Just 32 percent of the nation's pre-med students plan to become primary care physicians after earning their medical degrees, according to a recent Kaplan Test Prep survey.
The remaining 68 percent plan to become specialists. Of those students, 86 percent say the main reason for their choice is "academic/personal interest," and just 2 percent said "better salary" was the reason, according to the survey.
"While pre-meds say that the main reason they are set on becoming specialists is because of their personal or academic interest, we also think earning potential is understandably a key factor considering how much debt most medical school graduates are saddled with," Owen Farcy, director of pre-heath programs for Kaplan Test Prep, said in a news release.
This survey results come at a time when the nation needs primary care physicians the most. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will extend medical coverage to roughly 30 million new citizens who will need physicians to provide primary care.
The Kaplan survey was conducted via email and included 543 pre-med students who took the Kaplan Test Prep MCAT course.
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The remaining 68 percent plan to become specialists. Of those students, 86 percent say the main reason for their choice is "academic/personal interest," and just 2 percent said "better salary" was the reason, according to the survey.
"While pre-meds say that the main reason they are set on becoming specialists is because of their personal or academic interest, we also think earning potential is understandably a key factor considering how much debt most medical school graduates are saddled with," Owen Farcy, director of pre-heath programs for Kaplan Test Prep, said in a news release.
This survey results come at a time when the nation needs primary care physicians the most. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will extend medical coverage to roughly 30 million new citizens who will need physicians to provide primary care.
The Kaplan survey was conducted via email and included 543 pre-med students who took the Kaplan Test Prep MCAT course.
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