Understanding factors that determine the choice of a specialty among junior doctors are crucial for career counseling and candidates selection. Most studies focused on working hours, income and other lifestyle factors. However, few studies have explored the role of personality traits of the doctors in influencing specialty choice.

To examine the relation between personality traits and specialty choice among residents at Oman Medical Specialty Board (OMSB).

Residents from different specialties were invited to participate in this study by completing Eysenck Personality Questionnaire – Revised (EPQ-R) and Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) & Behavioral Activation System (BAS) scale.

A total of 255 residents participated in the study (M = 40%, F = 60%). Surgical residents scored significantly higher on the Psychoticism sub-scale (P-value, 0.002) and the Behavioral Activation System (BAS) scale compared to nonsurgical residents (P-value, 0.05). On the other hand, medical residents scored higher in Behavioral Inhibition System sub-scale suggesting a tendency towards avoidance of anxiety-provoking situation (P = 0.023). Concerning neuroticism trait, psychiatrists had the lowest score indicating more emotional stability. Residents from diagnostic specialties score the highest in BAS–Fun seeking with a difference reaching the level of statistical significance.

The findings of this study suggest a possible correlation between career choice and personality traits. Therefore, adapting a well-constructed, efficient and standardized selection approach is of great importance. A reasonable framework for conceptualizing specialty choice would be recognizing one's own personality traits along with exploring social and technical factors related to a particular specialty.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.