INDSCAL Individual differences scaling
MDS Multidimensional scaling
RIASEC Realistic-Investigative-Artistic-Social-Enterprising-Conventional
Speciality abbreviations in figures 3 to 8.
ADM Administrative Medicine
ANS Anaesthetics
ARM Armed Forces
BMS Basic Medical Sciences
DRM Dermatology
ENT Ear, Nose & Throat
FRN Forensic
GER Geriatrics
GPlrg GP Large Group practice
GPsml GP Small practice
GPsng GP Single handed
GUM Genito-urinary medicine
IND Industrial Medicine
INF Infectious diseases
LAB Laboratory (Haematology, Clinical Chemistry, etc.)
MED Internal Medicine
O&G Obstetrics & Gynaecology
O&T Orthopaedics & Trauma
OPH Ophthalmology
PED Paediatrics
PHM Pharmaceutical Medicine
PSY Psychiatry
PTH Pathology
PUB Public Health
RAD Radiology/ Radiotherapy
RDL Radiology
RDT Radiotherapy
RES Research
SRG Surgery
Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Authors' contributions
ICM had collected the data in the various surveys over a number of years. ICM and KVP jointly decided how to do the statistical analysis, and KVP was responsible for the programming and data analysis. ICM wrote the first draft of the paper, which was revised by KVP, with both authors being responsible for the final draft.
Acknowledgments
We thank the many medical students and doctors who, over many years, have enabled ICM to carry out these longitudinal studies of medical student selection and training. K V Petrides was supported by a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship awarded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and mentored by I C McManus.
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