abstract: 'BACKGROUND: Based upon student ratings of such factors as predictable

  work hours and personal time, medical specialties have been identified

  as lifestyle friendly, intermediate, or unfriendly. Lifestyle friendly

  programs may be more desirable, more competitive, and for students

  elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society, more

  attainable.

  OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate whether AOA

  students increasingly entered lifestyle friendly residency programs and

  whether trends in program selection differed between AOA and non-AOA

  graduates.

  DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study examined PGY-2 data from the

  Association of American Medical Colleges and the 12 allopathic schools

  in the Associated Medical Schools of New York.

  PARTICIPANTS: Data on 1987-2006 graduates from participating schools

  were evaluated.

  MAIN MEASURES: Residency program selection over the 20-year period

  served as the main outcome measure.

  KEY RESULTS: AOA graduates increasingly entered lifestyle-friendly

  residencies-from 12.9\% in 1987 to 32.6\% in 2006 (p < 0.01). There was

  also a significant decrease in AOA graduates entering lifestyle

  unfriendly residencies, from 31.6\% in 1987 to 12.6\% in 2006 (p <

  0.01). Selection of lifestyle intermediate residencies among AOA

  graduates remained fairly stable at an average of 53\%. Similar trends

  were found among non-AOA students. However, within these categories, AOA

  graduates increasingly selected radiology, dermatology, plastic surgery

  and orthopedics while non-AOA graduates increasingly selected

  anesthesiology and neurology.

  CONCLUSIONS: While lifestyle factors appear to influence residency

  program selection, AOA graduates differentially were more likely to

  either choose or attain certain competitive, lifestyle-friendly

  specialties. Health care reform should be targeted to improve lifestyle

  and decrease income disparities for specialties needed to meet health

  manpower needs.'
affiliation: 'Grayson, MS (Corresponding Author), Albert Einstein Coll Med, Off Med
  Educ, Bronx, NY 10467 USA.

  Grayson, Martha S., Albert Einstein Coll Med, Off Med Educ, Bronx, NY 10467 USA.

  Grayson, Martha S., Albert Einstein Coll Med, Dept Med, Bronx, NY 10467 USA.

  Newton, Dale A., E Carolina Univ, Dept Med, Greenville, NC 27834 USA.

  Newton, Dale A., E Carolina Univ, Dept Pediat, Brody Sch Med, Greenville, NC 27834
  USA.

  Patrick, Patricia A., Winthrop Univ Hosp, Off Hlth Outcomes Res, Mineola, NY 11501
  USA.

  Patrick, Patricia A., New York Med Coll, Sch Hlth Sci \& Practice, Valhalla, NY
  10595 USA.

  Smith, Lawrence, Hofstra N Shore LIJ Sch Med, Hempstead, NY USA.'
author: Grayson, Martha S. and Newton, Dale A. and Patrick, Patricia A. and Smith,
  Lawrence
author-email: marti.grayson@einstein.yu.edu
author_list:
- family: Grayson
  given: Martha S.
- family: Newton
  given: Dale A.
- family: Patrick
  given: Patricia A.
- family: Smith
  given: Lawrence
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1007/s11606-011-1811-9
files: []
issn: 0884-8734
journal: JOURNAL OF GENERAL INTERNAL MEDICINE
keywords: career choice; medical students; workforce; residency; lifestyle
keywords-plus: SPECIALTY CHOICE; GENERAL-SURGERY; STUDENTS; WORKFORCE
language: English
month: DEC
number: '12'
number-of-cited-references: '32'
orcid-numbers: Patrick, Patricia/0000-0001-5101-6967
pages: 1434-1440
papis_id: 0aa8391197d958b4ee0899669624f4c9
ref: Grayson2011impactaoa
times-cited: '18'
title: Impact of AOA Status and Perceived Lifestyle on Career Choices of Medical School
  Graduates
type: article
unique-id: WOS:000297146100009
usage-count-last-180-days: '0'
usage-count-since-2013: '9'
volume: '26'
web-of-science-categories: Health Care Sciences \& Services; Medicine, General \&
  Internal
year: '2011'