DOI: 10.12688/mep.21963.1 ISSN: 2312-7996

Factors Influencing Medical Career Selection from Medical Graduates’ Perspectives in Saudi Arabia

Manal Ibrahim Hanafi Mahmoud, Seham Ali Medkhali, Afnan Ali Al-humayani, Eman Fahad Almutairi, Jana Zahi Alsolmi, Rafif Abdullah Almatrafy, Asmaa Abdelnasser
Show PDF Cite
Background Choosing a medical specialty is one of the most defining steps in shaping a doctor’s career. Selecting a medical specialty is a complex process shaped by both personal and external factors. The aim was to identify preferred future specialty, and explore factors affecting career selection among medical graduates, KSA. Method A cross sectional study design including 220 Saudi medical graduates was conducted using online specially prepared questionnaire included socio-demographic data, GPA, college type, personal and family preference, work achievement, role of college, specialty training process and characteristics. Informed consent was obtained. Privacy and confidentiality of data were assured. Descriptive statistics in the form of numbers, frequencies, mean, and standard deviation and suitable tests of significance were used. Level of significance of 95% and p-value of less than 0.05 were considered. Result There was a significant gender difference in specialty preferences (P > 0.002). Family medicine was the most preferred overall (42/220, 19.1%). There were significant gender differences regarding personal and family preference (p > 0.039), work achievement (p > 0.019), role of college (p > 0.020), specialty training process (p > 0.003), specialty characteristics (p > 0.028). Personal and family preference aspect demonstrated one of the strongest effects followed by specialty characteristics. Conclusion This study highlights family medicine as the most preferred specialty, with significant gender differences in factors influencing specialty choice. Personal and family preferences, specialty characteristics and work achievement, emerged as the most influential predictors for career selection.

More from our Archive