Psychiatria pre prax 1/2026
Why do medical students choose psychiatry? Attitudes and career preferences before the start of undergraduate training
Introduction: The shortage of psychiatrists and the low interest of medical students in psychiatry as a career choice persist despite the growing need for psychiatric care. Although students’ attitudes toward psychiatry are often relatively positive, only a minority consider this specialty as a future career. The aim of this survey was to assess medical students’ attitudes toward psychiatry as a medical discipline and to identify factors associated with interest in psychiatry as a career choice at the beginning of undergraduate psychiatric training.
Material and Methods: At the beginning of psychiatric training, 131 local fourth-year medical students were included in the study. A total of 123 fully completed questionnaires were included in the final analysis (8 were excluded due to >10% missing responses). Attitudes toward psychiatry, career preferences, and personality characteristics were assessed using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed descriptively, and relationships between variables were examined using correlation analyses.
Results: At this stage of their studies, psychiatry was evaluated predominantly neutrally, without a clear predominance of either interest or rejection. Respondents expressed strong agreement regarding the importance of empathy and the applicability of psychiatric skills in clinical practice. The risk of emotional burnout was attributed to psychiatry more frequently than to other specialties. Students interested in psychiatry more often reported prior interest in the field before entering medical school, evaluated the career prospects of psychiatry more favorably, and demonstrated higher levels of openness to experience and agreeableness.
Conclusion: At the beginning of psychiatric training, medical students demonstrate predominantly positive attitudes toward psychiatry, though without a clear career commitment to the specialty. Interest in psychiatry is primarily associated with prior interest in the field, perception of career prospects, and selected personality traits.
Keywords: psychiatry, medical students, career choice, attitudes toward psychiatry, personality traits
