Sat, May 24, 2025
[Archive]
Volume 15, Issue 46 (2022)
JMED 2022, 15(46): 80-87 |
Back to browse issues page
Ethics code: IR.ZUMS.REC.1399.310
Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
Salehian S, Jahani M A, Ezoji K, Bijani A, Nikbakht H. Factors affecting the satisfaction and choice of specialization in medical students: A case study in Babol university of medical sciences. JMED 2022; 15 (46) :80-87
URL: http://edujournal.zums.ac.ir/article-1-1611-en.html
URL: http://edujournal.zums.ac.ir/article-1-1611-en.html
1- Babol university of medical sciences
2- Babol university of medical sciences ,drmajahani@yahoo.com
2- Babol university of medical sciences ,
Full-Text [PDF 1314 kb]
(1068 Downloads)
| Abstract (HTML) (3195 Views)
Introduction
Interest in the field of study is the key to progress at both personal and societal levels (1). In this regard, the selection of university majors out of interest and inner desire would lead to dramatic progress in society (2-4). The fields of medical sciences are intertwined with science and art, and significant advancements in science achievement, followed by a dramatic increase in scientific materials, have accelerated the movement towards the specialization of sciences (5). These rapid developments have caused diversity and expansion in such fields as medicine (6).
The assessment of the factors influencing medical students' choice of future specialization, along with the needs of patients and educational centers for medical specialists, can play a strategic role in macro-level educational planning (7). In recent years, the demand for popular residency specialities has undergone a drastic change (8). On the other hand, efficiency and mental health decrease during education due to physical and mental pressures (9, 10).
In the conducted studies, the factors affecting the choice of specialization include contributing to healthcare in society, personal interests, students' debts during education, personal standards and their alterations during education, job requirements and characteristics of the field of study, finding a suitable job, interest in the subject of study, family-work balance, career goals, and busy schedules (11-15).
Therefore, according to medical students' interest in continuing their education in medical specialties, the country's need for specialists, and students' demand for pursuing best fitting specialties according to their interests, it seems necessary that the Ministry of Health and Medical Education update its policies based on these results. The assessment of academic satisfaction and factors affecting the selection of area of specialization can provide the basis for solving the problems ahead. In light of the aforementioned issues, the present study aimed to assess the academic perspective, the level of interest, and the factors affecting the choice of future speciality in medical students at Babol University of Medical Sciences.
Material & Methods
Research environment
This applied research was conducted based on a descriptive-analytical design from 2019-2021. The research environment included the Faculty of Medicine, as well as all educational and treatment centers affiliated to Babol University of Medical Sciences.
Sample size
The study population included all 501 students in Babol University of Medical Sciences who entered the university between 2009-2017. The subjects were selected via convenience sampling, and 220 students agreed to participate in the study, while the rest were not willing to do so. A pilot study was conducted on 50 students, and the interest rate was determined to be 70%. Following that, based on the formula for calculating the sample size of the population proportion, the sample size was calculated at 170 cases taking into account the confidence level of 95% and the acceptable error of 0.07.
Research instruments
The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire which was designed based on the objectives of the study after reviewing scientific texts, brainstorming, and group discussions with expert professors. To check the face validity of the questionnaire, it was submitted to 10 students (5 females and 5 males) who met the inclusion criteria and a number of related experts. They were asked for feedback on clarity, readability, writing style, easy understanding, difficult items, confusing words, comprehensibility, and ambiguity, and accordingly, necessary corrections were made.
For content validity, the questions were provided to five experts in various fields, including medical education specialists, health care management, social medicine, psychiatrists, and epidemiologists. To determine content validity, both qualitative and quantitative methods were used. In the quality assessment of the content, the experts were asked to give feedback based on the criteria of correct grammar, wording, and placement of items, and minor corrections were made. Moreover, for quantitative content analysis, two coefficients of content validity ratio and content validity index were used.
The mentioned questionnaire consisted of four sections: 1) demographic characteristics, 2) satisfaction with the field of study and its influential factors, 3) various specialized fields, and 4) influential factors that can have positive or negative effects on the choice of specialty. The reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed, rendering a Cronbach's coefficient of 0.87. The inclusion criteria were as follows: willingness to participate in the study, studying in one of the stages of clinical preparation (physiopathology), stagery, and internship. On the other hand, the exclusion criteria entailed unwillingness to participate in the study and failure to complete the questionnaire. Thereafter, 95% of items were identified as necessary (content validity ratio), and 98% of cases believed that the items were relevant or very relevant (content validity index).
Data analysis
Data analysis was reported with the assumption of normality using central tendency indicators of the mean (standard deviation) and frequency (percentage) for qualitative variables. The Chi-square test was used to check the statistically significant relationship between qualitative variables, and Fisher's exact test was used if there was a limit in the expected frequency. In addition, the Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the mean of ranked variables with more than two categories of qualitative variables. All analyses were performed in SPSS software 22 at a significance level of P≥0.05. The charts were made in Excel 2013.
