Survey on Career Planning Awareness and Readiness Among Freshman Medical Students in the Context of Digital Medicine

Objective: To understand the current situation of career planning awareness and readiness of freshman medical students with a background in digital medicine, and to provide references for optimizing the medical education system and career guidance. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on freshman medical students at a university in Yunnan Province using questionnaire survey. Results: A total of 272 questionnaires were distributed and 264 valid questionnaires were returned, yielding an effective response rate of 97.10%. The average score of digital medical awareness of freshman medical students was (70.50 ± 8.81), and 63.63% of the students had a high awareness (score ≧ 70); The average score of career planning awareness and readiness of freshman medical students was (91.76 ± 14.87), and 60.63% of students had high awareness and readiness (score ≧ 90). Pearson correlation analysis showed that the total score of digital medical awareness was positively correlated with the total score of career planning awareness and readiness (r = 0.13, P < 0.05). Conclusion: Freshman medical students’ career planning awareness and readiness are generally good, but their practical application of digital medical-related skills still needs improvement. It is suggested that schools strengthen the integration of interdisciplinary curriculum, introduce digital vocational training modules, and formulate differentiated guidance strategies for different majors to enhance students’ professional competitiveness in the digital medical era.