Determining Factors Affecting The Medical Interns’ Choice Of Specialties Among Governmental Universities In Riyadh

Abstract

The nature of experience during the medical study at university may play an essential role in choosing the specialty. Objectives: to determine the effect of goveremtnal universities in general and on medical interns' career choice , taking into consideration the gender difference. Furthermore, to find out when governmental universities educate their students about the different specialties. Method: It was a cross-sectional study approved in July in 2018 that included 234 Saudi medical intern students from four different medical collages in governmental universities in Riyadh. These were King Saud University (KSU), Princess Norah University (PNU), Imam University (IU), 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. Result: Around two thirds (66%) of the participants ensure that their governmental 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 ensure that they are educated about the specialties in the third year. The most common positive factor is elective experience by 19.36%, while the most common negative factors are improper block duration and the personality of the instructor by 14.52%. Conclusion : Most governmental universities have a positive effect on their students' career choice, and they educate pre-graduate students about specialties.