Results
The mean age of the students was 23.02±1.65 years (age range:20-30 years). Regarding gender and marital status, 124 (61.38%) cases were female, and 175 (86.63%) subjects were single. Moreover, 6 (33.66%) cases were accepted into medical school after participating twice or more in the entrance exam (Table 1). In addition, 66 (32.67%) and 75(37.12%) participants were satisfied and highly satisfied with the choice of medicine as their field of study, respectively. Furthermore, the factor of social status (n=142; 70.29%) and lack of free time for recreation (n=97; 48.01%) were, respectively, the most important positive and negative influential factors affecting the choice of medicine as a field of study (Table 2). The most important factors affecting the choice of the residency specialty in terms of importance among medical students were interest (n=89; 44.05%) 89, followed by on-duty conditions (n=79; 39.10%). The level of interest in different study stages of medical study differed statistically (P=0.010) (Table 3).
Chart 1. Priority percentage of medical students to continue studying in specialized fields based on priority one to three
The male students preferred surgical fields, such as orthopedics, neurosurgery, general surgery, and ophthalmology, while the female ones were interested in internal specialties, such as neurology, cardiology, psychiatry, and pediatrics. However, in none of the specialties, except urology (P=0.008), there was a statistically significant difference between the two genders (Table 4).
Table 4. Selection of residency program by gender according to the preference of medical students of Babol University of Medical Sciences
Discussion
As evidenced by the results of this study, about 70% of the students expressed high satisfaction with the choice of medicine as their field of study. Moreover, some factors, such as social status, were found to be very effective. Job security and gaining self-awareness were recognized by more than two-thirds of students as factors with high and very high impact. On the other hand, the most important negative factors were related to the lack of enough free time and long years of study, respectively.
According to the results of the present study, cardiology, radiology, and ophthalmology were the most preferred specialties. Nonetheless, in the study by Levaillan et al., the highest proportion of students were willing to pursue surgery and internal medicine (16). In a related study in Saudi Arabia, internal medicine, dermatology, and pediatrics were the most popular specilaties (17). A wide array of factors is involved in the selection of residency specialty, one of which is interest.
Interest assumes more critical importance in developed countries compared to less developed countries. Nonetheless, such factors as income, controllable lifestyle, and future job positions are more influential in less developed countries (18-19). In addition to interest, clinical importance and scientific ability have been important factors influencing the choice of specialty. The most important factors affecting the choice of students were clinical experiences and the effects they had on students during their studies, followed by financial issues, the scientific and academic ability for the desired specialization, and professors' impact (21,20).
In the current study, comprehensive positive clinical experiences in the hospital, the opinion of professors, and consultation with experts played a significant role in the choice of residency specialty. In the study by McNaughton et al., the most important determining factor among medical students was exposure and positive experiences in the selected specialty before graduation (22). In their study, Tamara k.Oser et al. pointed to a strong relationship between the bad behaviors, especially among the residents, and the choice of residency specialty (23).
In the present study, such specialties as anesthesia and emergency medicine were selected by none of the participants. Moreover, some other specialties, such as infectious disease specialist and radiation oncology, were selected by a few subjects. In a study conducted on the final year students in Southeastern Nigeria, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology, and internal medicine were the most preferred specialties among students.
The most important factors affecting the choice of specialty were found to be interest, the potential of the desired specialty to exercise creativity, family-related factors, and fewer on-call hours (17,19). Along the same lines, in their study, Sarikhani et al. referred to the role of personality and personal factors, controllable lifestyle, quality of life, and future job conditions as other influential factors (24). In the study by Jarecky et al., it was revealed that students changed their decision about their future specialty with the passage of time. And the most important reason for this change was the desire to spend more time with family and have a suitable lifestyle (25). Therefore, a suitable lifestyle is one of the critical factors affecting this priority (26-28).
Conclusion
In this study, the majority of students were highly satisfied with their field of study. Interest, social status, and characteristics of the desired specialty in terms of income, years of education, and on-duty status were among the factors affecting the choice of residency specialty among medical students. Therefore, it is suggested to avoid the imbalance that may arise in the future in less popular specialties by considering special advantages, such as removing the project after completing the internship, increasing the salary of residency in less popular specialties, and raising students' knowledge of these specialties to generate their interest.
Limitations
Among the notable limitations of this study, we can refer to difficult access to students in the working conditions of the hospital and the small number of interns participating in the study. In this regard, it is suggested that other studies be conducted at the level of several universities or regions to access a larger number of students, assess the role of geography, and remove the effects of the university.
Ethical considerations
The students in the physiopathology, stagery, or internship programs who were willing to complete the questionnaire and participate in the study were included in the study. The subjects who partially completed the questionnaire were excluded from the study. After the approval of the proposal and obtaining the code of ethics (IR.MUBABOL.HRI.REC.1398.045) from Babol University of Medical Sciences, the questionnaire was distributed among the target group to carry out the study.
Conflict of Interests
The authors declared that they had no conflict of interest.
