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Sarikhani Y, Najibi SM, Mosallanejad R, Rayatinejad A, Sanjabi MR, Gholami F, Islam S, Bastani P. The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Factors Influencing Iranian Medical Residents' Specialty Selection: A Qualitative Study. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCES 2024; 49:259-267. [PMID: 38680221 PMCID: PMC11053256 DOI: 10.30476/ijms.2023.97637.2943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Background Medical students' specialty selection influences the composition of the physician workforce and the effectiveness of health systems. Therefore, the identification of factors that influence the choice of specialty is critical for an evidence-based health policy. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the determinants of specialty choice among Iranian medical residents. Methods In early 2022, this qualitative study was conducted among Iranian medical residents in seven provinces, including Tehran, Isfahan, Fars, Khorasan Razavi, Kerman, Kermanshah, and Khuzestan. The participants were selected using a purposeful sampling method. Data were collected using 74 semi-structured in-depth face-to-face interviews. Finally, a thematic content analysis (conventional content analysis) method was applied for data synthesis. Results The participant's mean age was 28.7±2.5 years, and more than 52% (N=39) were men. Following data synthesis, 10 sub-themes and four main themes were identified, including educational aspects affected by the pandemic, career-related hazards, personal and professional lifestyles affected by the disease, and experiences and beliefs regarding the pandemic. Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on medical students' educational, professional, and personal aspects of specialty choices. This study demonstrated how the disease affected the choice of specialty. Therefore, the findings could be used for developing national health policy and planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaser Sarikhani
- Research Center for Social Determinants of Health, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran
| | - Seyedeh Maryam Najibi
- Department of Health Services Management, School of Management and Medical Informatics, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Rahil Mosallanejad
- Student Research Committee, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran
| | - Ali Rayatinejad
- Student Research Committee, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran
| | | | - Fereshteh Gholami
- Student Research Committee, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran
| | - Shahidul Islam
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Health, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia
| | - Peivand Bastani
- Faculty of Health and Behavioral Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
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Rozario SY, Sarkar M, Farlie MK, Lazarus MD. Responding to the healthcare workforce shortage: A scoping review exploring anatomical pathologists' professional identities over time. ANATOMICAL SCIENCES EDUCATION 2024; 17:351-365. [PMID: 36748328 DOI: 10.1002/ase.2260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Anatomical pathology (AP) is an anatomy-centric medical specialty devoted to tissue-based diagnosis of disease. The field faces a current and predicted workforce shortage, likely increasing diagnostic wait times and delaying patient access to urgent treatment. A lack of AP exposure is proposed to preclude recruitment to the field, as medical students are afforded only a limited understanding of who a pathologist is and what they do (their professional identity/PI and role). Anatomical sciences educators may be well placed to increase student understanding of anatomical pathologists' PI features, but until features of anatomical pathologists' PI are understood, recommendations for anatomy educators are premature. Thus, this scoping review asked: "What are the professional identity features of anatomical pathologists reported in the literature, and how have these changed over time?" A six-stage scoping review was performed. Medline and PubMed, Global Health, and Embase were used to identify relevant studies (n = 74). Team-based framework analysis identified that features of anatomical pathologists' professional identity encompass five overarching themes: professional practice, views about the role, training and education, personal implications, and technology. Technology was identified as an important theme of anatomical pathologists' PI, as it intersected with many other PI feature themes, including diagnosis and collaboration. This review found that pathologists may sometimes perceive professional competition with technology, such as artificial intelligence. These findings suggest unique opportunities for integrating AP-specific PI features into anatomy teaching, which may foster student interest in AP, and potentially increase recruitment into the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shemona Y Rozario
- Centre for Human Anatomy Education (CHAE), Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedical Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mahbub Sarkar
- Monash Centre for Scholarship in Health Education (MCSHE), Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Melanie K Farlie
- Monash Centre for Scholarship in Health Education (MCSHE), Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michelle D Lazarus
- Centre for Human Anatomy Education (CHAE), Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedical Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Monash Centre for Scholarship in Health Education (MCSHE), Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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Iktidar MA, Sakib MM, Munni UR, Rimti FH, Yousuf R, Majumder K, Saha T, Golpo FL, Sayed MSU, Monsur S, Al Galib A, Hossain MK, Shupti SA, Nawar N, Mazumder S, Hasan MT. Medical students' career preferences in Bangladesh. BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION 2024; 24:81. [PMID: 38263095 PMCID: PMC10804597 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-024-05050-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
AIM This study aimed to investigate the career preferences among Bangladeshi medical students, identify the factors that influence their present choices, and additionally report the role of gender and academic year behind their decisions. METHODS This cross-sectional study conducted in Bangladesh from August 2022 to April 2023 included 801 medical students conveniently selected from medical colleges in eight divisions. Data were collected using a web-based survey and analysed using STATA version 16.0. Statistical tests included the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, frequency, and Kruskal-Wallis H test. The response rate was 94.6%, and the CHERRIES guideline was followed for reporting the results. RESULT The majority of the participants were female (64.42%) and under the age of 23 years (58.8%). The study revealed that medicine was the preferred career choice for the majority of students (65%), with surgery being the most popular first choice (30.21%) among them. Female medical students showed a significantly higher preference for gynaecology & obstetrics (p < 0.001), while male students had a significantly higher tendency to choose general practice (p = 0.002). There is a significant gender difference (p < 0.05) in the career preference factors, including professional prestige, role model influence, easy money, family time, promotion opportunities, income for lifestyle, and research opportunities. Academic year differences were also observed, with increasing interest in medicine and public health (p < 0.001), a decrease in interest in surgery (p < 0.001), and a decline in preference for non-medical careers as students progressed through their MBBS life (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Overall, medicine was the most popular speciality choice, however, male students preferred general practice and female students preferred gynaecology and obstetrics more. Personal passion, opportunities for contribution to society, professional prestige, having a direct dealing with patients, and income will allow an enjoyable lifestyle were the most important factors in the choice of their career.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Azmain Iktidar
- Directorate General of Health Services, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
- Department of Public Health, North South University, Plot # 15, Block # B, Bashundhara R/A, 1229, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
- School of Research, Chattogram, Bangladesh.
