Career perceptions during the COVID-19 pandemic among undergraduate medical students and interns in South India

Introduction: Choosing the appropriate medical specialty as a career is one of the greatest responsibilities of a medical student. This has become a greater challenge in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to find out whether the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the career perceptions of medical students and interns and to find out the factors influencing them. Materials and Methods: This facility-based cross-sectional study was done among medical undergraduate students and interns aged ≥18 years at a private institution. Data were collected using a semi-structured Google Form. Participants were asked to select the first, second, and third preferences of their specialties of interest before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: The most preferred specialty among participants after surgery and medicine was obstetrics and gynecology before and anatomy after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Around 158 (35.2%) participants strongly agreed/agreed that the COVID-19 pandemic had affected their career choices. This was much more significant in participants who were aged ≥23 years, those not planning to go abroad for further studies or employment, local residents, and those currently studying their final year of MBBS. As many as 257 (57.3%) participants strongly disagreed/disagreed that the current online academic training was sufficient to pursue their desired career. Conclusion: Measures need to be taken to enhance the effectiveness of online teaching methods. Career-related counseling services are essential for medical students in the postpandemic era. The following core competencies are addressed in this article: Practice-based learning and improvement, Systems-based practice, and Professionalism.