Factors influencing medical students’ choice of family medicine

Abstract

Background. In Georgia, like in many countries, the specialisation of family medicine suffers from a lack of interest, which has a negative impact on the number of properly qualified family doctors. Objectives. The aim of the research is to assess the attitudes of medical students towards the profession of a family doctor and to observe the reason for choosing this field of work. Material and methods. A quantitative approach using a cross-sectional survey was carried out. 408 out of 500 medical students from the two major Georgian universities were surveyed. Results. Only a small percentage of students (2.9%; n = 12) expressed interest in the profession of a family doctor, and the absolute majority of them were female. Students' choice of family medicine is related to the following factors: a duration of residency (n = 12; 100%), the ability to form long-term relationships with patients (n = 10; 83%), the influence of family or community (n = 8; 67%), the ability to solve multiple medical problems (n = 11; 92%), the simplicity of medical practice (n = 10; 83%), the opportunity to find a job (n = 10; 83%), the advantage of working in rural areas (n = 8; 67%) and the ability to balance career and personal life (n = 10; 83%). Conclusions. The decision to become a family doctor is influenced by numerous factors. The profession of a family doctor is less popular in Georgia, which is mainly caused by society's stereotypical attitudes. To popularise the profession of a family doctor, it is necessary to introduce effective methods of its financing and to develop a flexible model of family medicine residency education, which would be based on the improvement of a continuous, professional practice.

¿Por qué los graduados en medicina no quieren ser médicos de familia?

“…El sexo, así como la percepción de cercanía con el paciente, pero también la zona de residencia, y la facilidad de la conciliación laboral se han demostrado determinantes a la hora de elegir MF, mientras que la falta de prestigio y popularidad de la especialidad serían su mayor desventaja 4 . Esta, junto a la falta de exposición a la AP en el ámbito universitario, son dos elementos que se repiten en distintos países 18 .…”

“…Desde hace años se viene hablando de una crisis generalizada de la Atención Primaria (AP), lo que, por otra parte, no es un problema exclusivo de España 3,4 . Llamativamente, la mayoría de estudiantes son conscientes de la importancia de la MF, sin embargo, solo unos pocos tienen preferencia por esta especialidad5.…”

Barriers to effective communication between family physicians and pa-tients in Georgia

“…Both the doctor and the nurse, as well as the medical organisation, are responsible for effective doctor-patient communication [22,23]. Doctors should try to establish a good relationship with the patient, listen carefully to his/her health problems and do his/her best to address them [24].…”

Key factors in the success of an electronic patient referral system in the family physician programme: what can we do for the future?

“…the evolving needs of society have made the reform and evolution of health systems a necessity in all countries [1]. a revolution in the field of medicine, techniques, enhancement and knowledge has been impacting all aspects of health care [1,2]. In the family physician programme (FPP) in Iran, the levelling of services prevents frequent and unnecessary referrals to specialised centres and prevents the loss of material and human resources.…”