| | - Md Muid Sakib
- Chattogram Medical College, 57 K.B. Fazlul Kader Road, 4203, Chattogram, Bangladesh
| | | | - Fahmida Hoque Rimti
- Chattogram Medical College, 57 K.B. Fazlul Kader Road, 4203, Chattogram, Bangladesh
| | - Renessa Yousuf
- School of Research, Chattogram, Bangladesh
- Chattogram Medical College, 57 K.B. Fazlul Kader Road, 4203, Chattogram, Bangladesh
| | - Koushik Majumder
- Chattogram Medical College, 57 K.B. Fazlul Kader Road, 4203, Chattogram, Bangladesh
| | - Tirtha Saha
- Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital, 6000, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
| | | | - Md Samee U Sayed
- Chattogram Medical College, 57 K.B. Fazlul Kader Road, 4203, Chattogram, Bangladesh
| | - Sabrina Monsur
- Dhaka Medical College Hospital, 1000, Ramna, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Asadul Al Galib
- Sir Salimullah Medical College and Mitford Hospital, 1100, Mitford, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md Kamran Hossain
- IBN Sina Medical College and Hospital, 1216, Kallyanpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Sigma Alam Shupti
- Mymensingh Medical College and Hospital, Chorpara, Mymensingh, Bangladesh
| | - Noshin Nawar
- School of Research, Chattogram, Bangladesh
- University of Chittagong, Chattogram, Bangladesh
| | - Sudeshna Mazumder
- Chattogram Medical College, 57 K.B. Fazlul Kader Road, 4203, Chattogram, Bangladesh
| | - M Tasdik Hasan
- Action Lab, Department of Human Centred Computing, Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Public Health, State University of Bangladesh (SUB), Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Public Health Foundation, Bangladesh (PHF, BD), Dhaka, Bangladesh
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Stanley N, Binti Bakar RS, Cheng KY, Nwedu AB, Binti Hassan II. Career Intentions and the Determining Factors among Health Science Students: A Systematic Review. Creat Nurs 2023; 29:65-97. [PMID: 37551007 DOI: 10.1177/107845352202900113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Health systemsneed adequate personnelin order to function; improvements in health-care services delivery, and coverage and the enjoyment of standard healthcare as a right, depend on the availability, mixture, quality, and accessibility of the health-care workforce. PURPOSE This review aimed to synthesize reliable evidence ondetermining factors among health science students' career choices to enhance policy advocacy for better health-care delivery. METHOD We sourced empirical studies from Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar. From a total of 9,056 researcharticlesfrom 2010 to 2022, 27 studies with a total of 45,832 respondents met the inclusion criteria. RESULTS The majority of the studies were of medical students; internal medicine was the commonest choice (64.3%), with psychiatry and public health receiving lesser attention. In the four available studies of nursing students, midwifery was not chosen at all. There is a paucity of studies on this all-important concept for nursing students. The determining factors of choice of specialty were in four themes: personal, socioeconomic, professional, and educational/policy. Among the barriers to choosing particular specialties were low prestige among colleagues, stigma, long working hours, and poor public recognition. CONCLUSION The career choices of health science students do not reflect an adequate mix of health-care team members to meet the health-care needs of the world. Reforms of policy and educational training are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Njaka Stanley
- Health Sciences at Universiti Sains in Malaysia and a Lecturer at Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | | | - Kueh Yee Cheng
- Senior Lecturer in the School of Medical Sciences at Universiti Sains, Malaysia
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Nadarajah A, Shankar PR, Jayaraman S, Sreeramareddy CT. House officers' specialist career choices and motivators for their choice- a sequential mixed-methods study from Malaysia. BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION 2022; 22:796. [PMID: 36384571 PMCID: PMC9668396 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-022-03845-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Shortage and maldistribution of medical specialists hamper healthcare quality. The specialist career choices of house officers determines the future composition of healthcare systems. We studied house officers'' specialist career choices and motivators for their choice. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS We conducted online in-depth interviews among seven house officers using an interview guide developed based on a literature review. The transcripts were analyzed. Major themes were identified. A 33-item questionnaire was developed, and the main and sub-themes were identified as motivators for specialist career choice. An online survey was done among 185 house officers. Content validation of motivators for specialist choice was done using exploratory factor analysis. First, second and third choices for a specialist career were identified. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were done to determine the socio-demographic factors and motivators associated with the first choice. RESULTS HOs perceived that specialist training opportunities provide a wide range of clinical competencies through well-structured, comprehensive training programs under existing specialist training pathways. Main challenges were limited local specialist training opportunities and hurdles for 'on-contract' HO to pursue specialist training. Motivators for first-choice specialty were related to 'work schedule', 'patient care characteristics', 'specialty characteristics', 'personal factors', 'past work experience', 'training factors', and 'career prospects.' House officers' first choices were specialties related to medicine (40.5%), surgery (31.5%), primary care (14.6%), and acute care (13.5%). On multivariate analysis, "younger age", "health professional in the family", "work schedule and personal factors", "career prospects" and "specialty characteristics" were associated with the first choice. CONCLUSIONS Medical and surgical disciplines were the most preferred disciplines and their motivators varied by individual discipline. Overall work experiences and career prospects were the most important motivators for the first-choice specialty. The information about motivational factors is helpful to develop policies to encourage more doctors to choose specialties with a shortage of doctors and to provide career specialty guidance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anuradha Nadarajah
- School of Postgraduate Studies, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Gameraddin M, Al-sultan K, Salih S, Gareeballah A, Hasaneen M, Alomaim W, Omer A. Factors Influencing Undergraduate Students' Preference of Health Sciences Specialties. ADVANCES IN MEDICAL EDUCATION AND PRACTICE 2022; 13:1351-1358. [PMID: 36304980 PMCID: PMC9596231 DOI: 10.2147/amep.s377344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is necessary to determine what motivates students to pursue a particular specialty of their choosing to maintain a balance of medical practitioners from various disciplines. OBJECTIVE The study aims to assess factors influencing undergraduate students of Applied Medical Sciences in choosing a specialty or discipline. METHODS This cross-sectional study was conducted among first-year students of the faculty of applied medical sciences at Taibah University. One hundred and twenty-five participants were enrolled in the study. The students were asked to respond and complete the designed 9-item questionnaire. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (BM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 23.0, Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.) was used to analyze the data. A comparison between departments of the faculty was carried out. RESULTS 125 participants were satisfied with their current faculty or discipline. They stated that medicine was the first choice (43.2%), followed by clinical nutrition (11.2%), dentistry (8%), diagnostic radiology (7.2%), and clinical laboratory (5.6%). The most important factors that affect students' choice of discipline were helping patients and the community (32.8%), personal desire (30.4%), personal desire and helping patients (22.4%), and job opportunity and prestige (9.5%), with gender variations. Family enforcement and finances were less frequent factors affecting students' specialty preferences. CONCLUSION The human medicine specialization was the first choice for most female and male undergraduate students who entered the faculty of applied medical sciences. Furthermore, the most influencing factor affecting students' choices was helping patients and the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moawia Gameraddin
