Table 1 Factors Examined as Potentially Influencing an Interest in a Career in Geriatrics by medical students
From: Why medical students do not choose a career in geriatrics: a systematic review
| Factors | Influence to the interest in geriatrics | |
|---|---|---|
| Articles qualitative | Articles quantitative | |
| Medical school characteristics | ||
| Department of geriatric medicine | 9 + s | |
| Preclinical education in geriatrics | 10 + ns, 11 + ns, 12 ns | |
| Preclinical elective education in geriatrics | 14 + s | |
| Clinical education in geriatrics | 14 + s, 16 + s, 17+, 18+, 19 ns | |
| Knowledge of geriatrics | 12 ns, 22 ns, 23 ns, 24 ns | |
| Medical student characteristics | ||
| Previous personal contact with elderly/care of elderly | 25+ | 23 ns, 19 + s, 22 + s, 15 ns, 20 ns, 23 ns, 26 ns, 27 + s |
| Female gender | 15 ns, 20+, 22+, 26+ | |
| Age of the student | 15 ns, 20 ns, 26 ns | |
| Ethnic backgrounds of the student | 15 ns, 26 ns | |
| Medical students’ fear about aging and death | 25+ | |
| Attitudes towards the elderly | 15 + s, 22 +s, 23 ns, 26 + s | |
| Seeing themselves as a healer | 25- | |
| Seeing themselves as a caretaker | 25+ | |
| Medical students’ perception of characteristics geriatrics | ||
| Few are cured/no direct benefit | 25-, 28- | |
| Management of chronic illness | 20-s, 17-s | |
| Focus on quality of life | 25 − + | 20-s |
| Complexity of geriatric patients | 28-(+) | |
| Not feeling comfortable with ambiguity | 20-s | |
| Low financial reward | 28- | 20-s, 17-s |
| Possibility to work part-time/perceived lighter call schedule | 17 + s | |
| Length of training (five years) | 20-s | |
| Lack of prestige | 28- | 20-s |