• James A Balogun and Ayodeji M Adebayo.
• Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Department of Neurosurgery, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. Electronic address: jamesabalogun@gmail.com.
• World Neurosurg. 2019 Jun 1; 126: e998-e1004.

BackgroundThe deficit in access to neurosurgical care worldwide remains a challenge, particularly in the developing economies such as Nigeria, where the neurosurgeon density is low. The concern that arguably subsists in sub-Saharan Africa is the decline in the number of recruited candidates into surgical specialty training programs, including neurosurgery, despite increasing burden of surgical cases. This study assessed the perception and willingness of medical undergraduates regarding neurosurgery career and determined the factors influencing their choice. This understanding will be critical to advancing ways of motivating them toward a neurosurgery career.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 256 consenting final-year medical students of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Data on the perception (of) and willingness to choose neurosurgery career were obtained. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and χ2 test at P < 0.05.ResultsThe mean age of respondents was 24.9 ± 1.9 years. Within the duration of their clinical trainings, almost all (96.1%) the respondents had 1-2 neurosurgical postings. Although surgery was the most preferred specialty, only 7.8% of the respondents reported a willingness to choose neurosurgery as a career. Proffered reasons for dissatisfaction with neurosurgical postings were unfriendly teaching environment (52.6%) and incessant industrial strikes, coupled with stress among trainers and residents (27.7%). More male than female students were willing to choose neurosurgery career (P = 0.027).ConclusionsOur study indicated that the proportion of final-year medical students willing to choose neurosurgery career was low and there was sex disparity in the willingness to pursue a neurosurgical career.Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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