- Department of Diagnostic Radiologic Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Kamal Al-sultan
- Department of Diagnostic Radiologic Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Suliman Salih
- Radiology and Medical Imaging Department, Fatima College of Health Sciences, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Awadia Gareeballah
- Department of Diagnostic Radiologic Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohamed Hasaneen
- Radiology and Medical Imaging Department, Fatima College of Health Sciences, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Wijdan Alomaim
- Radiology and Medical Imaging Department, Fatima College of Health Sciences, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Awatif Omer
- Department of Diagnostic Radiologic Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia
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Saleh R, Martins RS, Saad M, Fatimi AS, Kumar G, Abbas M, Akbar I, Jehanzeb H, Ladak S, Kaleem S, Nadeem S. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the career choice of medicine: A cross-sectional study amongst pre-medical students in Pakistan. Ann Med Surg (Lond) 2022; 81:104219. [PMID: 35957649 PMCID: PMC9357277 DOI: 10.1016/j.amsu.2022.104219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the lives of healthcare workers due to the frontline nature of their work. Their hard work and sacrifice have forged new perceptions of healthcare workers. These changes may potentially influence students' interest in medicine. This study explores how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected premedical students' decisions to pursue medicine as a career. Methods A cross-sectional study using a self-designed online questionnaire was carried out amongst pre-medical students across Pakistan. Results A total of 1695 students from 93 public and private schools filled in the survey. After the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, significantly more pre-medical students want to pursue medicine (60.7%-62.9%) and less are unsure (20.2%-17%). Students are significantly more likely to be motivated to pursue medicine due to altruistic benefits to society (57% vs. 62.7%) and be deterred by the risk of contracting infections on duty (10%-14.6%). There is a minor but significant increase in the popularity of internal medicine (17.1%-18.9%), public health (4.1% vs. 5.7%), emergency medicine (3.8% vs. 5.7%), pediatrics (3.8% vs. 4.7%), and radiology (2.1% vs. 2.9%). Most pre-medical students felt that doctors routinely undergo physical and emotional turmoil (84%). Conclusions Although awareness of hardships faced by medical professionals has increased, motivation to pursue medicine has grown. Through understanding trends in the motivations of students to pursue medicine, medical schools can accommodate the expectations of incoming students and reach out to potential applicants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raisa Saleh
- Medical College, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan
- Society for Promoting Innovation in Medicine (SPIE), Center for Innovation in Medical Education (CIME), Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Russell Seth Martins
- Medical College, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan
- Society for Promoting Innovation in Medicine (SPIE), Center for Innovation in Medical Education (CIME), Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Saad
- Society for Promoting Innovation in Medicine (SPIE), Center for Innovation in Medical Education (CIME), Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
- Nixor College, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Asad Saulat Fatimi
- Medical College, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan
- Society for Promoting Innovation in Medicine (SPIE), Center for Innovation in Medical Education (CIME), Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Gaurav Kumar
- Society for Promoting Innovation in Medicine (SPIE), Center for Innovation in Medical Education (CIME), Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
- Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, 74200, Pakistan
| | - Manzar Abbas
- Medical College, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan
- Society for Promoting Innovation in Medicine (SPIE), Center for Innovation in Medical Education (CIME), Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Inaara Akbar
- Medical College, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan
- Society for Promoting Innovation in Medicine (SPIE), Center for Innovation in Medical Education (CIME), Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Hamzah Jehanzeb
- Medical College, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan
- Society for Promoting Innovation in Medicine (SPIE), Center for Innovation in Medical Education (CIME), Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Shamila Ladak
- Medical College, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan
- Society for Promoting Innovation in Medicine (SPIE), Center for Innovation in Medical Education (CIME), Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Shamama Kaleem
- Society for Promoting Innovation in Medicine (SPIE), Center for Innovation in Medical Education (CIME), Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
- Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, 74200, Pakistan
| | - Sarah Nadeem
- Society for Promoting Innovation in Medicine (SPIE), Center for Innovation in Medical Education (CIME), Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
- Section of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan
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Sume BW. Medical Students' Attitude and Perception Towards Embryology Course at Debre Markos University, Ethiopia. ADVANCES IN MEDICAL EDUCATION AND PRACTICE 2022; 13:789-796. [PMID: 35959136 PMCID: PMC9357559 DOI: 10.2147/amep.s377999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Medical students' attitudes and perceptions are crucial for designing an anatomy curriculum that meets the standards for safe medical practice. OBJECTIVE To assess the attitude and perception of medical students towards the clinical relevance of embryology at Debre Markos University. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted at Debre Markos University from March 10 to April 20, 2022. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire includes students' attitudes, career choices, and perceptions of integration of embryology and teratology courses. All viewpoints were rated using a positive Likert scale ranging from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree". Data were entered using EpiData version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. RESULTS A total of 246 medical students participated in the study. About 159 (64.63%) medical students perceived that embryology requires understanding in the clinics. More than half of the respondents, 169 (68.70%) perceived that embryology is most clinically relevant for all basic sciences. About two-thirds of medical students, 189 (76.83%) agreed that integration of embryology and teratology courses in the first and second years was better than teaching each discipline alone. More than half of medical students, 145 (58.94%) also preferred problem-based learning that combines embryology and teratology. About 201 (81.71%) medical students perceived that virtual reality is more effective than images in the textbook for teaching embryology. CONCLUSION In this study, most of the medical students have a positive attitude toward the embryology course. The first-year curricular integration of embryology and teratology must be maintained, and great effort is required to improve students' passion for developmental anatomy/embryology. These findings might be utilized as an additional motivation for the improvement of the embryology course, with a focus on the practical application of knowledge in a clinical context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bickes Wube Sume
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, Ethiopia
