Factors influencing medical students’ choice of family medicine

Background
In Georgia, like in many countries, the specialisation of family medicine suffers from a lack of interest, which has a negative impact on the number of properly qualified family doctors.

Objectives
The aim of the research is to assess the attitudes of medical students towards the profession of a family doctor and to observe the reason for choosing this field of work.

Material and methods
A quantitative approach using a cross-sectional survey was carried out. 408 out of 500 medical students from the two major Georgian universities were surveyed.

Results
Only a small percentage of students (2.9%; n = 12) expressed interest in the profession of a family doctor, and the absolute majority of them were female. Students’ choice of family medicine is related to the following factors: a duration of residency (n = 12; 100%), the ability to form long-term relationships with patients (n = 10; 83%), the influence of family or community (n = 8; 67%), the ability to solve multiple medical problems (n = 11; 92%), the simplicity of medical practice (n = 10; 83%), the opportunity to find a job (n = 10; 83%), the advantage of working in rural areas (n = 8; 67%) and the ability to balance career and personal life (n = 10; 83%).

Conclusions
The decision to become a family doctor is influenced by numerous factors. The profession of a family doctor is less popular in Georgia, which is mainly caused by society’s stereotypical attitudes. To popularise the profession of a family doctor, it is necessary to introduce effective methods of its financing and to develop a flexible model of family medicine residency education, which would be based on the improvement of a continuous, professional practice.