Predisposición de los aspirantes a médico interno residente (MIR) a escoger la especialidad de Medicina de Urgencias y Emergencias y factores relacionados

OBJECTIVES: To assess medical graduates' interest in opting for residency training in emergency medicine in Spain and to study factors associated with the choice of this specialty. METHODS: Descriptive cross-sectional study based on a structured questionnaire with closed questions. Intention to list emergency medicine among the preferences for residency training and the rank that would be given to that specialty were the dependent variables. RESULTS: A total of 1006 completed questionnaires were received; 87% (95% CI, 84.7%-89.0%) of the respondents thought it would be useful to create a residency program in emergency medicine. This specialty would be ranked as first choice by 9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.3%-11.0%); 40% (95% CI, 37.4%-43.6%) would be interested in doing residency training in emergency medicine. Factors related to greater interest in an emergency medicine residency were being from a non-European Union country, having taken a university course in emergency medicine, and age older than 26 years. Candidates with higher scores for residency placement (rank between 1 and 2500) were less likely to choose emergency medicine. Physicians who chose a residency position in family and community medicine or intensive care medicine were the ones who most often expressed an interest in emergency medicine. CONCLUSION: The survey showed that candidates express great interest in an emergency medicine residency and that a large number would choose this specialty as their first choice. Familiarity with the specialty was the factor that was most strongly Associated with interest in an emergency medicine residency.