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Nadarajah A, Ramasamy S, Shankar PR, Sreeramareddy CT. Development and validation of motivators for medical specialist career choice questionnaire (MMSCCQ) - a methodological study. BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION 2022; 22:474. [PMID: 35718765 PMCID: PMC9206890 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-022-03523-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION A validated instrument to assess the motivating factors influencing junior doctors' medical specialist career choices is not available. The Motivators for Medical Specialist Career Choice Questionnaire (MMSCCQ) was developed and validated in the present study. METHODS An exploratory sequential mixed-methods study was conducted among house officers (HO) of a tertiary care hospital. A literature review was used to construct an interview guide. Seven HOs participated in an online, one-on-one audio-recorded in-depth interview (IDI). Seven sub-themes and 33 codes identified by thematic analyses were used to develop the MMSCCQ. The importance of each motivator was rated on a five-point Likert scale. The MMSCCQ was pretested, and a random sample of 262 house officers was invited to participate in an online survey. Psychometric evaluation was done using reliability statistics, and exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. RESULTS The seven main themes identified by thematic analyses were labeled as factors related to 'work schedule and personal life,' 'training opportunities', 'past work experiences', 'specialty characteristics', 'career prospects', 'patient care characteristics', and 'social factors.' The highest ratings were given to "previous job experience" and "patient care traits. "The response rate was 71%, the mean age of the 185 HOs was 26.7 years (SD = 1.6). Females made up 63.8% of the population. The internal consistency for the overall questionnaire measured by Cronbach's alpha was 0.85. Each construct demonstrated an acceptable internal consistency. Twenty-six of 33 items were maintained after an exploratory factor analysis was conducted, yielding 7 constructs with a 64.9% variance. Confirmatory factor analyses established the construct validity. CONCLUSION The MMSCCQ has acceptable reliability and construct validity. Further studies are needed to test psychometric properties in different settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anuradha Nadarajah
- School of Postgraduate Studies, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Shamala Ramasamy
- Department of Psychology, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | - Chandrashekhar T Sreeramareddy
- Department of Community Medicine, International Medical University, No.126, Jalan Jalil Perkasa 19, Bukit Jalil, 57000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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Teshome D. Attitude and Perception of Medical Students Towards Histology Subject at Wollo University, Ethiopia. ADVANCES IN MEDICAL EDUCATION AND PRACTICE 2022; 13:337-344. [PMID: 35469297 PMCID: PMC9034839 DOI: 10.2147/amep.s359703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Students' perceptions and feedback have a significant impact on academic progress. OBJECTIVE To assess the attitude and perception of medical students towards histology subject at Wollo University, Northern Ethiopia. METHODS An institution-based cross-sectional study design was carried out in Wollo University from January, 2021 to February, 2021. A pre-tested and structured self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. All opinions were rated using a positive-point Likert scale, which ranges from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree." The data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 20. RESULTS A total of 184 students participated in this study, with a 100% response rate. Of the respondents, 84.24% of them were very much interested in histology subject. However, only 31 (16.85%) thought of histology as a career choice. The two major reason for not joining histology was less chance of promotion (65, 35.33%) and financial growth (41, 22.28%) followed by difficulty of the subject (23, 12.5%). Most of the respondents (155, 84.24%) agreed or strongly agreed that histology knowledge will help them a lot in their future clinical practice. Regarding different methods of teaching histology, our study reveals that there were 82.61% of participants who agreed with the proposed integration of histology and pathology. Moreover, system approach in teaching pathology with other disciplines was preferred by 70.1% and was comparable to several studies. CONCLUSION Overall, the study findings indicate that medical students have a favorable attitude toward histology courses. But, they are unable to join the field due to the lower chance of promotion and financial growth. The curricular integration of histology and pathology in the first year needs to be continued, and much effort is needed to increase students' affinity for microscopic anatomy. This evidence serves as an additional motive for the development of histology courses focusing on practical application of knowledge in a clinically oriented setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Teshome
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wollo University, Dessie, Amhara, Ethiopia
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Fang Y, Soljak M, Tan SLL, Smith HE. Medical students' attitudes towards and views of general practice careers in Singapore: a cross-sectional survey and qualitative analysis. BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION 2022; 22:266. [PMID: 35410191 PMCID: PMC8995911 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-022-03298-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Like many other countries, Singapore needs to support its ageing population by attracting more doctors into general practice (GP) and family medicine (FM). To achieve this requires a better understanding of what attracts or deters medical students. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among medical students in Singapore. METHODS An online survey was distributed to students from all three medical schools to understand their likelihood of choosing primary care careers, what they valued in their careers, their attitude towards different aspects of general practice and family medicine relative to other medical fields, and the positive and negative perceptions of primary care held by themselves, their lecturers, and clinical mentors. They were able to elaborate the negativity encountered in the open-ended questions. Quantitative data was analyzed with descriptive statistics, principal component analysis, and linear regression; qualitative data was analyzed thematically. RESULTS The survey was completed by 391 students. Slightly over half indicated a likelihood of choosing a career in primary care. For their own careers, the students valued job satisfaction and career development opportunities the most. They perceived careers in primary care as being most likely to offer reasonable hours and close patient relationships, but least likely to offer career advancement potential relative to other medical fields. Their likelihood of choosing primary care careers was significantly predicted by what they value in their own career and their attitudes toward GP/FM relative to other medical fields, but not by the perceptions of GP/FM by others. Free-text responses illustrated how students encounter derogatory comments about GP/FM: the work being "mundane and repetitive", the careers non-competitive, and the doctors poor in clinical competence. CONCLUSION While the shortage of primary care doctors is a global issue, our findings highlight the value of situating inquiries in localized contexts. Medical curriculum should emphasize the critical role of primary care in the healthcare system and primary care doctors should be given due recognition to build a strong and motivated primary care workforce to serve the future healthcare needs of the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Fang
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, 11 Mandalay Road, Singapore, 308232, Singapore
| | - Michael Soljak
- Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Shawn Lien Ler Tan
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, 11 Mandalay Road, Singapore, 308232, Singapore
- Ministry of Health Holdings, 1 Maritime Square, Singapore, 099253, Singapore
| | - Helen E Smith
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, 11 Mandalay Road, Singapore, 308232, Singapore.