Acknowledgment
We would like to express our gratitude to the respected vice president of research and technology of the university for the financial support of this project which is a part of a thesis.
Full-Text: (997 Views)
Abstract
Background & Objective: The assessment of the interest of medical students in continuing their studies in specialized fields and the factors affecting it can play a strategic role in macro educational planning. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the level of academic interest and the factors affecting the choice of specialty in medical students of Babol University of Medical Sciences.
Materials & Methods: In this applied cross-sectional study, the study population included incoming medical students from 2009 to 2017 in clinical preparation, stager, and internship. The participants were selected by the convening sampling, and the research tool was a researcher-made questionnaire. Data were collected and entered into SPSS software (version 22) and analyzed by related tests at a significance level of p-value ≤ 0.05.
Results: The mean age of students was 23.02±1.65 years, and124 (61/4%) students were female. Moreover, 96.6% of students wanted to continue their studies in residency. Social status in 142 (70.3%) students and lack of free time in 97 (48%) students, respectively, were the most important positive and negative influential factors in the selection of medicine as the field of study. Three fields of cardiology (n=9; 145.1%), radiology 84 (n=84; 41.6%) and ophthalmology (n=82; 40.6%) were the first three priorities. No statistically significant difference was observed in gender in any of the specialties, except urology (P=0.008).
Conclusion: Interest, social status, income, years of study, and hospital attendance status were the factors affecting the choice of residency among medical students.
Materials & Methods: In this applied cross-sectional study, the study population included incoming medical students from 2009 to 2017 in clinical preparation, stager, and internship. The participants were selected by the convening sampling, and the research tool was a researcher-made questionnaire. Data were collected and entered into SPSS software (version 22) and analyzed by related tests at a significance level of p-value ≤ 0.05.
Results: The mean age of students was 23.02±1.65 years, and124 (61/4%) students were female. Moreover, 96.6% of students wanted to continue their studies in residency. Social status in 142 (70.3%) students and lack of free time in 97 (48%) students, respectively, were the most important positive and negative influential factors in the selection of medicine as the field of study. Three fields of cardiology (n=9; 145.1%), radiology 84 (n=84; 41.6%) and ophthalmology (n=82; 40.6%) were the first three priorities. No statistically significant difference was observed in gender in any of the specialties, except urology (P=0.008).
Conclusion: Interest, social status, income, years of study, and hospital attendance status were the factors affecting the choice of residency among medical students.
Introduction
Interest in the field of study is the key to progress at both personal and societal levels (1). In this regard, the selection of university majors out of interest and inner desire would lead to dramatic progress in society (2-4). The fields of medical sciences are intertwined with science and art, and significant advancements in science achievement, followed by a dramatic increase in scientific materials, have accelerated the movement towards the specialization of sciences (5). These rapid developments have caused diversity and expansion in such fields as medicine (6).
The assessment of the factors influencing medical students' choice of future specialization, along with the needs of patients and educational centers for medical specialists, can play a strategic role in macro-level educational planning (7). In recent years, the demand for popular residency specialities has undergone a drastic change (8). On the other hand, efficiency and mental health decrease during education due to physical and mental pressures (9, 10).
In the conducted studies, the factors affecting the choice of specialization include contributing to healthcare in society, personal interests, students' debts during education, personal standards and their alterations during education, job requirements and characteristics of the field of study, finding a suitable job, interest in the subject of study, family-work balance, career goals, and busy schedules (11-15).
Therefore, according to medical students' interest in continuing their education in medical specialties, the country's need for specialists, and students' demand for pursuing best fitting specialties according to their interests, it seems necessary that the Ministry of Health and Medical Education update its policies based on these results. The assessment of academic satisfaction and factors affecting the selection of area of specialization can provide the basis for solving the problems ahead. In light of the aforementioned issues, the present study aimed to assess the academic perspective, the level of interest, and the factors affecting the choice of future speciality in medical students at Babol University of Medical Sciences.
Material & Methods
Research environment
This applied research was conducted based on a descriptive-analytical design from 2019-2021. The research environment included the Faculty of Medicine, as well as all educational and treatment centers affiliated to Babol University of Medical Sciences.
Sample size
The study population included all 501 students in Babol University of Medical Sciences who entered the university between 2009-2017. The subjects were selected via convenience sampling, and 220 students agreed to participate in the study, while the rest were not willing to do so. A pilot study was conducted on 50 students, and the interest rate was determined to be 70%. Following that, based on the formula for calculating the sample size of the population proportion, the sample size was calculated at 170 cases taking into account the confidence level of 95% and the acceptable error of 0.07.
Research instruments
The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire which was designed based on the objectives of the study after reviewing scientific texts, brainstorming, and group discussions with expert professors. To check the face validity of the questionnaire, it was submitted to 10 students (5 females and 5 males) who met the inclusion criteria and a number of related experts. They were asked for feedback on clarity, readability, writing style, easy understanding, difficult items, confusing words, comprehensibility, and ambiguity, and accordingly, necessary corrections were made.
