Career Choice: Exploring the Predisposing Factors and Challenges of Psychiatry Specialisation among Obafemi Awolowo University’s Clinical Students

Abstract

Mental healthcare in Nigeria faces critical challenges, exacerbated by a severe shortage of mental health practitioners and facilities, yet, many of the medical students are still not wanting to specialise in psychiatry. This paper investigates the factors influencing medical students' specialisation choices, with a focus on psychiatry, at Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria. Using qualitative methods with Social Action Theory as a framework, the study explores how students' personal experiences, societal expectations, and stigmatisation shape their perceptions of psychiatry. The study reveals that financial considerations, passion, family influence, and clinical exposure are key determinants of specialisation choice. While some students express interest in psychiatry for its unique and holistic approach, the field faces significant stigma, both from patients and within the medical community. This stigma and limited access to care for individuals with mental health needs also deter medical students from pursuing psychiatry as a career. This paper also highlights the need for improved psychiatric education, increased awareness, and stigma reduction initiatives to attract more students to the field.