Factors Influencing Medical Students' Interest in Cardiac Surgery

10.1055/a-2724-5166

I read with great interest the recent article titled “Bridging the Gap: Exploring Factors Influencing Medical Students' Interest in Cardiac Surgery in Africa.”[1] The authors provide valuable insights into the growing concern of declining interest among medical students toward cardiac surgery, a field that remains vital yet increasingly challenging all over the world, and particularly across Africa.

Interestingly, exposure to cardiac surgery units or patients did not necessarily enhance interest in the specialty—in fact, it sometimes decreased it. This may reflect the reality that both the lifestyle of practicing cardiac surgeons and the postoperative quality of life of many patients often fall short of expectations.[2] [3] The profession, while noble and technically fascinating, can appear less rewarding when students witness the intense workload, emotional strain, and variable outcomes associated with complex, high-risk cases.[4] This paradox mirrors a global trend, where firsthand exposure to the demanding realities of cardiac surgery, long training years, high-risk cases, and emotionally taxing outcomes reveals a profession often perceived as exhausting and less fulfilling, thereby discouraging potential candidates. This challenge is further compounded by the modern evolution of interventional cardiology, which increasingly manages less complex cases and leaves cardiac surgeons responsible for the most challenging and high-risk patients. Consequently, despite outstanding technical expertise, the perceived rewards of the specialty have diminished, and its demanding nature continues to discourage many young physicians seeking a more balanced professional life. The future direction of the specialty may depend on redefining the scope of the cardiac surgeon. Incorporating interventional and hybrid procedures into cardiac surgical training could facilitate the evolution of a new approach, the “interventional cardiac surgeon,” equipped to operate both in the catheterization laboratory and the operating room, thereby bridging the gap between surgical and percutaneous disciplines.[5] Mentorship, early exposure through simulation-based learning, and regional centers of excellence are also crucial to sustaining interest and competence within Africa. Ultimately, this study underscores an urgent call to modernize cardiac surgery education, align it with contemporary practice, and make it both sustainable and inspiring for the next generation.

Publication History

Received: 10 November 2025

Accepted: 23 November 2025

Article published online:
04 December 2025

• References

• 1 Fodop SGJ, Femi-Lawal VO, Anyinkeng AB. et al. Bridging the gap: exploring factors influencing medical students' interest in cardiac surgery in Africa. Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2025; (e-pub ahead of print).
• 2 Al-Ebrahim KE, Albishri SA, Alotaibi SW. et al. The quality of life in patients with valve prosthesis after undergoing surgery for valvular heart diseases. Cureus 2023; 15 (08) e43030
• 3 Alzahrani AA, AlAssiri AK, Al-Ebrahim KE, Ganbou ZT, Alsudais MM, Khafagy AM. Impact of clinical and sociodemographic factors on quality of life following coronary artery bypass grafting: a mixed-methods study. Cureus 2024; 16 (03) e56781
• 4 Bayazed AA, Alassiri AK, Farid AA. et al. Cardiac surgery morbidity and mortality in hypertensive and arrhythmic patients: a retrospective analysis. Cureus 2023; 15 (11) e48505
• 5 Al-Ebrahim EK, Madani TA, Al-Ebrahim KE. Future of cardiac surgery, introducing the interventional surgeon. J Card Surg 2022; 37 (01) 88-92