For content validity, the questions were provided to five experts in various fields, including medical education specialists, health care management, social medicine, psychiatrists, and epidemiologists. To determine content validity, both qualitative and quantitative methods were used. In the quality assessment of the content, the experts were asked to give feedback based on the criteria of correct grammar, wording, and placement of items, and minor corrections were made. Moreover, for quantitative content analysis, two coefficients of content validity ratio and content validity index were used.
The mentioned questionnaire consisted of four sections: 1) demographic characteristics, 2) satisfaction with the field of study and its influential factors, 3) various specialized fields, and 4) influential factors that can have positive or negative effects on the choice of specialty. The reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed, rendering a Cronbach's coefficient of 0.87. The inclusion criteria were as follows: willingness to participate in the study, studying in one of the stages of clinical preparation (physiopathology), stagery, and internship. On the other hand, the exclusion criteria entailed unwillingness to participate in the study and failure to complete the questionnaire. Thereafter, 95% of items were identified as necessary (content validity ratio), and 98% of cases believed that the items were relevant or very relevant (content validity index).
Data analysis
Data analysis was reported with the assumption of normality using central tendency indicators of the mean (standard deviation) and frequency (percentage) for qualitative variables. The Chi-square test was used to check the statistically significant relationship between qualitative variables, and Fisher's exact test was used if there was a limit in the expected frequency. In addition, the Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the mean of ranked variables with more than two categories of qualitative variables. All analyses were performed in SPSS software 22 at a significance level of P≥0.05. The charts were made in Excel 2013.
Results
The mean age of the students was 23.02±1.65 years (age range:20-30 years). Regarding gender and marital status, 124 (61.38%) cases were female, and 175 (86.63%) subjects were single. Moreover, 6 (33.66%) cases were accepted into medical school after participating twice or more in the entrance exam (Table 1). In addition, 66 (32.67%) and 75(37.12%) participants were satisfied and highly satisfied with the choice of medicine as their field of study, respectively. Furthermore, the factor of social status (n=142; 70.29%) and lack of free time for recreation (n=97; 48.01%) were, respectively, the most important positive and negative influential factors affecting the choice of medicine as a field of study (Table 2). The most important factors affecting the choice of the residency specialty in terms of importance among medical students were interest (n=89; 44.05%) 89, followed by on-duty conditions (n=79; 39.10%). The level of interest in different study stages of medical study differed statistically (P=0.010) (Table 3).
Table 1. Demographic information of medical students of Babol University of Medical Sciences participating in the study
| (%) Frequency | Subgroup | Variable |
| 78(61.38) | Male | Gender |
| 124(38.61) | Female | |
| 27(36.13) | Married | Marital Status |
| 175(63.86) | Single | |
| 56(72.27) | Psychopath | Grade |
| 108(46.53) | Stager | |
| 38(81.18) | Intern | |
| 59(20.29) | Diploma and less | Father's educational status |
| 69(15.34) | Bachelor | |
| 56(72.27) | above bachelor's degree | |
| 18(91.8) | physician | |
| 94(53.46) | Diploma and less | Mother's educational status |
| 73(13.36) | Bachelor | |
| 28(86.13) | above bachelor's degree | |
| 7(50.3) | physician |
Table 2. Influential factors with a positive and negative impact on the satisfaction of Babol University of Medical Sciences students participating in the study
| Importance | Positive influencing factor | ||||
| Very much (%) Frequency |
high (%) Frequency |
Middle (%) Frequency |
Low (%) Frequency |
Effectless (%) Frequency |
|
| 76(61.37) | 49(26.24) | 45(28.22) | 15(43.7) | 17(42.8) | More service to society |
| 74(64.36) | 68(66.33) | 39(31.19) | 12(94.5) | 9(45.4) | Social status |
| 74(64.36) | 62(69.30) | 42(79.20) | 13(44.6) | 11(44.5) | Gain self-awareness and self-confidence |
| (63.36)74 | 46(77.22) | 40(80.19) | 27(37.13) | 15(43.7) | Parents' satisfaction and encouragement |
