Reasons for Choosing Specialty After Graduation Among Students
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Imran Shaikh, Khola Noreen and others Reasons for Choosing Specialty After Graduation Among Students Original Article REASONS FOR CHOOSING SPECIALTY AFTER GRADUATION AMONG STUDENTS OF A PRIVATE MEDICAL COLLEGE IN PAKISTAN Imran Shaikh1, Khola Noreen2, Nadia Khalid3, Riasat Ali Nehra4, Kauser Aftab Khan5, Farhan Muhammad Qureshi6 1Professor & Head of department, Community Health Sciences, Bahria University Medical & Dental College, Karachi 2Assistant Professor, Community Health Sciences, Gujranwala Medical College, Gujranwala. 3Lecturer, Community Health Sciences, Bahria University Medical & Dental College, Karachi. 4Assistant Professor, Anatomy Department, Red Crescent Medical and Dental College. Dina Nath 5Assistant Professor, Community Health Sciences, Gujranwala Medical College , Gujranwala 6Senior Lecturer, Community Health Sciences, Bahria University Medical & Dental College, Karachi. Correspondence: Khola Noreen. Email: [email protected] Abstract Background: Diverse factors influence the career choice of undergraduate medical students. This study was carried out to identify career preferences and factors influencing their selection among undergraduate medical students Methods: The descriptive cross sectional study was conducted among under graduate students. Final MBBS medical students (84) were interviewed. They were interviewed for career preference after finishing medical school and then for reasons of choosing a specific specialty. All information gathered was on voluntary basis. Anonymity and confidentiality was maintained. The study was approved by the college ethical review committee Results: Out of total 84 students 61 (72.6%, males & females) decided about the specialty in final year while 23 (27.4%, males & females) were undecided in choosing their specialty. Among those who have decided in males (n=13) Internal Medicine was the first choice with 68.4% (n=13), general surgery 63% (n=12) followed by Pediatrics 31.6% (n=7). Among females n=31, internal medicine was the first choice with 59% (n=31), Pediatrics 38% (n=16) followed by Family Medicine 38% (n=16) and General Surgery 35% (n=15). Regarding factors influencing choice of specialty personal interest is the top factor in males & females with 72%(n=44), content of specialty 16% (n=10), role model and close interaction with patients15% (n=9), financial reward ranks fourth13% (n=8) and intellectual challenge & desire practice setting 11.5% (n=7). Among undecided for specialty (males & females) n=23, most of the students are of the opinion that insufficient information is the top most reason (56%) n=13, followed by lack of guidance (43%) n =10, lack of role model (39%) n=9 is the third leading factor for being undecided. Conclusion: The trend of preferring Clinical over Basic Sciences is evident in the study. Interestingly Family medicine was also a preferred specialty among females. In improving the health outcomes Pakistan needs Family physicians trained to provide low cost services at community level. Key words: Career, medical students, specialty preference. Introduction The career preferences of present day There is no clear agreement about why medical students undergraduate medical student are not only important choose one particular specialty over another (1). Several for their future career but also reflect the availability of factors have been identified which include socio future doctors in country which ultimately affect the demographic characteristics, personality attributes, health system of a country (6, 7). Thus by identifying the expected income from chosen specialty, parents career preference of undergraduate medical students choices and their attitudes about the chosen and the factors effecting these choices facilitate the specialty(2,3) expected income and duty hours and planning of health care service providers and other stake demands of the particular specialty (4) . Curriculum holders in order to strengthen the health system of content, experience at medical school, role models, country. It provides baseline data to medical educationist societal appreciation of specialty and gender difference to make necessary changes in medical curricula to are also documented as strong determinants of career influence career choices as per demands of country's choice(5). health system (8). 