Curricular reform and the professional intention of medical specialization

Abstract The reform determined by the National Curricular Guidelines of the Medical Graduation Course established primary health care as the axis of the teaching-care model. However, the option of specialization may be influenced by individual, cultural and socioeconomic factors. The objective of this study was to evaluate the factors that motivate students in their career choice, and the impact of the curricular reform on this decision. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive and quantitative research. It consisted of questionnaires applied through the internet to 1,006 medical students from the five regions of Brazil. It was concluded that there was little interest in family and community medicine (1.5%; n=15), gynecology and obstetrics (3.1%; n=31) and pediatrics (4.7%; n=47). Affinity for the field was the main factor in this choice, being considered “very important” by 91.1% (n=916) of the students, followed by the intended lifestyle (56.8% n=571).