Mahera Abdulrahman1, Maryam Makki2, Sami Shaaban3, Maryam Al Shamsi3, Manda Venkatramana4, Nabil Sulaiman5, Manal M Sami6, Dima K Abdelmannan7, AbdulJabbar M A Salih7, Laila AlShaer8. 1. Department of Medical Education, Dubai Health Authority, United Arab Emirates. 2. Department of Surgery, Dubai Health Authority, United Arab Emirates. 3. Department of Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, UAE University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. 4. Department of Surgery, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates. 5. Department of Family and Community Medicine and Behavioral Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. 6. Department of Pathology, Ras al-Khaimah Medical and Health Sciences University, Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. 7. Department of Internal Medicine, Dubai Medical College, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 8. Department of Hematology, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Workforce planning is critical for being able to deliver appropriate health service and thus is relevant to medical education. It is, therefore, important to understand medical students' future specialty choices and the factors that influence them. This study was conducted to identify, explore, and analyze the factors influencing specialty preferences among medical students of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). METHODS: A multiyear, multicenter survey of medical student career choice was conducted with all five UAE medical schools. The questionnaire consisted of five sections. Chi-squared tests, regression analysis, and stepwise logistic regression were performed. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 46% (956/2079). Factors that students reported to be extremely important when considering their future career preferences were intellectual satisfaction (87%), work-life balance (71%), having the required talent (70%), and having a stable and secure future (69%). The majority of students (60%) preferred internal medicine, surgery, emergency medicine, or family Medicine. The most common reason given for choosing a particular specialty was personal interest (21%), followed by flexibility of working hours (17%). DISCUSSION: The data show that a variety of factors inspires medical students in the UAE in their choice of a future medical specialty. These factors can be used by health policymakers, university mentors, and directors of residency training programs to motivate students to choose specialties that are scarce in the UAE and therefore better serve the health-care system and the national community.
BACKGROUND: Workforce planning is critical for being able to deliver appropriate health service and thus is relevant to medical education. It is, therefore, important to understand medical students' future specialty choices and the factors that influence them. This study was conducted to identify, explore, and analyze the factors influencing specialty preferences among medical students of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). METHODS: A multiyear, multicenter survey of medical student career choice was conducted with all five UAE medical schools. The questionnaire consisted of five sections. Chi-squared tests, regression analysis, and stepwise logistic regression were performed. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 46% (956/2079). Factors that students reported to be extremely important when considering their future career preferences were intellectual satisfaction (87%), work-life balance (71%), having the required talent (70%), and having a stable and secure future (69%). The majority of students (60%) preferred internal medicine, surgery, emergency medicine, or family Medicine. The most common reason given for choosing a particular specialty was personal interest (21%), followed by flexibility of working hours (17%). DISCUSSION: The data show that a variety of factors inspires medical students in the UAE in their choice of a future medical specialty. These factors can be used by health policymakers, university mentors, and directors of residency training programs to motivate students to choose specialties that are scarce in the UAE and therefore better serve the health-care system and the national community.
Authors: Mahera Abdulrahman; Satish Chandrasekhar Nair; Madiha Muhammad Farooq; Aisha Al Kharmiri; Farida Al Marzooqi; Frederick Robert Carrick Journal: J Family Med Prim Care Date: 2018 Mar-Apr
Authors: Wadeia Mohammad AlSharief; Mahera Abdulrahman; Hamda Hassan Khansaheb; Shaima Amin Abdulghafoor; Ashraf Ahmed Journal: J Family Med Prim Care Date: 2018 Mar-Apr
Authors: Almu'atasim Khamees; Sajeda Awadi; Sarah Al Sharie; Baha Aldin Faiyoumi; Emad Alzu'bi; Lina Hailat; Bayan Al-Keder Journal: Ann Med Surg (Lond) Date: 2022-01-27
Authors: Gustavo Rosa Gameiro; Ana Letícia Fornazieri Darcie; Daniel Hazaki; Giovana Rosa Gameiro; Pedro Carlos Carricondo Journal: Clinics (Sao Paulo) Date: 2019-09-09 Impact factor: 2.365