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Research article
Specialty career preferences among final year medical students at Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Uganda: A mixed methods study
Job Kuteesa
Mulago National Referral Hospital
Corresponding Author
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Background: Uganda has an imbalanced distribution of the health workforce, which may be influenced by the specialty career preferences of medical students. In spite of this, there is inadequate literature concerning the factors influencing specialty career preferences. We aimed to determine the specialty career preferences and the factors influencing the preferences among fifth year medical students in the School of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences (MakCHS).
Methods: A sequential explanatory mixed methods study design with a descriptive cross-sectional study followed by a qualitative study was used. A total of 135 final year medical students in MakCHS were recruited using consecutive sampling. Self-administered questionnaires and three focus group discussions were conducted. Quantitative data was analysed in STATA version 13 (StataCorp, College Station, Tx, USA) using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests and logistic regression. Qualitative data was analysed in NVIVO version 12 (QRS International, Cambridge, MA) using content analysis.
Results: Of 135 students 91 (67.4%) were male and their median age was 24 years (IQR: 24, 26). As a first choice, the most preferred specialty career was obstetrics and gynecology (34/135, 25.2%), followed by surgery (27/135, 20.0%), pediatrics (18/135, 13.3%) and internal medicine (17/135, 12.6%). Non-established specialties such as anesthesia and Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) were not selected as a first choice by any student. Female students had 63% less odds of selecting surgical related specialties compared to males (aOR=0.37, 95%CI: 0.17-0.84). The focus group discussions highlighted controlled lifestyle, assurance of a good life through better financial remuneration and inspirational specialists as facilitators for specialty preference. Bad experience during the clinical rotations, lack of career guidance plus perceived poor and miserable specialists were highlighted as barriers to specialty preference.
Conclusion. Obstetrics and Gynecology, Surgery, Pediatrics and Internal Medicine are well-established disciplines, which were dominantly preferred. Females were less likely to select surgical disciplines as a career choice. Therefore, there is a need to implement or establish career guidance and mentorship programs to attract students to the neglected disciplines.
Keywords
career, medical, preferences, specialty, student
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Review #1 received
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Reviewers invited
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Reviewer #1 agreed
On 19 Oct, 2020
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Editorial decision: Major revision
On 10 Aug, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 06 Aug, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 30 Jul, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 18 Jul, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 06 Jul, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 03 Jul, 2020
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On 22 Jun, 2020
Editor assigned
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This preprint is under consideration at BMC Medical Education. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research article
Specialty career preferences among final year medical students at Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Uganda: A mixed methods study
Job Kuteesa
Mulago National Referral Hospital
Corresponding Author
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Under Review
Version 3
Posted 08 Jan, 2021
No community comments so far
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 30 Dec, 2020
Editor assigned
On 17 Dec, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 17 Dec, 2020
Editor invited
On 17 Dec, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 16 Nov, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 09 Nov, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 09 Nov, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 19 Oct, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 19 Oct, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 19 Oct, 2020
Editor assigned
On 30 Sep, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 29 Sep, 2020
Editor invited
On 29 Sep, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 10 Aug, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 06 Aug, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 30 Jul, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 18 Jul, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 06 Jul, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 03 Jul, 2020
First submitted
On 22 Jun, 2020
Editor assigned
On 22 Jun, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 21 Jun, 2020
Editor invited
On 21 Jun, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background: Uganda has an imbalanced distribution of the health workforce, which may be influenced by the specialty career preferences of medical students. In spite of this, there is inadequate literature concerning the factors influencing specialty career preferences. We aimed to determine the specialty career preferences and the factors influencing the preferences among fifth year medical students in the School of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences (MakCHS).
Methods: A sequential explanatory mixed methods study design with a descriptive cross-sectional study followed by a qualitative study was used. A total of 135 final year medical students in MakCHS were recruited using consecutive sampling. Self-administered questionnaires and three focus group discussions were conducted. Quantitative data was analysed in STATA version 13 (StataCorp, College Station, Tx, USA) using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests and logistic regression. Qualitative data was analysed in NVIVO version 12 (QRS International, Cambridge, MA) using content analysis.
Results: Of 135 students 91 (67.4%) were male and their median age was 24 years (IQR: 24, 26). As a first choice, the most preferred specialty career was obstetrics and gynecology (34/135, 25.2%), followed by surgery (27/135, 20.0%), pediatrics (18/135, 13.3%) and internal medicine (17/135, 12.6%). Non-established specialties such as anesthesia and Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) were not selected as a first choice by any student. Female students had 63% less odds of selecting surgical related specialties compared to males (aOR=0.37, 95%CI: 0.17-0.84). The focus group discussions highlighted controlled lifestyle, assurance of a good life through better financial remuneration and inspirational specialists as facilitators for specialty preference. Bad experience during the clinical rotations, lack of career guidance plus perceived poor and miserable specialists were highlighted as barriers to specialty preference.
Conclusion. Obstetrics and Gynecology, Surgery, Pediatrics and Internal Medicine are well-established disciplines, which were dominantly preferred. Females were less likely to select surgical disciplines as a career choice. Therefore, there is a need to implement or establish career guidance and mentorship programs to attract students to the neglected disciplines.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3