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Mohamed EY. Specialty preferences and factors affecting the choices of postgraduate specialty among undergraduate medical students. Pak J Med Sci 2022; 38:1431-1435. [PMID: 35991256 PMCID: PMC9378383 DOI: 10.12669/pjms.38.6.5571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Revised: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives To study specialties preference of the students at the College of Medicine, Majmaah University, Saudi Arabia; and to determine the factors that affect the choice of their postgraduate specialty. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 138 undergraduate medical students at the College of Medicine, Majmaah University, Saudi Arabia for the current academic year 2021-2022. Data were collected using a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 24, and a Chi-square test was utilized to compare qualitative data. Results Internal medicine is the first choice for 16 (19.8%) students. General surgery and family medicine were selected by 15 (18.5%) and 12 (14.8%) students, respectively. Sixty-seven (82.7%) students relied on their selection of a good future guaranteed by specialty, and 48 (49.3%) selected challenging specialty; 64 (79.0%) were motivated by a practicing doctor for their future specialty selection and 54 (66.7%) by their families. Conclusions Most preferred specialty for medical students is internal medicine followed by general surgery. Both genders preferred internal medicine as their future specialty. Some important specialties such as public health and basic medical sciences were not selected as a future specialty by any student. The most stated reason behind specialty selection is the provision for a good future. Most students are motivated by a practicing doctor to select a postgraduate specialty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elsadig Yousif Mohamed
- Dr. Elsadig Yousif Mohamed, MD. Department of Community Medicine College of Medicine, Majmaah University Al-Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia,Correspondence: Dr. Elsadig Yousif Mohamed, MD. Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Majmaah University, Al-Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia. E-mail:
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Al- zubi M, Ali MM, Alzoubi S, Bani-hani M, Awwad MA, Seetan K, Albeitawi S, Alriyalat S, Demour SA. Preference of and factors that influence future specialty among medical students in Jordan: A cross-sectional study. Ann Med Surg (Lond) 2021; 67:102527. [PMID: 34276981 PMCID: PMC8264099 DOI: 10.1016/j.amsu.2021.102527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Choosing future specialty is an important issue that face undergraduate medical students during their university years. Several factors may assist to formulate students' final decision. We aimed to explore the future specialty preferences and the factors that influence the choice of undergraduate students in medical schools in Jordan. METHODS A cross sectional study conducted among the sixth year students of two medical schools in Jordan. A questionnaire was used to collect data from the students. It consisted of demographic data in form of gender, GPA, family income, and parents' level of education. In addition to data about preferred specialties, and factors that influence medical students' choice of future specialty. RESULTS A total of 223 medical students from two medical schools were recruited to participate. Males were 49.3% while females were 50.7%, and around 22% scored an excellent GPA. Most parents of the students were bachelor degree holders (63.6% for fathers and 62.3% for mothers). Medicine (19.4%), dermatology (12.6%), and obstetrics and gynecology (11.7%) were the most chosen future specialties. Specialty appeal and thoughts of future creativity was the most chosen factor that influenced future specialty (55.2%) choice, followed by family time and less on-call duties (14.8%). Students who selected chances of fellowships as an influencing factor were more likely to prefer medicine as future specialties (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION Medicine, dermatology, and obstetrics and gynecology were the most popular future specialty choices among undergraduate medical students. Most of our medical students claimed that selection of their specialty is based on the interest and potential creativity, family time and less on call duties. Further studies are required in a wide range to accommodate more students from the other academic years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Al- zubi
- Urology Division, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan
- Corresponding author.
| | - Mahmoud Mustafa Ali
- Department of Pediatric and Orthodontic Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Taibah University, Almadinah Almonawarah, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Morad Bani-hani
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan
| | - Mohammad A. Awwad
- Orthopaedics Division, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Khaled Seetan
- Dermatology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Soha Albeitawi
- Gynaecology Division, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Sulieman Alriyalat
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Balqa Applied University, Salt, Jordan
| | - Saddam Al Demour
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
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Masuadi EM, Mohamud MS, Alhassan AM, Alharbi KG, Hilabi AS, Alharbi FA, Tatwani AT, Farraj AI, Al-Nasser S, Safi MF. Factors and Determinants of Choosing Pathology as a Future Career: Results From a Multi-Institution Study. Cureus 2021; 13:e15790. [PMID: 34295597 PMCID: PMC8293683 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.15790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Globally, less than 10% of graduating medical students select pathology as a future career. Many factors were reported from different settings to influence the choice of pathology. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors that determine medical students' preferences in choosing pathology as a future career. Methods This cross-sectional study surveyed students from three governmental medical schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire that contained demographic questions and items that addressed perceived factors that affect the choice of pathology was distributed to medical students. Collected data were analyzed using Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) Statistics for Windows, Version 25.0 (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp). A chi-square test was used to determine the association between independent variables and interest in pathology. Results Out of the 400 questionnaires distributed, 338 students completed the survey with a response rate of 84.5%. Overall, surgery (24%) and internal medicine (20%) were the most favored, specialties with only 5% of the students selecting pathology as their first choice. Patient-doctor interaction (72.2%) was perceived as the most important factor in not choosing pathology as a future career. Taking an elective course, younger age groups, and year in medical school were all significantly associated (p<0.001) with an interest in pathology. Conclusion In this study, most of the students indicated surgery and internal medicine as their first specialty choices. Only 5% of the students chose pathology as their first choice. Two-thirds of medical students perceived pathologists do not interact with patients. A significant association was found between younger age groups, enrolling for a pathology course, and having an interest in pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emad M Masuadi
- Research Unit/Biostatistics, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences/King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC), Riyadh, SAU
| | - Mohamud S Mohamud
- Medical Education, College of Medicine/King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Abdulrahman M Alhassan
- Medical Education, College of Medicine/King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Khalid G Alharbi
- Medical Education, College of Medicine/King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Ahmed S Hilabi
- Medical Education, College of Medicine/King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Faisal A Alharbi
- Medical Education, College of Medicine/King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Abdullah T Tatwani
- Medical Education, College of Medicine/King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Abdullah I Farraj
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Applied Medical Sciences/King Saud University, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Sami Al-Nasser
- Medical Education, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, SAU
