Factors, including personality traits, associated with choosing urology among Jordanian medical trainees: A cross-sectional survey
Ibrahim Abuelbeh, Mohammed Nawaiseh, Mohannad Safi, Mohammad Alshrouf, Diya' Safi, Omar Safi, Hussam Nawaiseh, Qais Nawaiseh, Bilal Abdulateef, Dana Alzoubi, Nakhleh Abu-Yaghi, Mohammad Abufaraj, Vaibhav Modgil, Ian PearceAbstract
Background:
Urology is an advanced surgical specialty that remains relatively unpopular among medical students, particularly in Middle Eastern countries. While factors such as exposure, mentorship, and perceived lifestyle have been widely studied, the role of personality traits in specialty selection, particularly in Jordan, remains underexplored.
Materials and Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1012 5 th - and 6 th -year medical students and postgraduate interns from five Jordanian universities. Participants completed an online survey that included demographic questions, specialty preferences, and the Big Five Inventory-2 to assess personality traits. Chi-square tests, t-tests, and binary logistic regression were used to examine associations between variables and urology interest.
Results:
Only 3.8% of respondents reported interest in urology, with a marked male predominance (81.6% vs. 37.7%,
Conclusion:
Interest in urology among Jordanian medical students was low, occurring in a context of limited exposure to the specialty. A strong gender association was identified, with males far more likely to express interest, whereas personality traits showed no detectable effect. This null result may reflect either a true absence of association or measurement limitations. Early exposure and gender-inclusive mentorship could help increase engagement with urology.