Introduction
A career in obstetrics and gynaecology was an unpopular choice in the early 2000s and the specialty faced low levels of interest (1-4). In 2002, only 2.8% of graduates were considering obstetrics and gynaecology as a career, with lower rates amongst men (1). Factors affecting career choice included prior experience as a student and influence from a teacher or clinician. Workforce planning and obstetric litigation were also important considerations (1). More recently, UK studies (5, 6) have highlighted concerns over a lack of work life balance (7) and a persistent reduction in interest from male doctors (8) as well as the influence of a clinical placement in obstetrics and gynaecology (6, 9).
UK medical students attend a clinical placement in obstetrics and gynaecology, often during the penultimate year of their studies, for between six to eight weeks.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) produced a working party report in 2009 highlighting the importance of clinical placements in facilitating the acquisition of competencies in preparation for work as a foundation year doctor, Placements can also provide a taster for the specialty, which can positively impact on recruitment (10). During the clinical placement, students are exposed to several clinical areas, including the labour ward and observe childbirth. Previous studies have explored the impact of the length of clinical placements on career choice, finding no significant association (11) and factors affecting early career choice that did not equate to postgraduate career choices (3).
Medical students, driven in their learning towards summative examinations, often overlook the additional benefits of clinical placements in the development of their professional identity (12) but also in the consideration of their future career choices. This can be partly attributed to the change in undergraduate curricula. A survey of UK medical schools in 2006 highlighted the change in undergraduate curriculum over recent years, commenting on the decrease in delivery suite experience (10). In addition to this, there is lack of focus on the hidden curriculum of professional working, as well as increasing competition for foundation year jobs and intake to specialist training.
The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of medical students on a clinical placement in obstetrics and gynaecology at a London university, and the impact and influences of a clinical placement on a career choices in obstetrics and gynaecology.