Predictive Career Factors for Medical Students Interested in Plastic Surgery.

Abstract

Purpose: Most medical students accurately identify the specialty to which they will ultimately match before entering clerkship. Understanding the factors that attract students to plastic surgery could help attract the strongest candidates and clarify misconceptions about the field. This study aims to identify these factors and the career values driving interest in plastic surgery. Methods: First- and second-year medical students at a single Canadian institution were surveyed on their career interests, goals, and factors influencing their ideal career. Data from a prospectively maintained database were analyzed from 2018 to 2025. Students who ranked plastic surgery among their top 3 choices and those who expressed interest in the specialty were compared to those who did not. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with interest in plastic surgery. Results: A total of 608 individual medical students responded to the survey between 2018 and 2025. Most respondents were female (65.0%). Multivariate analysis revealed that students valuing "high income potential" (P = .032), "status among colleagues" (P = .026), "results of interventions available immediately" (P = .002), and "research opportunities" (P = .005) were more predictably likely to rank plastic surgery as a top 3 career choice. Similar trends existing for students interested in plastic surgery (Likert 4 or 5). Conclusions: Misconceptions about plastic surgery persist among medical students. Those attracted by high income, immediate results, research opportunities, and fewer long-term follow-ups were more likely to express interest in the field. Findings from this study highlight perceptions and values that may influence medical students' early interest in plastic surgery. Addressing these perceptions within medical education may support more informed and accurate understanding of the specialty.