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Teshome D, Tiruneh C, Berhanu L, Berihun G. Medical Students' Attitude and Perception Towards Basic Medical Science Subjects at Wollo University, Northeast Ethiopia. ADVANCES IN MEDICAL EDUCATION AND PRACTICE 2021; 12:431-438. [PMID: 33976581 PMCID: PMC8106454 DOI: 10.2147/amep.s309440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The knowledge of basic medical science could help to remember a fact and be used to understand causal mechanisms of disease process that improve the accuracy of diagnostic formulations. OBJECTIVE To assess the perception and attitude of medical students towards basic medical science subjects along with retention rate and clinical relevance in Wollo University. METHODS Institutional-based cross-sectional study design was employed in Wollo University from September, 2020 to October, 2020. A pre-tested and structured self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. All opinions were rated using a positive-point Likert scale, which ranges from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree." The data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 20. RESULTS A total of 153 students participated with a 100% response rate. Among them, 45 (29.4%), 38 (24.8%), 39 (25.5%), and 31 (20.3%) were PC-II, C-I, C-II, and Intern students, respectively. Ninety-six (62.7%) of medical students were very much interested in basic medical science subjects. But, 113 (73.9%) of them did not have plans to join the subjects as a future career. The main reasons in more than half 85 (55.7%) of the respondents were less financial growth followed by less chance of promotion 31 (20.3%). There were 66.7% of the students who considered anatomy as clinically relevant, whereas 53.6% and 47.1% considered physiology and biochemistry, respectively, to be clinically relevant. The number of students who could recall anatomy and physiology during relevant clinical discussions was 102 (66.7%) and 85 (55.6%), respectively. This percentage was relatively less for biochemistry (26.8%). CONCLUSION In conclusion, medical students have a positive attitude towards basic medical science subjects. However, they are hesitant to join the field because it offers them less financial growth and few chances of promotion. Moreover, anatomy and physiology were highly relevant subjects during clinical practice. But, the retention rate of basic medical science knowledge during their clinical year was low.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Teshome
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia
| | - Chalachew Tiruneh
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia
| | - Leykun Berhanu
- Department of Environmental Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia
| | - Gete Berihun
- Department of Environmental Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia
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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; 21:99. [PMID: 33568113 PMCID: PMC7877062 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-021-02539-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Medical specialty selection is a complex phenomenon that can affect the performance of health systems, community health, and physicians' lives. It is essential to identify the key factors influencing the choice of specialty for evidence-based policymaking. This scoping review aimed to provide a comprehensive map of evidence regarding the factors influencing the choice of specialty by medical students (MS) in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) and also to determine knowledge gaps. METHODS We carried out a systematic search on six online databases from January 2000 to May 2020. We used a five-step scoping review method proposed by Arksey and O'Malley. We synthesized the data using a quantitative content analysis approach. Then, we developed a thematic network as a conceptual map for a better understanding of the concept. RESULTS The analysis led to the development of five main themes, including personal determinants, life fulfillment aspects, influential career aspects, educational determinants, and interpersonal effects. Moreover, the most frequent sub-themes were specific personal factors, controllable lifestyle, quality of working life, and future working conditions. CONCLUSION This review provided evidence on the factors influencing the choice of specialties. In order to support physician workforce policy with more precise evidence, it is necessary to explore the weight and ranking of these factors based on the socioeconomic contexts of the countries. This study also indicated that factors such as ethical values, various aspects of medical philosophy, and immigration tendencies are areas for further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaser Sarikhani
- Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Sulmaz Ghahramani
- Health Policy Research Center, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohsen Bayati
- Health Human Resources Research Center, School of Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Almas Building, Alley 29, Qasrodasht Ave, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Farhad Lotfi
- Health Human Resources Research Center, School of Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Almas Building, Alley 29, Qasrodasht Ave, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Peivand Bastani
- Health Human Resources Research Center, School of Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Almas Building, Alley 29, Qasrodasht Ave, Shiraz, Iran.
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Marks IH, Diaz A, Keem M, Ladi-Seyedian SS, Philipo GS, Munir H, Pomerani TI, Sughayer HM, Peter N, Lavy C, Chang DC. Barriers to Women Entering Surgical Careers: A Global Study into Medical Student Perceptions. World J Surg 2020; 44:37-44. [PMID: 31616970 DOI: 10.1007/s00268-019-05199-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Barriers to female surgeons entering the field are well documented in Australia, the USA and the UK, but how generalizable these problems are to other regions remains unknown. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was developed by the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA)'s Global Surgery Working Group assessing medical students' desire to pursue a surgical career at different stages of their medical degree. The questionnaire also included questions on students' perceptions of their education, resources and professional life. The survey was distributed via IFMSA mailing lists, conferences and social media. Univariate analysis was performed, and statistically significant exposures were added to a multivariate model. This model was then tested in male and female medical students, before a further subset analysis by country World Bank income strata. RESULTS 639 medical students from 75 countries completed the survey. Mentorship [OR 3.42 (CI 2.29-5.12) p = 0.00], the acute element of the surgical specialties [OR 2.22 (CI 1.49-3.29) p = 0.00], academic competitiveness [OR 1.61 (CI 1.07-2.42) p = 0.02] and being from a high or upper-middle-income country (HIC and UMIC) [OR 1.56 (CI 1.021-2.369) p = 0.04] all increased likelihood to be considering a surgical career, whereas perceived access to postgraduate training [OR 0.63 (CI 0.417-0.943) p = 0.03], increased year of study [OR 0.68 (CI 0.57-0.81) p = 0.00] and perceived heavy workload [OR 0.47 (CI 0.31-0.73) p = 0.00] all decreased likelihood to consider a surgical career. Perceived quality of surgical teaching and quality of surgical services in country overall did not affect students' decision to pursue surgery. On subset analysis, perceived poor access to postgraduate training made women 60% less likely to consider a surgical career [OR 0.381 (CI 0.217-0.671) p = 0.00], whilst not showing an effect in the men [OR 1.13 (CI 0.61-2.12) p = 0.70. Concerns about high cost of training halve the likelihood of students from low and low-middle-income countries (LICs and LMICs) considering a surgical career [OR 0.45 (CI 0.25-0.82) p = 0.00] whilst not demonstrating a significant relationship in HIC or UMIC countries. Women from LICs and LMICs were 40% less likely to consider surgical careers than men, when controlling for other factors [OR 0.59 CI (0.342-1.01 p = 0.053]. CONCLUSION Perceived poor access to postgraduate training and heavy workload dissuade students worldwide from considering surgical careers. Postgraduate training in particular appears to be most significant for women and cost of training an additional factor in both women and men from LMICs and LICs. Mentorship remains an important and modifiable factor in influencing student's decision to pursue surgery. Quality of surgical education showed no effect on student decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- I H Marks
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College, London, UK.
| | - A Diaz
- Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - M Keem
- Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - G S Philipo
- School of International Education, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - H Munir
- Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - T I Pomerani
- Medicine and Surgery, School of Human Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - H M Sughayer
- Faculty of Medicine, Al-Quds University, East Jerusalem, Palestine
| | - N Peter
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - C Lavy
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - D C Chang
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
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Abstract
Irish medical schools attract an increasingly diverse student population and produce graduates who will practise in many parts of the world. There are particular implications in this for the planning and delivery of the undergraduate psychiatry curriculum. In all countries, mental health services struggle for equitable resourcing, and mental health care within general medical services remains relatively neglected. The traditional undergraduate psychiatry offering has been justifiably criticised for being excessively oriented towards secondary care when the vast majority of medical graduates will pursue careers in primary care or in specialties other than psychiatry. Recently published articles in the Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine address the current challenges and opportunities in providing an undergraduate experience that better prepares students for the mental health aspects of medical practice in a global context. We summarise and discuss these contributions and the recent Royal College of Psychiatrists publication Choose Psychiatry: Guidance for Medical Schools.
