Perspectives of preclinical and clinical medical students on surgical specialties: a single-center cross-sectional study in Türkiye

The findings highlight that clinical exposure and observation of real surgical practice significantly influence students' interest in surgical specialties. Early mentorship and structured surgical experiences may enhance interest, while systemic factors such as workload and litigation fears continue to pose barriers. These insights can inform educational and socio-economic strategies-such as improving work-life balance, reducing excessive workload, and addressing malpractice concerns-to sustain interest in surgery among future physicians.