Why do some doctors begin practice before they have as much training as they should ideally have? This book attempts to find answers to this vital question. It is the first large-scale comparative study of American medical school graduates in terms of the amount and type of training received and choice of specialty. The graduates from two classes, 1950 and 1954, of twelve widely differing medical schools were sent questionnaires requesting detailed information on their backgrounds, financial and social circumstances while in medical school, and other pertinent data. The authors have related the survey data to selection of specialty in such a way as to create profiles of the doctors who decide on a more thorough preparation and those who are satisfied with less. This organization of the material provides information basic to the problem of determining how to encourage more extensive training.