Barriers to Pursuing Ophthalmology Among Medical Students

This study investigated the factors influencing fourth-year medical students’ decisions not to pursue ophthalmology, comparing perceptions between underrepresented in medicine (URM) and non-URM students. The findings revealed that a lack of diversity in the field was a significantly stronger deterrent for URM students, who also placed greater emphasis on financial compensation and less emphasis on research opportunities than their non-URM peers. URM students were less deterred by outpatient clinical care. For medical student educators, these results highlight the critical need to enhance workforce diversity, increase financial transparency, and promote targeted pathway programs to recruit underrepresented students into the specialty.