Choosing a medical specialty is an important decision for medical students. 

Preferences often evolve over time and are influenced by many factors, including mentorship, patient service orientation, and academic interests. 

In recent years, there has been a steady nationwide increase in students interested in Anesthesiology, especially after clinical rotations.

Investigating how rotations influence student preferences will aid the administration in advising students and refining clerkship structure.

Upon completion of clerkship year, students in the Class of 2025 at the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University were administered an End-of-MS3 Survey based on the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) Matriculating Student Questionnaire (MSQ). 

The survey assessed students’ specialty interest, desired career trajectory, and influencing factors of clerkships.

Descriptive statistics were performed for the entire cohort and students interested in Anesthesiology.

From beginning medical school to completing clinical clerkships, students demonstrated the largest absolute increasein Anesthesiology.

Students interested in Anesthesiology did not consider income potential, social status, leadership potential, or opportunity for innovation as essential to their careers.

Students interested in Anesthesiology at RSOM cited the interactions and teamwork they had with other medical professionals as most important in their career preference. They also valued career stability and security more than the general student body.

This longitudinal study explored how clinical rotations influence students’ career aspirations.

52.6% of the Class of 2025 indicated that their specialty interest changed since the completion of clerkships, thus raising the question of what caused these changes. 

Among the most influential experiences for students was the interactions and teamwork with other medical professionals, thus emphasizing the importance of interpersonal relationships in career choice.

Students interested in Anesthesiology valued a stable future, availability of jobs, work-life balance, and the ability to pay off debt substantially more than students interested in other specialties. 

Future work should explore trends across several classes and further investigate how the administration can better tailor resources and support to students’ needs.