Background: Studies indicate that a student's career interest at medical school entry is related to his or her ultimate career. We sought to determine the level of interest in emergency medicine among students at the time of medical school entry, and to describe characteristics associated with students primarily interested in emergency medicine. Methods: We surveyed students in 18 medical school classes from 8 Canadian universities between 2001 and 2004 at the commencement of their studies. Participants listed their top career choice and the degree to which a series of variables influenced their choices. We also collected demographic data. Results: Of 2420 surveys distributed, 2168 (89.6%) were completed. A total of 6.1% (95% confidence interval 5.1%-7.1%) of respondents cited emergency medicine as their first career choice. When compared with students primarily interested in family medicine, those primarily interested in emergency medicine reported a greater influence of hospital orientation and a lesser influence of social orientation on their career choice. When compared with students primarily interested in the surgical specialties, those primarily interested in emergency medicine were more likely to report medical lifestyle and varied scope of practice as important influences. When compared with students primarily interested in the medical specialties, those who reported interest in emergency medicine were more likely to report that a hospital orientation and varied scope of practice were important influences, and less likely to report that social orientation was important. Conclusion: Students primarily interested in emergency medicine at medical school entry have attributes that differentiate them from students primarily interested in family medicine, the surgical specialties or the medical specialties. These findings may help guide future initiatives regarding emergency medicine education. Keywords: education, medical, undergraduate, career choice, specialties, emergency medicine, medical student, medical school Contexte : Des etudes revelent l'existence d'un lien entre le domaine professionnel qui interesse l'etudiant au moment de son entree a la faculte de medecine et la carriere qu'il choisit au final. Nous avons voulu determiner le degre d'interet a l'endroit de la medecine d'urgence chez les etudiants au moment de leur entree a la faculte de medecine et decrire les caracteristiques de ceux qui manifestaient un interet particulier pour ce domaine. Methodes : Nous avons realise un sondage aupres d'etudiants inscrits a 18 cours de medecine de 8 universites canadiennes entre 2001 et 2004, au debut de leurs etudes. Les participants ont dresse la liste de leurs preferences en matiere de choix de carriere et indique a quel degre une serie de variables influait sur leurs choix. Nous avons aussi recueilli des donnees demographiques. Resultats : Sur les 2420 questionnaires distribues, 2168 (89,6 %) ont ete remplis. En tout, 6,1 % (intervalle de confiance a 95 % de 5,1 a 7,1 %) des repondants ont classe la medecine d'urgence au premier rang parmi leurs choix de carriere. Comparativement aux etudiants qui s'interessaient principalement a la medecine familiale, les repondants attires surtout par la medecine d'urgence ont mentionne que l'orientation hospitaliere avait eu plus d'influence que l'orientation sociale sur leur choix de carriere. Comparativement aux etudiants qui s'interessaient principalement a la chirurgie, les repondants attires surtout par la medecine d'urgence etaient plus susceptibles de mentionner le mode de vie et la diversite associes a cette pratique comme facteurs ayant influe sur leur choix. Comparativement aux etudiants qui s'interessaient principalement aux specialites medicales, les repondants attires surtout par la medecine d'urgence etaient plus susceptibles d'affirmer avoir ete influences par l'orientation hospitaliere et la diversite de la pratique et moins susceptibles d'accorder de l'importance a l'influence de l'orientation sociale. Conclusion : Les etudiants qui s'interessent principalement a la medecine d'urgence lorsqu'ils entrent a la faculte de medecine presentent des caracteristiques qui les distinguent des etudiants attires davantage par la medecine familiale et les specialites chirurgicales ou medicales. Ces observations pourraient servir a guider d'eventuelles initiatives touchant la formation en medecine d'urgence., INTRODUCTION Emergency medicine is a relatively new specialty in Canada with 2 routes of certification. The first Canadian emergency medicine certification exams were held by the College of Family Physicians [...]