| (64.35)72 | 61(20.30) | 43(29.21) | 17(42.8) | 9(45.4) | The possibility of academic career promotion |
| 62(69.30) | 51(25.25) | 53(24.26) | 27(37.13) | 9(45.4) | The flourishing of individual talent |
| 57(22.28) | 79(11.39) | 41(30.20) | 17(42.8) | 8(96.3) | Gain job security |
| 54(73.26) | 75(13.37) | 51(25.25) | 12(94.5) | 10(95.4) | Gain decent income |
| Importance | Negative influencing factor | ||||
| Very much (%) Frequency |
high (%) Frequency |
Middle (%) Frequency |
Low (%) Frequency |
Effectless (%) Frequency |
|
| 59(21.29) | 38(81.18) | 48(76.23) | 30(85.14) | 27(37.13) | Lack of free time for fun |
| 43(28.21) | 49(26.24) | 51(25.25) | 27(37.13) | 32(84.15) | Tired of long years of study |
| 18(91.8) | 37(32.18) | 43(29.21) | 42(79.20) | 62(69.30) | Insufficient income |
| 31(35.15) | 20(90.9) | 39(31.19) | 33(34.16) | 79(10.39) | Inability to continue studying abroad |
| 29(36.14) | 34(83.16) | 52(74.25) | 40(80.19) | 47(27.23) | Physical fatigue and low physical strength |
| 27(37.13) | 28(86.13) | 42(79.20) | 43(29.21) | 62(69.30) | Problems ahead in case of marriage |
| 12(94.5) | 27(37.13) | 58(71.28) | 40(80.19) | 65(18/32) | The difficulty of admission to assistantships |
| 23(39.11) | 37(32.18) | 65(18.32) | 30(85.14) | 47(27.23) | More desire to start work |
| 23(39.11) | 32(84.15) | 49(25.24) | 35(33.17) | 63(19.31) | Mental fatigue |
| 10(95.4) | 22(89.10) | 29(36.14) | 40(80.19) | 101(00.50) | Not enough interest |
Table 3. The most important factors influencing the choice of residency program according to importance in medical students of Babol University of Medical Sciences
| Effective factors (%) Frequency |
Unimportant | Low Important | Middle | Important | Very Important |
| Interest | 13(44.6) | 6(97.2) | 30(85.14) | 64(68.31) | 89(06.44) |
| Standby condition | 25(38.12) | 34(83.16) | 32(84.15) | 37(32.18) | 74(63.36) |
| Scientific ability for acceptance | 15(42.7) | 24(88.11) | 35(33.17) | 63(19.31) | 65(18.32) |
| clinical importance | 20(90.9) | 11(44.5) | 38(81.18) | 69(16.34) | 64(68.31) |
| Income | 10(95.4) | 20(90.9) | 48(76.23) | 73(14.36) | 51(25.25) |
| Gender of the volunteer | 39(31.19) | 35(33.17) | 36(82.17) | 48(76.23) | 44(78.21) |
| Service to society | 28(86.13) | 21(40.10) | 53(24.26) | 59(21.29) | 41(30.20) |
| Existence of fellowship course | 37(32.18) | 21(40.10) | 47(26.23) | 56(72.27) | 41(30.20) |
| Years of education | 27(37.13) | 38(81.18) | 47(26.23) | 51(25.25) | 39(31.19) |
| Requirement for the field in question at the place of residence | 47(26.23) | 38(81.18) | 38(81.18) | 40(81.19) | 39(31.19) |
| Social status | 23(39.11) | 21(40.10) | 53(24.26) | 68(66.33) | 37(32.18) |
| Marriage and having children | 41(30.20) | 33(33.16) | 39(31.19) | 52(74.25) | 37(32.18) |
| The possibility of studying in the city where you live or nearby | 50(75.24) | 39(31.19) | 34(83.16) | 42(79.20) | 37(32.18) |
| Progress in Iran | 34(83.16) | 33(34.16) | 45(30.22) | 54(73.26) | 36(82.17) |
| The possibility of continuing education abroad | 59(21.29) | 35(33.17) | 35(33.17) | 41(30.20) | 32(83.15) |
| Possibility of research and development | 33(34.16) | 30(85.14) | 60(70.29) | 52(74.25) | 27(37.13) |
| Superiority | 36(82.17) | 44(78.21) | 48(76.23) | 49(26.24) | 25(38.12) |
| The age of the candidate | 48(76.23) | 51(25.25) | 38(81.18) | 42(79.20) | 23(39.11) |
| Physical health | 59(21.29) | 42(79.20) | 38(81.18) | 40(80.19) | 23(39.11) |
| Imitating others | 52(74.25) | 45(28.22) | 58(71.28) | 26(87.12) | 21(40.10) |
| Work and research experiences | 54(73.26) | 41(30.20) | 53(24.26) | 36(82.17) | 18(91.8) |
| Social restriction | 42(79.20) | 41(30.20) | 65(18.32) | 37(32.18) | 17(42.8) |
| Recommendations of other people | 40(81.19) | 34(83.16) | 61(20.30) | 51(25.25) | 16(91.7) |
The fields of cardiology, radiology, and ophthalmology were the first three priorities. Radiology was the first priority (n=40; 19.80%), followed by cardiology (n=37; 18.31%), and ophthalmology (n=30; 14.95%). On the other hand, such specialties as anesthesiology and emergency medicine were selected by none of the subjects (Chart 1).
Chart 1. Priority percentage of medical students to continue studying in specialized fields based on priority one to three
The male students preferred surgical fields, such as orthopedics, neurosurgery, general surgery, and ophthalmology, while the female ones were interested in internal specialties, such as neurology, cardiology, psychiatry, and pediatrics. However, in none of the specialties, except urology (P=0.008), there was a statistically significant difference between the two genders (Table 4).
