Effect of Social Anxiety Disorder on Specialty Choice Among Residents and Interns in Saudi Arabia: A Multi-Center Cross-Sectional Study

Nearly one in three residents and interns experienced significant social anxiety, which influenced their specialty selection-particularly toward less patient- facing fields such as radiology and paramedical specialties. These findings underscore the importance of early psychological screening and support in medical training, which could inform medical education reforms and workforce planning to ensure balanced specialty distribution in the healthcare system.