The relationship between residents’ interest to their specialty field and their level of anxiety

Studies showed that lack of interest in the field of study in the 1st year of residency could create stress and then causing psychological problems like anxiety. The purpose of this study was the evaluation of relationship between interest to the specialized field of study and the level of medical residents’ anxiety in 2010.

This study was a cross‑sectional study. The statistical population of this study was the medical residents (1st‑4th year) from the Universities of Medical Sciences of Isfahan, Gilan, Sanandaj and Kashan (370 residents). They were selected by stratified sampling method proportional to size and were included in this study. Data was collected by using the researcher‑made questionnaire of demographic characteristics, the questionnaire about the field of study selection and Zung anxiety self‑assessment standard questionnaire. The findings were analyzed by using the SPSS statistical software version 16, descriptive and analytical tests (t‑test, one‑way ANOVA and Pearson). The significance level was considered as P ≤ 0.05.

The results showed that more than 92% of the surveyed residents did not have anxiety and were in the normal group. There was a significant correlation between the specialized field of interest and anxiety scores of the residents (P < 0.05). In particular, the following cases had a direct effect on interest rates and anxiety in residents: the amount of time for visiting and patient care, job stress, time for personal affairs, the ability to predict the agenda and job security.

The relationship between various factors and anxiety level was corroborated that the residents’ interest and success in studying was the result of their choices and management plans to eliminate barriers for the selection of the field and the favorite city by the officials and planners.