Table 4. Selection of residency program by gender according to the preference of medical students of Babol University of Medical Sciences
| Assistant field (%) frequency | Gender | First Priority | Second Priority | Third Priority | It is not among the priorities | Test statistics | P-Value |
| Radiology | Male | 11(10.14) | 8(26.10) | 6(69.7) | 53(95.67) | 4.96 |
0.174 |
| Female | 29(39.23) | 16(90.12) | 14(29.11) | 65(42.52) | |||
| Cardiovascular | Male | 15(23.19) | 8(26.10) | 9(54.11) | 46(97.58) | 1.66 |
0.644 |
| Female | 22(74.17) | 19(32.15) | 18(52.14) | 65(42.52) | |||
| Ophthalmology | Male | 12(38.15) | 10(82.12) | 6(69.7) | 50(11.64) | 1.91 |
0.590 |
| Female | 18(52.14) | 21(94.16) | 15(10.12) | 70(45.56) | |||
| Dermatology | Male | 5(41.6) | 4(13.5) | 6(69.7) | 63(77.80) | 4.62 |
0.201 |
| Female | 15(10.12) | 11(87.8) | 15(10.12) | 83(93.66) | |||
| Neurology | Male | 3(85.3) | 9(54.11) | 1(28.1) | 65(33.83) | 6.24 |
0.100 |
| Female | 11(87.8) | 8(45.6) | 8(45.6) | 97(23.78) | |||
| Internist | Male | 3(85.3) | 4(13.5) | 5(41.6) | 66(61.84) | 1.98 |
0.575 |
| Female | 11(87.8) | 6(84.4) | 9(26.7) | 98(03.79) | |||
| General Surgery | Male | 6(69.7) | 3(85.3) | 10(82.12) | 59(64.75) | 7.25 |
0.064 |
| Female | 4(23.3) | 12(68.9) | 7(65.5) | 101(45.81) | |||
| Orthopedics | Male | 5(41.6) | 3(85.3) | 7(97.8) | 63(77.80) | 6.54 |
0.070 |
| Female | 3(42.2) | 2(61.1) | 4(23.3) | 115(74.92) | |||
| Psychiatry | Male | 2(56. 2) | 3(85.3) | 3(85.3) | 70(74.89) | 0.54 |
0.954 |
| Female | 3(42.2) | 6(84.4) | 7(65.5) | 108(09.87) | |||
| Pediatric | Male | 1(28.1) | 4(13.5) | 3(85.3) | 70(74.89) | 0.94 |
0.889 |
| Female | 4(23.3) | 5(03.4) | 6(84.4) | 109(90.87) | |||
| Neurosurgery | Male | 3(85.3) | 2(56.2) | 4(13.5) | 69(5.88) | 5.0 |
0.122 |
| Female | 2(61.1) | 0(00) | 3(42.2) | 119(97.95) | |||
| ENT | Male | 0(00) | 1(28.1) | 2(56.2) | 75(15.96) | 4.99 |
0.123 |
| Female | 2(61.1) | 8(45.6) | 7(65.5) | 107(29.86) | |||
| Pathology | Male | 1(28.1) | 0(00) | 0(00) | 77(72.98) | 3.16 |
0.355 |
| Female | 2(61.1) | 3(42.2) | 3(42.2) | 116(55.93) | |||
| Urology | Male | 1(28.1) | 5(41.6) | 30(46.38) | 69(45.88) | 9.36 | 0.008 |
| Female | 1(81.0) | 0(00) | 2(61.1) | 121(58.97) |
Discussion
As evidenced by the results of this study, about 70% of the students expressed high satisfaction with the choice of medicine as their field of study. Moreover, some factors, such as social status, were found to be very effective. Job security and gaining self-awareness were recognized by more than two-thirds of students as factors with high and very high impact. On the other hand, the most important negative factors were related to the lack of enough free time and long years of study, respectively.
According to the results of the present study, cardiology, radiology, and ophthalmology were the most preferred specialties. Nonetheless, in the study by Levaillan et al., the highest proportion of students were willing to pursue surgery and internal medicine (16). In a related study in Saudi Arabia, internal medicine, dermatology, and pediatrics were the most popular specilaties (17). A wide array of factors is involved in the selection of residency specialty, one of which is interest.
Interest assumes more critical importance in developed countries compared to less developed countries. Nonetheless, such factors as income, controllable lifestyle, and future job positions are more influential in less developed countries (18-19). In addition to interest, clinical importance and scientific ability have been important factors influencing the choice of specialty. The most important factors affecting the choice of students were clinical experiences and the effects they had on students during their studies, followed by financial issues, the scientific and academic ability for the desired specialization, and professors' impact (21,20).
In the current study, comprehensive positive clinical experiences in the hospital, the opinion of professors, and consultation with experts played a significant role in the choice of residency specialty. In the study by McNaughton et al., the most important determining factor among medical students was exposure and positive experiences in the selected specialty before graduation (22). In their study, Tamara k.Oser et al. pointed to a strong relationship between the bad behaviors, especially among the residents, and the choice of residency specialty (23).
