethwaite [19] 2008

Australia

Qualitative: phenomenology

Exploratory-interpretative

Semi-structured phone interviews

Factors that influence students and junior doctors to choose or reject a career in general practice.

13 medical students (3 male, 10 female), 5 junior doctors, 5 general practice registrars, 15 general physicians. One university.

Interpretative. Thematic analysis.

López-Roig [20] 2010

Spain

Qualitative: case based research. Phenomenology

Interpretative

Focus groups Documental analysis

Explore the reputation of and professional identification processes with family medicine practice among students.

48 students: 27 2nd year medical students, 21 6th year medical students. One university

Interpretative. Discursive thematic analysis.*

Hogg [21] 2008

United Kingdom

Mixed: qualitative interactionist and quantitative.

Exploratory, descriptive and interpretative

Focus groups Questionnaires

Factors influencing medical students regarding a career in general practice.

30 final year medical students after a general practice module: 15 took part in the focus groups.

Interpretative. Framework analysis.

Edgcumbe [22] 2008

United Kingdom

Qualitative: framework system

Exploratory

Semi-structured interviews. Nominal groups

Views about general practice as a potential career and factors shaping them.

27 final year medical students (7 male, 8 female). 15 interviewed and 12 formed the nominal group.

Interpretative. Framework system.

Chirk-Jenn 2005 [23]

Malaysia

Qualitative: interpretative description.

Exploratory

Focus groups

Perceptions of medical students towards primary care and factors that influence them.

33 final year medical students (21 male, 12 female). Two universities.

Thematic analysis.

Firth 2007 [24]

United Kingdom

Qualitative: phenomenology

Exploratory

Semi-structured interviews

Views of undergraduate students on their experiences of learning in primary care in a curriculum with a strong community base.

11 medical students from 3rd to 5th course (6 male, 5 female)

Interpretative. Thematic analysis. Grounded Theory.

Mutha 1997 [25]

USA

Qualitative: phenomenology

Descriptive

Focus groups, two individual interviews, surveys.

To identify beliefs and values that influence career decisions of medical students.

52 medical students from 4th to 5th course (25 male, 27 female). Three medical schools.

Content and thematic analysis.

  1. *Unclear, not explicitly reported.