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Hu L, Wu H, Zhou W, Shen J, Qiu W, Zhang R, Wu J, Chai Y. Positive impact of COVID-19 on career choice in pediatric medical students: a longitudinal study. Transl Pediatr 2020; 9:243-252. [PMID: 32775243 PMCID: PMC7347769 DOI: 10.21037/tp-20-100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND On March 11th, 2020, the WHO made the assessment that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) could be characterized as a pandemic. Medical students experienced a greater degree of anxiety and psychological stress than during previous pandemics. Negative emotions were related to decreased medical career interest, increased career choice regret and dropout rates in medical students, which affected academic and professional development. The goal of this study was to investigate the impact of the current COVID-19 outbreak on the career preferences of pediatric medical students and to explore the underlying factors contributing to it. METHODS A prospective, longitudinal study was conducted among all 120 pediatric medical students from Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University on November 23rd, 2019, and February 21st, 2020 using a 7-item online questionnaire about career choice. RESULTS A total of 106 (41 male and 65 female) students with a mean age of 21 years consented to participate in this study. The response rate was 100% in November 2019 and 98.1% in February 2020. Since the outbreak, career choices to practice medicine or pediatrics did not drop significantly, decreasing by only 4.3% and 2.2%, respectively. There was a positive impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on strengthening 66.7% of students' beliefs and choices to become good pediatricians (P<0.001). Only 14 students (13.5%) thought that COVID-19 had a negative impact on their career choices, but the majority of them were in the 3rd (28.6%) and 4th (64.3%) years of medical education and had insufficient knowledge about the hospital environment and clinics. CONCLUSIONS The outbreak of COVID-19 might have an overall positive impact on career choice by strengthening students' belief and choice to become good doctors and may decrease the choice regret and drop rates of the next generation of doctors. Special attention should be paid to students with insufficient clinical experience. Good protection for students, sharing outstanding stories regarding fighting the pandemic, and innovations of needs-based curriculum could be helpful during this pandemic. Future studies are warranted to confirm these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liyuan Hu
- Department of Education and Training, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hao Wu
- Department of Education and Training, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenhao Zhou
- Department of Education and Training, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianqing Shen
- Department of Education and Training, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenwei Qiu
- Department of Education and Training, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ruo Zhang
- Department of Education and Training, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingyan Wu
- Department of Education and Training, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiming Chai
- Department of Education and Training, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Mohammed TAH, Abdulrahman AA, Saud KA, Alaa NT. Specialty preferences and factors affecting future career choice among medical graduates in Saudi. J Family Med Prim Care 2020; 9:1459-1463. [PMID: 32509633 PMCID: PMC7266236 DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1199_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 01/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Aims: Our study was conducted to study the future specialty choices and the influencing factors among Saudi medical students. Settings and Design: Convenience study. Methods and Materials: An online questionnaire was sent to medical students during the period from February to April 2019 with the aim of analyzing the most desired specialty, the reasons behind choosing, and the different factors playing a role in choosing those specialties. Statistical Analysis Used: The results were analyzed by the Statistical Package for Social Sciences software version 21. Differences in means were analyzed using t-test. The Chi-square test was used to identify significant differences among groups with a significance level set a P ≥ 0.05. Results: A convenience sample of 579 students has completed the survey. Most of the students did not receive any advice for choosing their specialty preferred. The three most desired specialties by both genders (males/females) are surgery, internal medicine, and cardiac surgery, respectively. The data revealed that nearly 42% of students did not receive any advice regarding their preferred career. Interesting cases, challenging, good lifestyle, and impact on patient quality of life were important reasons in selecting all specialties. Conclusion: A variety of factors appear to inspire medical students to choose a future career intention in Saudi Arabia. Some career measures and guidance are needed by university mentors and health policymakers to encourage those specialties that are scarce in Saudi Arabia.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Al-Hariri Mohammed
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - A Alghamdi Abdulrahman
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - K Alkhaldi Saud
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - N Turkistani Alaa
- Department of Neurosciences, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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Chan SC, Ganeson JV, Ong JT, Sugathan S. Perceptions of Malaysian medical students from different academic years on primary care: a qualitative research. Fam Med Community Health 2020; 8:e000188. [PMID: 32201548 PMCID: PMC7059543 DOI: 10.1136/fmch-2019-000188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To explore the perception of medical students from a private medical college in Perak, Malaysia, on primary care practice and induce the factors influencing their perception and willingness to consider primary care as a career pathway. Design Qualitative study using focus group discussions. Participants’ responses were audio recorded, transcribed, grouped under various domains and listed out and analysed. Setting A private medical college in Perak state, Malaysia. Participants Forty-six medical students from years 2 to 5 were included. Eight focus groups were formed with two focus groups from each academic year (six students each in seven groups and four students in one group). Students were informed through their respective student leader of each year and received a participant information sheet and an informed consent form which were completed and returned if they decided to participate in the focus group discussions. Results The participants had different levels of understanding of primary care depending on their level of exposure to primary care. Senior students with more exposure had a better understanding about primary care and its services. Attractive factors towards choosing primary care as a career included short working hours with a more balanced family and social life, being able to treat patients as a whole with continuity of care and closer relationship with patients. Unattractive factors included routine, unchallenging and boring practice, poor salary, work overload and administrative work in government clinics, being less recognised by other specialties; and the poor perception by other doctors that those pursuing primary care were not ‘brilliant enough’ for more ‘sophisticated disciplines like surgery or paediatrics’. Conclusion This study showed that the medical students’ level of exposure to primary care played a crucial role in determining their understanding of primary care practice and their choice of career in primary care. Issues to be addressed include remuneration, workload and the prejudice against primary care as a career pathway. Suggestions included introducing early exposure to fun and challenging primary care postings in the medical curriculum and producing well trained, skilled and enthusiastic role models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sook Ching Chan
- Community Based Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kuala Lumpur Royal College of Medicine Perak, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
| | - Jaya Vinoshairine Ganeson
- Community Based Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kuala Lumpur Royal College of Medicine Perak, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.,Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah, Alor Setar, Kedah Darul Aman, Malaysia
| | - Jee Tat Ong
- Community Based Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kuala Lumpur Royal College of Medicine Perak, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.,Hospital Kuala Pilah, Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
| | - Sandheep Sugathan
- Community Based Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kuala Lumpur Royal College of Medicine Perak, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.,Department of Community Medicine, Quest International University Perak, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
