Exploring the factors and personality traits influencing neurosurgery career choice in Jordan

PURPOSE: It is of common knowledge that choosing a medical specialty is a crucial career-defining decision. In this study, we investigated the relationship between personality traits, influencing factors, and the preference for neurosurgery among medical students and recent graduates in Jordan. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a web-based survey that was distributed to fifth- and sixth-year medical students and interns across five Jordanian universities. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, t-tests, and binary logistic regression were employed to identify associations between specialty choice and relevant factors. RESULTS: We found that 5.2% (n = 53 out of 1012) of participants were interested in neurosurgery. Key predictors of neurosurgery choice included high GPA influence (Odds Ratio [OR] = 2.45, p = 0.004), intellectual challenge (OR = 2.23, p = 0.021), and open-mindedness (OR = 2.61, p = 0.002). Being a female (OR = 0.43, p = 0.005) and valuing lifestyle flexibility (OR = 0.48, p = 0.045) were associated with lower odds of choosing neurosurgery. CONCLUSION: Certain personality traits along with high GPA influence and intellectual challenge significantly influence the selection of neurosurgery. Concerns about lifestyle balance and gender disparities prevented many from choosing this demanding specialty.