ABSTRACT
Objetivou-se identificar as especialidades mais desejadas pelos alunos de Medicina do Centro Universitário do Estado do Pará (Cesupa) e fatores determinantes dessa escolha. Trata-se de um estudo transversal, descritivo e analítico, realizado mediante aplicação de questionários a alunos do primeiro, quarto e sexto anos, no período de novembro de 2012 a março de 2013. A maioria dos alunos era do sexo masculino (59,2%), com média de idade de 22 ± 2 anos, possuindo renda familiar acima de dez salários mínimos e apresentando pelo menos um parente médico. As principais especialidades escolhidas foram: Cirurgia Plástica (10,4%), Endocrinologia (15,7%), e Oftalmologia (14,0%) no primeiro, quarto e sexto anos, respectivamente. O principal fator influenciador na escolha no primeiro ano foi a influência dos pais (17,2%), e no quarto e sexto anos o fator financeiro, com 15,8% e 22,8%, respectivamente. Conclui-se que muitos fatores influenciam a escolha de especialidades, sendo necessário buscar formas de atrair alunos para áreas de caráter mais generalista.
An awareness of the factors that influence medical students when choosing their specializations is key to understanding how future doctors choose their specializations. Our aim was to identify which specializations were the most popular among students at the University Center of the State of Pará Faculty of Medicine (Cesupa) and the factors that determined this choice. We carried out a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study through the application of questionnaires to first- fourth- and sixth-year students between November 2012 and March 2013. Most students were male (59.2%), with an average age of 22 ± 2 years and a household income of more than 10 minimum monthly wages and at least one relative who is a doctor. The main specializations chosen were: plastic surgery (10.4%), endocrinology (15.7%), and ophthalmology (14.0%) in the first, fourth and sixth years, respectively. The main factor influencing this choice in the first year was parental influence (17.2%) and in the fourth and sixth years, finance (15.8% and 22.8%, respectively). Many factors influence the choice of specializations, and it is necessary to seek ways of attracting students to more general areas.