Career preferences of medical undergraduates of Sri Lanka; influence of exposure to specialties on career choice

In Sri Lanka, the rapid growth in the health sector provides medical undergraduates a far wider range of disciplines for carrier advancement. A multitude of factors such as socio-cultural values, economics, and peer recognition influences the decision on the future of a medical graduate. We studied the influence of exposure to different specialties in the curriculum on carrier choices and the changes that occurred after a carrier guidance programme. The lack of any obvious changes in career preferences over three decades at the same institution suggests that the curriculum , despite changes during that period does not reflect the stated objectives of the Ministry of Health, confirming that the curriculum is not occupational or job orientated. The need for co-ordinated dialogue between medical schools, Ministry of Health and medical organizations such as the e.g. Sri Lanka Medical Association which provides an independent forum for such interactions is a necessity to meet the specialist requirements of this country.