From medical school to residency: The student's perspective on the specialization in otorhinolaryngology

This narrative review analyzes the economic and market factors, as well as personal and professional motivations, that influence newly graduated physicians in Brazil to choose to specialize in otorhinolaryngology. The study evaluates a variety of influences, including financial incentives, market conditions, demographic and socioeconomic factors, as well as institutional and family impacts. The research, grounded in Brazilian studies and international comparisons, reveals that financial incentives and market conditions favor surgical specialties, while factors such as professional affinity and lifestyle have a greater influence on decisions regarding specialty selection. The selection of specialties is primarily made during the final years of medical training, with subsequent shifts in preferences. The review underscores the intricacy of the implicated factors and the paucity of longitudinal studies in this domain, thereby signifying the necessity for research and policies that would align medical education with Brazil's health demands.