Van witte jas naar wijde blik

Objective

To gain insight into the considerations that play a role for medical students in the final two years of their education when (possibly) choosing the specialty of Public and Occupational Health.

Design

Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews.

Method

Eleven medical students in their 5th or 6th year who were planning or considering a career in public health care were interviewed.

Results

Students tend to explore social medicine specialties late in their studies, due to a lack of internships, networks, and role models. Experiences during clinical hospital rotations prompt students to explore other career paths. Through informal sources, they discover alternatives and choose work that aligns with their ideals and identity.

Conclusion

The decision to pursue a career in Public and Occupational Health often emerges late in medical training. Structural reinforcement of undergraduate medical education with content related to social medicine and exposure to role models, combined with career orientation support, can contribute to well-informed career choices.

Conflict of interest and financial support: none declared.