REASONS FOR THE SPECIALIZING CHOICE OF HEALTH SCIENCES STUDENTS

Background:
Several, various studies have examined the attitudinal factors associated with a student's decision to pursue a career in different medical subspecialties. In this manner, interest in cardiorespiratory physiotherapy specialties has been declining among physiotherapy students. When causes have been analyzed, researchers have shown that health student's desire to develop a speciality is influenced by their clinical placements along their studies.

Methods:
This study was a single cross-sectional survey carried out at three physiotherapy educational institutes in Spain: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Toledo and Granada. It focuses on students career interest in cardiorespiratory (CRP) speciality. We examined the differences among student’s demographic variables and attitudinal factors between students who have been in CRP placements during their studies and their level of interest in CRP among students after CRP placements. To be included in the study, participants had to be 3th-year physiotherapy students. Because the clinical placement scheduling for each of the three physiotherapy programs differed, the survey was administered after completion of 3th-year clinical placements by which time the majority of students were anticipated to have had or not a placement with a CRP focus. The questionnaire used was developed on the basis of a previous similar research.

Results:
Two hundred and thirty forms were distributed. The minority of respondents, 30.63% (n= 61) reported having had at least one CRP placement before completing the survey; over 32.16% (n = 64) stated they had also treated patients with cardiorespiratory problems in other placements, and 37.18% (n= 74) reported not previous CRP placements. Those respondents who expressed ‘some interest’ in specializing in CRP (69%, n = 103) were asked to indicate whether they had been influenced by a positive role model/mentor in CRP, and 70% (n = 72) of respondents were asked to rate on a five-point Linkert scale with 1 = no interest at all to 5 = extremely interested.
In our study, respondents indicated that the most influential factors in deciding whether to specialize in CRP were clinical supervisors, clinical experiences, and interesting aspects of the field. Some participants reported they would have liked to be offered more cardiorespiratory placements for a longer duration in 2nd or 3rd year and specifically “more clinical experience before 4th year.” Our study echoed findings that the majority of student physiotherapists when entering their physiotherapy program wished to specialize in musculoskeletal physiotherapy or private practice work and that while this preference altered for some during the course of the program, nonetheless, CRP remained the lowest ranked in choice of physiotherapy career specialization for 4th-year physiotherapy students.

Conclusions:
Our study corroborates that the role of clinical supervisor as a role model for students is vital in encouraging future interest in CRP. Furthermore, being offered a wide range of interesting clinical experiences was an important factor in influencing respondents’ decisions to specialize in CRP