Influences on medical career choice and future medical practice plans among women: Perspective from final year students and house officers.

There is a growing perception in Pakistan that comparatively more women are gaining admissions and graduating from medical colleges; however these graduates are not practicing medicine. This pilot study provides perspectives on the influences on medical career choice and plans regarding future medical practice among female final-year students and house-officers in Karachi. Using convenience sampling, a study was conducted in August and September 2016, wherein out of 141 women, 95 (67.4%) were final-year medical students and 46 (32.6%) were house-officers. Most of the women (n=101; 71.6%) made their own choice to become doctors, while only 18 (12.8%) were compelled by their parents. An overwhelming majority (n=131; 92.9%) planned to do house job upon graduation or complete their ongoing one. Regarding post-graduation, 124 (87.9%) participants intended to acquire post-graduate qualification. Results indicate the need for representative studies to quantify the determinants and correlates of women's choice to study and practice medicine.