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Okunlola A, Babalola O, Okunlola C, Salawu A, Adeyemo O, Adebara I. Determining factors for the choice of medical career among the final year medical students of a private university in Nigeria. NIGERIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINE 2020. [DOI: 10.4103/njm.njm_79_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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Marks IH, Diaz A, Keem M, Ladi-Seyedian SS, Philipo GS, Munir H, Pomerani TI, Sughayer HM, Peter N, Lavy C, Chang DC. Barriers to Women Entering Surgical Careers: A Global Study into Medical Student Perceptions. World J Surg 2019. [PMID: 31616970 DOI: 10.1007/s00268-019-05199-1.] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Barriers to female surgeons entering the field are well documented in Australia, the USA and the UK, but how generalizable these problems are to other regions remains unknown. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was developed by the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA)'s Global Surgery Working Group assessing medical students' desire to pursue a surgical career at different stages of their medical degree. The questionnaire also included questions on students' perceptions of their education, resources and professional life. The survey was distributed via IFMSA mailing lists, conferences and social media. Univariate analysis was performed, and statistically significant exposures were added to a multivariate model. This model was then tested in male and female medical students, before a further subset analysis by country World Bank income strata. RESULTS 639 medical students from 75 countries completed the survey. Mentorship [OR 3.42 (CI 2.29-5.12) p = 0.00], the acute element of the surgical specialties [OR 2.22 (CI 1.49-3.29) p = 0.00], academic competitiveness [OR 1.61 (CI 1.07-2.42) p = 0.02] and being from a high or upper-middle-income country (HIC and UMIC) [OR 1.56 (CI 1.021-2.369) p = 0.04] all increased likelihood to be considering a surgical career, whereas perceived access to postgraduate training [OR 0.63 (CI 0.417-0.943) p = 0.03], increased year of study [OR 0.68 (CI 0.57-0.81) p = 0.00] and perceived heavy workload [OR 0.47 (CI 0.31-0.73) p = 0.00] all decreased likelihood to consider a surgical career. Perceived quality of surgical teaching and quality of surgical services in country overall did not affect students' decision to pursue surgery. On subset analysis, perceived poor access to postgraduate training made women 60% less likely to consider a surgical career [OR 0.381 (CI 0.217-0.671) p = 0.00], whilst not showing an effect in the men [OR 1.13 (CI 0.61-2.12) p = 0.70. Concerns about high cost of training halve the likelihood of students from low and low-middle-income countries (LICs and LMICs) considering a surgical career [OR 0.45 (CI 0.25-0.82) p = 0.00] whilst not demonstrating a significant relationship in HIC or UMIC countries. Women from LICs and LMICs were 40% less likely to consider surgical careers than men, when controlling for other factors [OR 0.59 CI (0.342-1.01 p = 0.053]. CONCLUSION Perceived poor access to postgraduate training and heavy workload dissuade students worldwide from considering surgical careers. Postgraduate training in particular appears to be most significant for women and cost of training an additional factor in both women and men from LMICs and LICs. Mentorship remains an important and modifiable factor in influencing student's decision to pursue surgery. Quality of surgical education showed no effect on student decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- I H Marks
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College, London, UK.
| | - A Diaz
- Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - M Keem
- Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - G S Philipo
- School of International Education, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - H Munir
- Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - T I Pomerani
- Medicine and Surgery, School of Human Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - H M Sughayer
- Faculty of Medicine, Al-Quds University, East Jerusalem, Palestine
| | - N Peter
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - C Lavy
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - D C Chang
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
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Jha RK, Paudel KR, Shah DK, Sah AK, Basnet S, Sah P, Adhikari S. Subject preferences of first- and second-year medical students for their future specialization at Chitwan Medical College and Teaching Hospital, Chitwan, Nepal - a questionnaire-based study. ADVANCES IN MEDICAL EDUCATION AND PRACTICE 2015; 6:609-613. [PMID: 26635491 PMCID: PMC4646476 DOI: 10.2147/amep.s92534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The selection of a discipline for future specialization may be an important factor for the medical students' future career, and it is influenced by multiple factors. The interest of students in the early stages can be improved in subjects related to public health or of academic importance, as per need. METHODS A questionnaire-based study was conducted among 265 first- and second-year medical students of Chitwan Medical College, Nepal to find out their subject of preference for postgraduation and the factors affecting their selection along with their interesting basic science subject. Only the responses from 232 completely filled questionnaires were analyzed. RESULTS The preference of the students for clinical surgical (50.9%), clinical medical (45.3%), and basic medical (3.9%) sciences for postgraduation were in descending order. The most preferred specialty among male students was clinical surgical sciences (56.3%), and among female students, it was clinical medical sciences (53.6%). Although all the students responded to their preferred specialty, only 178 students specified the subject of their interest. General surgery (23.4%), pediatrics (23.4%), and anatomy (2.4%) were the most favored subjects for postgraduation among clinical surgical, clinical medical, and basic medical sciences specialties, respectively. More common reasons for selection of specific subject for future career were found to be: personal interests, good income, intellectual challenge, and others. CONCLUSION Many students preferred clinical surgical sciences for their future specialization. Among the reasons for the selection of the specialty for postgraduation, no significant reason could be elicited from the present study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh K Jha
- Department of Pharmacology, Chitwan Medical College, Bharatpur, Nepal
| | - Keshab R Paudel
- Department of Pharmacology, Chitwan Medical College, Bharatpur, Nepal
| | - Dev K Shah
- Department of Physiology, Chitwan Medical College, Bharatpur, Nepal
| | - Ajit K Sah
- Department of Pharmacology, Chitwan Medical College, Bharatpur, Nepal
| | | | - Phoolgen Sah
- Department of Pharmacology, Chitwan Medical College, Bharatpur, Nepal
| | - Sandeep Adhikari
- Department of Pharmacology, Chitwan Medical College, Bharatpur, Nepal
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Dydykin S, Kapitonova M. The role of student surgical interest groups and surgical Olympiads in anatomical and surgical undergraduate training in Russia. ANATOMICAL SCIENCES EDUCATION 2015; 8:471-477. [PMID: 25688979 DOI: 10.1002/ase.1523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2014] [Revised: 01/05/2015] [Accepted: 01/26/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Traditional department-based surgical interest groups in Russian medical schools are useful tools for student-based selection of specialty training. They also form a nucleus for initiating research activities among undergraduate students. In Russia, the Departments of Topographical Anatomy and Operative Surgery play an important role in initiating student-led research and providing learners with advanced, practical surgical skills. In tandem with department-led activities, student surgical interest groups prepare learners through surgical competitions, known as "Surgical Olympiads," which have been conducted in many Russian centers on a regular basis since 1988. Surgical Olympiads stimulate student interest in the development of surgical skills before graduation and encourage students to choose surgery as their postgraduate specialty. Many of the participants in these surgical Olympiads have become highly qualified specialists in general surgery, orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, urology, gynecology, and emergency medicine. The present article emphasizes the role of student interest groups and surgical Olympiads in clinical anatomical and surgical undergraduate training in Russia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergey Dydykin
- Department of Topographical Anatomy and Operative Surgery, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Marina Kapitonova
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, MARA University of Technology, Jalan Hospital, Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia
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Kakkar AK, Dahiya N. Factors Affecting Choice of Future Specialty among Medical Students. NORTH AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCES 2014; 6:181-2. [PMID: 24843852 PMCID: PMC4024586 DOI: 10.4103/1947-2714.131247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Neha Dahiya
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, India E-mail:
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