Elective choice filling

The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally disrupted healthcare systems globally, creating unprecedented challenges for medical education and potentially reshaping the career preferences of future physicians (1). In India, the implementation of Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) in 2019 introduced structured elective postings designed to provide individualized learning experiences aligned with career interests (2). These electives represent a critical juncture where medical students make preliminary decisions about specialty preferences that ultimately influence the healthcare workforce distribution.