The Relationship Between Doctors' Personality Types According to Enneagram Typology and Their Choice of Medical Specialty

INTRODUCTION: An individual's personality affects many choices in their life, as well as their choice of profession and specialty. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of physicians' personality type on their preference for specialization in medicine.
METHODS: This research was designed as a cross-sectional study. In this study, sample selection was made from all the residents undergoing specialty training at Ankara City Hospital by stratified sampling method, based on the number of residents in internal medicine, surgery, and basic sciences. A personal data collection form was used as a data collection tool and the "Taþtan Personality Type Inventory" was used to determine personality type.
RESULTS: According to the personality type scale, most of the participants were identified as the 'helper' personality type. While there was no significant relationship in the comparison of the three major branches according to personality type, a significant difference was found in the double comparison of internal and surgical sciences. According to this result, it was determined that most of the "achiever" and "challenger" type physicians were in surgical departments.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Personality models can be used as a tool for specialty selection by medical students and physicians. Therefore, personality-type education could be incorporated into the medical curriculum. This would allow medical students to recognize their traits during their education and make more informed choices regarding their specialty.