In the present study, such specialties as anesthesia and emergency medicine were selected by none of the participants. Moreover, some other specialties, such as infectious disease specialist and radiation oncology, were selected by a few subjects. In a study conducted on the final year students in Southeastern Nigeria, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology, and internal medicine were the most preferred specialties among students.
The most important factors affecting the choice of specialty were found to be interest, the potential of the desired specialty to exercise creativity, family-related factors, and fewer on-call hours (17,19). Along the same lines, in their study, Sarikhani et al. referred to the role of personality and personal factors, controllable lifestyle, quality of life, and future job conditions as other influential factors (24). In the study by Jarecky et al., it was revealed that students changed their decision about their future specialty with the passage of time. And the most important reason for this change was the desire to spend more time with family and have a suitable lifestyle (25). Therefore, a suitable lifestyle is one of the critical factors affecting this priority (26-28).
Conclusion
In this study, the majority of students were highly satisfied with their field of study. Interest, social status, and characteristics of the desired specialty in terms of income, years of education, and on-duty status were among the factors affecting the choice of residency specialty among medical students. Therefore, it is suggested to avoid the imbalance that may arise in the future in less popular specialties by considering special advantages, such as removing the project after completing the internship, increasing the salary of residency in less popular specialties, and raising students' knowledge of these specialties to generate their interest.
Limitations
Among the notable limitations of this study, we can refer to difficult access to students in the working conditions of the hospital and the small number of interns participating in the study. In this regard, it is suggested that other studies be conducted at the level of several universities or regions to access a larger number of students, assess the role of geography, and remove the effects of the university.
Ethical considerations
The students in the physiopathology, stagery, or internship programs who were willing to complete the questionnaire and participate in the study were included in the study. The subjects who partially completed the questionnaire were excluded from the study. After the approval of the proposal and obtaining the code of ethics (IR.MUBABOL.HRI.REC.1398.045) from Babol University of Medical Sciences, the questionnaire was distributed among the target group to carry out the study.
Conflict of Interests
The authors declared that they had no conflict of interest.
Acknowledgment
We would like to express our gratitude to the respected vice president of research and technology of the university for the financial support of this project which is a part of a thesis.
Article Type : Brief Report |
Received: 2022/05/22 | Accepted: 2022/09/24 | Published: 2022/09/16
Received: 2022/05/22 | Accepted: 2022/09/24 | Published: 2022/09/16
References
1. Rao S, Ferris TG, Hidrue MK, Lehrhoff SR, Lenz S, Heffernan J, et al. Physician burnout, engagement and career satisfaction in a large academic medical practice. Clinical medicine & research. 2020;18(1):3-10. [DOI:10.3121/cmr.2019.1516]
2. Goel S, Angeli F, Dhirar N, Singla N, Ruwaard D. What motivates medical students to select medical studies: a systematic literature review. BMC medical education. 2018;18(1):16. [DOI:10.1186/s12909-018-1123-4]
3. Shadid A, Shadid AM, Shadid A, Almutairi FE, Almotairi KE, Aldarwish T, et al. Stress, burnout, and associated risk factors in medical students. Cureus. 2020;12(1). : e6633. [DOI:10.7759/cureus.6633]
4. Rosta J, Aasland OG, Nylenna M. Changes in job satisfaction among doctors in Norway from 2010 to 2017: a study based on repeated surveys. BMJ Open. 2019;9(9):e027891. [DOI:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027891]
5. Chan WC, Ng CH, Yiu BK, Liu CY, Ip CM, Siu HH, et al. A survey on the preference for continuing professional dental education amongst general dental practitioners who attended the 26th Asia Pacific Dental Congress. Eur J Dent Educ. 2006;10(4):210-6. [DOI:10.1111/j.1600-0579.2006.00419.x]
6. Vahid Dastjerdi M, Mahdian M, Vahid Dastjerdi E, Namdari M. Study motives and career choices of Iranian medical and dental students. Acta Med Iran. 2012;50(6):417-24.
7. Boyle V, Shulruf B, Poole P. Influence of gender and other factors on medical student specialty interest. The New Zealand medical journal. 2014;127(1402):78-87.