90 Pakistan Journal of Public Health| Vol. 7, No. 2| June 2017 Imran Shaikh, Khola Noreen and others Reasons for Choosing Specialty After Graduation Among Students It is assumed that medical students mostly make career Specialty preferences of medical students choices after they have completed medical school, Out of total 84 students 61 (72.6%, males & females) however there is strong evidence that career choices were decided about the specialty in final year while 23 can be determined before the completion of medical (27.4%, males & females) were undecided in choosing school and mostly by the end of year four and final year their specialty. Among those who have decided in males (9, 10) .This study was carried on final year medical (n=13) Internal Medicine was the first choice with 68.4% students out to assess students preference in choosing (n=13), general surgery 63% (n=12) followed by a specialty after graduation and to evaluate the reasons Pediatrics 31.6% (n=7). Among females n=31, internal for choosing a specific specialty. medicine was the first choice with 59% (n=31), Methodology Pediatrics 38% (n=16) followed by Family Medicine 38% The study was conducted on final year medical students (n=16) and General Surgery 35% (n=15). of Bahria University Medical and Dental College. These Table 2: Specialty preference after graduation students were interviewed regarding career preference (Decided = 61) after finishing medical school and reasons of choosing a specific specialty. Those students who are still indecisive were asked about reasons. All information gathered was on voluntary basis. Students not interested in filling the questionnaire and those who do not give consent for study were not included in study. Questionnaire were filled after description by the principal investigator. Anonymity and confidentiality was maintained. The study was approved by the ethical review board of Bahria University Medical and Dental College Karachi. Results Study demographics The study was conducted on students of Final year (5th year), 84 students took part in the study. Of these 28 (33.3%) were males and 56 (66.6%) were females. The No significant difference was observed amongst gender students were asked about the specialty they prefer and (p>0.05) factors influencing their choice of a specific specialty. Factors influencing specialty preferences Regarding Out of total 84 students 61 (72.6%, males & females) factors influencing choice of specialty personal interest were decided about the specialty in final year while 23 is the top factor in males & females with 72%(n=44), (27.4%, males & females) were undecided in choosing content of specialty 16% (n=10), role model and close their specialty interaction with patients15% (n=9), financial reward Table 1: Socio demographic characteristics of ranks fourth13% (n=8) and intellectual challenge & Students (n=84) desire practice setting 11.5% (n=7). Table 3: Factors influencing career preference of students (Decided= 61) Pakistan Journal of Public Health| Vol. 7, No. 2| June 2017 91 Imran Shaikh, Khola Noreen and others Reasons for Choosing Specialty After Graduation Among Students Among undecided for specialty (males & females) n=23, recent research on students of private medical college in most of the students are of the opinion that insufficient which only 7.8% students chose this specialty. There has information is the top most reason (56%) n=13, followed been substantial rise in selection of this specialty from by lack of guidance (43%) n =10, lack of role model 7.8% in previous research to 38% in our research (18). (39%) n=9 is the third leading factor for being undecided. Previous researches also graded family medicine least Table 4: Reasons for being undecided (n=23) selected specialty. It's not included in priority list of medical students throughout the globe (19, 20). It is optimistic to note that now there is growing trend towards family medicine. This specialty is integral for successful delivery of health services in underserved area of Pakistan. Lack of solid base for primary health care is responsible for inadequate utilization of health care services. Today, we are standing at cross road where we need to strengthen the health care system for effective provision of healthcare services. In Pakistan family medicine is recognized by College of Physicians and Surgeons as specialty but at Discussion under graduate level it is still not incorporated into basic The future career specialties preferred and the factors core curriculum of medical school certified by Pakistan involved in making these choices by medical students Medical and Dental Council. As results doctors are of great significance for balanced distribution of graduating from these medical colleges have no concept doctors in different specialties. of holistic care approach of family medicine (21). There is In our study, majority of the students 72.6% have dire need to restructure our current medical education decided on the specialty. Most selected specialties were system of country in order to redistribute medical Internal Medicine, General surgery and Paediatrics. In students in deficient specialties. This can be only recent study conducted on medical students of Karachi possible by in-depth