<title>Abstract</title> <bold>Objective</bold> Analyze the relationship between the personality traits prevalent in final-year medical students and graduate medical-surgical residency students at Universidad del Rosario with their area of interest for a possible medical-surgical residency choice.<bold>Methods</bold> A cross-sectional observational analytical study was carried out with two reference groups: final-year medical students, with 102 participants (44.2%), and a second group with residents in medical specialties at Universidad del Rosario, with 129 subjects (55.8%), for a sample size of 231 individuals surveyed using the modified Big Five Inventory. This inventory is a 30-item personality test that identifies five essential dimensions for describing and evaluating personality (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and degree of “mental openness”).<bold>Results</bold> A homogenous distribution tendency was found among final-year students regarding personality traits when comparing the choice between a medical or surgical residency; statistically significant differences were only found in extraversion (p = 0.0168) and conscientiousness (p = 0.0137). The latter translates into a difference of +/- 2–3 points (18.8 to 21.3 and 19.3 to 21.3, respectively) between the groups in the last dimensions mentioned. Additionally, there was homogeneity found in the distribution of both groups of residents in which no statistically significant differences were found in any of the dimensions when comparing surgical and medical residents.<bold>Conclusions</bold> The study suggests that strengthening appropriate personality traits in medical students is essential as these decisions positively impact the mental health and resilience of the individuals and the nation’s workforce.