Abstract
The nature of experience during the medical study at university may play an essential role in choosing the specialty. Background: The aim of this study is to determine the effect of national universities in general and on medical interns' career choice, taking into consideration the gender difference. Furthermore, to find out when national universities educate their students about the different specialties. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that included 234 Saudi medical intern students from four different medical colleges in national universities in Riyadh. These were King Saud University, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University (PNU), Imam Mohamed Bin Saud Islamic University, and King Saud bin Abdulaziz for Health and Science (KSAU-HS) with consideration of gender differences and availability. All participants who are selected randomly completed an online questioner with a unique code. Results: Around two-thirds (66%) of the participants ensured that their national universities had a positive influence in choosing the specialties dividing equally between both genders. According to the participants' perceptions, all the items of the medical education system did not affect in choosing the specialty except three of them that have a positive effect which are elective experience (43.59%), clinical year (40.6%), and the personality of instructor (38.46%). Furthermore, one-third (33%) of the participants emphasized that their universities educated them about the specialties in the 3rd year. The most common decisive factor was an elective experience of 19.36%, whereas the most common negative factors were improper block duration and the personality of the instructor by 14.52%. Conclusion: Most national universities had a positive effect on their students' career choice, and they educated pregraduate students about specialties.
Highlights
Choosing a medical specialty is one of the most critical decisions during the medical carrier because their natures are different, and their numbers increase occasionally
Most governmental universities have a positive effect on their students' career choice, and they educate pre-graduate students about specialties
This study aims to evaluate the medical education system in the goveremtnal universities and the effects that they exerts on the intern students in choosing the specialties they desire such as the educational tools, the research block, the elective block, the quality of the lectures and problem base learning (PBL) sessions taking into consideration the gender difference
Summary
Choosing a medical specialty is one of the most critical decisions during the medical carrier because their natures are different, and their numbers increase occasionally. There are many recent studies that have been done regarding the top specialties that are preferred by the medical students, while only three studies concern about the reasons that affecting of the choosing the medical college in the worldwide. [1] Among the 300 medical students of the first year, 57% of them indicated the selection procedure, 25% of them indicated city, 11% of them indicated the curriculum and 7% of them indicated the university culture. Around 47% among 141 fourth medical students indicated the selection procedure, 36% of them indicate the city, 5% of them indicated the university culture and 12% of them indicated the curriculum. [1] there was another study in the Taiwan in 2013 among the first and seventh-year medical students and postgraduate students to figure out the specialty choices and briefly the factors that had influence in that. Around 47% among 141 fourth medical students indicated the selection procedure, 36% of them indicate the city, 5% of them indicated the university culture and 12% of them indicated the curriculum. [1] there was another study in the Taiwan in 2013 among the first and seventh-year medical students and postgraduate students to figure out the specialty choices and briefly the factors that had influence in that. [2] Depending on the result, the personal interest and the academic achievements are listed in the highly impacting factors among the seventh-year medical students. [2] Beside these two studies, there was Nepal study in 2013 in six Nepal colleges among the residents, interns, first and sixth-year medical students. [3] The most common cause after serving the sick was personal interest, while the fourth cause was the best course available in the university. [3] the sixth cause was the research interest
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