Understanding and improving medical student specialty choice: A synthesis of the literature using decision theory as a referent

Background: As emphasis in medicine has shifted to increasing the number of physicians who choose primary care specialties, many, studies of medical s pecialty choice have been conducted. Although researchers have approached t he topic in a number of ways, most approaches have tended to focus on narro w elements of the choice, such as the effect of programs or curricula. A mo re comprehensive approach is possible by fitting the process to a preexisti ng broad theoretical framework. Summary: This synthesis of the literature examines specialty choice from th e perspective of decision theory-with its aims of understanding how decisio ns are made, providing information about the quality of decisions, and impr oving the decision-making process. Conclusion: This approach has the potential to not only help deconstruct th e process of decision making regarding specialty choice but also uncover in formation about the best ways to help medical students learn to make wise d ecisions. Copyright (C) 2001 by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.