BACKGROUND: Examining how Australian medical students form career intentions is essential to supporting quality surgical healthcare provision and outcomes in Australia. Creating a diverse workforce through empowering under-represented groups, such as female surgeons, is therefore a critical consideration in workforce planning. This qualitative study investigates factors that shape students' views of surgical careers in Australia. METHODS: A total of 12 final-year medical students (11 cisgendered female, 1 cisgendered male) joined focus groups exploring factors influencing surgical career intention. Data were transcribed and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS: A total of 4 themes and 10 subthemes were identified as contributing to students' perceptions: inclusion before surgery; varying learning opportunities; the pathway to surgery is challenging; and the decision to pursue a surgical career is readily influenced by outsiders. CONCLUSION: Multiple factors influence students' perceptions of a surgical career. As respondents were predominantly cisgender female, the results are particularly relevant in efforts to support cis female surgeons. A broader framework that encompasses surgeon-trainee interactions, the broader hospital team and the wider community may enable future actions to support workforce diversity.
Ip et al. (2026) studied this question.