8. Chang P-Y, Hung C-Y, Wang K-l, Huang Y-H, Chang K-J. Factors influencing medical students' choice of specialty. Journal of the Formosan Medical Association. 2006;105(6):489-96. [DOI:10.1016/S0929-6646(09)60189-3]
9. Erschens R, Loda T, Herrmann-Werner A, Keifenheim KE, Stuber F, Nikendei C, et al. Behaviour-based functional and dysfunctional strategies of medical students to cope with burnout. Medical education online. 2018;23(1):1535738. [DOI:10.1080/10872981.2018.1535738]
10. Muzafar Y, Khan HH, Ashraf H, Hussain W, Sajid H, Tahir M, et al. Burnout and its associated factors in medical students of Lahore, Pakistan. Cureus. 2015;7(11). [DOI:10.7759/cureus.390]
11. Liu Y, Sun X, Yuan Y, Zhang Y, Liu J, Duan Y, et al. Professional satisfaction of health professional undergraduates and influencing factors in Hebei province, China. BMC medical education. 2021;21(1):1-14. [DOI:10.1186/s12909-021-02718-4]
12. Fritz EM, Van Den Hoogenhof S, Braman JP. Association between medical student debt and choice of specialty: a 6-year retrospective study. BMC medical education. 2019;19(1):1-7. [DOI:10.1186/s12909-019-1797-2]
13. Gutiérrez-Cirlos C, Naveja JJ, García-Minjares M, Martínez-González A, Sánchez-Mendiola M. Specialty choice determinants among Mexican medical students: a cross-sectional study. BMC medical education. 2019;19(1):1-8. [DOI:10.1186/s12909-019-1830-5]
14. Yen AJ, Webb EM, Jordan EJ, Kallianos K, Naeger DM. The Stability of Factors Influencing the Choice of Medical Specialty Among Medical Students and Postgraduate Radiology Trainees. Journal of the American College of Radiology: JACR. 2018;15(6):886-891. [DOI:10.1016/j.jacr.2018.03.006]
15. Grasreiner D, Dahmen U, Settmacher U. Specialty preferences and influencing factors: a repeated cross-sectional survey of first- to sixth-year medical students in Jena, Germany. BMC medical education. 2018;18(1):103. [DOI:10.1186/s12909-018-1200-8]
16. Levaillant M, Levaillant L, Lerolle N, Vallet B, Hamel-Broza J-F. Factors influencing medical students' choice of specialization: A gender based systematic review. EClinicalMedicine. 2020;28:100589. [DOI:10.1016/j.eclinm.2020.100589]
17. Al-Zubi M, Ali MM, Alzoubi S, Bani-Hani M, Awwad MA, Seetan K, et al. Preference of and factors that influence future specialty among medical students in Jordan: A cross-sectional study. Annals of Medicine and Surgery. 2021;67:102527. [DOI:10.1016/j.amsu.2021.102527]
18. Rukewe A, Abebe WA, Fatiregun AA, Kgantshang M. Specialty preferences among medical students in Botswana. BMC research notes. 2017;10(1):195. [DOI:10.1186/s13104-017-2523-y]
19. Ossai EN, Uwakwe KA, Anyanwagu UC, Ibiok NC, Azuogu BN, Ekeke N. Specialty preferences among final year medical students in medical schools of southeast Nigeria: need for career guidance. BMC medical education. 2016;16(1):1-8. [DOI:10.1186/s12909-016-0781-3]
20. Seyoum N, Biluts H, Bekele A, Seme A. Medical students' choice of specialty and factors determining their choice: a cross-sectional survey at the Addis Ababa University, School oF Medicine, Ethiopia. Ethiopian medical journal. 2014;52(3):129-35. [PMID: 25812286]
21. Park KH, Jun SK, Park Ie B. A qualitative study on physicians' perceptions of specialty characteristics. Korean journal of medical education. 2016;28(3):269-79. [DOI:10.3946/kjme.2016.33]
22. McNaughton E, Riches J, Harrison G, Mires G, MacEwen C. What factors influenced the choice of medical specialty for doctors surveyed in the final year at medical school and again having entered their specialty training destination? Postgraduate medical journal. 2018;94(1111):312-3. [DOI:10.1136/postgradmedj-2017-135370]
23. Oser TK, Haidet P, Lewis PR, Mauger DT, Gingrich DL, Leong SL. Frequency and negative impact of medical student mistreatment based on specialty choice: a longitudinal study. Academic Medicine. 2014;89(5):755-61. [DOI:10.1097/ACM.0000000000000207]
24. Sarikhani Y, Ghahramani S, Bayati M, Lotfi F, Bastani P. A thematic network for factors affecting the choice of specialty education by medical students: a scoping study in low-and middle-income countries. BMC medical education. 2021;21(1):1-12. [DOI:10.1186/s12909-021-02539-5]
25. Jarecky RK, Schwartz R, Haley J, Donnelly M. Stability of medical specialty selection at the University of Kentucky. Academic medicine: journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges. 1991;66(12):756-61. [DOI:10.1097/00001888-199112000-00011]
26. Kwon OY, Park SY. Specialty choice preference of medical students according to personality traits by Five-Factor Model. Korean journal of medical education. 2016;28(1):95-102. [DOI:10.3946/kjme.2016.14]
27. Yen AJ, Webb EM, Jordan EJ, Kallianos K, Naeger DM. The Stability of Factors Influencing the Choice of Medical Specialty Among Medical Students and Postgraduate Radiology Trainees. Journal of the American College of Radiology : JACR. 2018;15(6):886-91. [DOI:10.1016/j.jacr.2018.03.006]
28. Querido SJ, Vergouw D, Wigersma L, Batenburg RS, De Rond ME, Ten Cate OT. Dynamics of career choice among students in undergraduate medical courses. A BEME systematic review: BEME Guide No. 33. Medical teacher. 2016;38(1):18-29. [DOI:10.3109/0142159X.2015.1074990]
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
