Medical students’ choices of specialty in The Gambia: the need for career counseling
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Understanding preferences for specialties by medical students and the factors driving choices assists policy makers in ensuring optimal spread of personnel across disciplines.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This cross-...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2012-08-01
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| Series: | BMC Medical Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6920/12/72 |
| _version_ | 1818349064590196736 |
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| author | Bittaye Mustapha Odukogbe Akin-Tunde Ademola Nyan Ousman Jallow Bintou Omigbodun Akinyinka O |
| author_facet | Bittaye Mustapha Odukogbe Akin-Tunde Ademola Nyan Ousman Jallow Bintou Omigbodun Akinyinka O |
| author_sort | Bittaye Mustapha |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Understanding preferences for specialties by medical students and the factors driving choices assists policy makers in ensuring optimal spread of personnel across disciplines.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This cross-sectional survey using self-administered structured questionnaires was conducted on consenting students of the first medical school in The Gambia, established in 1999. Data collection was in June/July 2011. Questions were on sociodemographic characteristics of students, their parents, factors related to career preferences and opinions about counseling services. Data were analysed using JMP 8.0 software.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Respondents were 52.4% of 202 eligible students. Mean age was 24.1 ± 5.0 years. Females constituted 54.7%. Muslims were 72.7% while Gambians formed 77.0%. Commonest specialties chosen by females were Obstetrics/Gynaecology, Paediatrics and Surgery in that order, while males preferred Internal Medicine, Surgery and Obstetrics/Gynaecology. Commonest factors influencing choices by females were ‘focus on urgent care’ (65.5%) and ‘intellectual content of specialty’ (56.9%). For males, these were ‘intellectual content of specialty’ (60.4%) and ‘focus on urgent care’ / ‘individual’s competence’ (50.0% each). More females (30.0%) than males (23.0%) had ever received career counseling, but all students desired it.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Significant gender differences exist in specialty choices and factors influencing these choices amongst these students. All want career counseling.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T18:00:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-423ef642331f44a599168ce24e78ed0d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6920 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T18:00:01Z |
| publishDate | 2012-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-423ef642331f44a599168ce24e78ed0d2022-12-21T23:36:14ZengBMCBMC Medical Education1472-69202012-08-011217210.1186/1472-6920-12-72Medical students’ choices of specialty in The Gambia: the need for career counselingBittaye MustaphaOdukogbe Akin-Tunde AdemolaNyan OusmanJallow BintouOmigbodun Akinyinka O<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Understanding preferences for specialties by medical students and the factors driving choices assists policy makers in ensuring optimal spread of personnel across disciplines.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This cross-sectional survey using self-administered structured questionnaires was conducted on consenting students of the first medical school in The Gambia, established in 1999. Data collection was in June/July 2011. Questions were on sociodemographic characteristics of students, their parents, factors related to career preferences and opinions about counseling services. Data were analysed using JMP 8.0 software.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Respondents were 52.4% of 202 eligible students. Mean age was 24.1 ± 5.0 years. Females constituted 54.7%. Muslims were 72.7% while Gambians formed 77.0%. Commonest specialties chosen by females were Obstetrics/Gynaecology, Paediatrics and Surgery in that order, while males preferred Internal Medicine, Surgery and Obstetrics/Gynaecology. Commonest factors influencing choices by females were ‘focus on urgent care’ (65.5%) and ‘intellectual content of specialty’ (56.9%). For males, these were ‘intellectual content of specialty’ (60.4%) and ‘focus on urgent care’ / ‘individual’s competence’ (50.0% each). More females (30.0%) than males (23.0%) had ever received career counseling, but all students desired it.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Significant gender differences exist in specialty choices and factors influencing these choices amongst these students. All want career counseling.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6920/12/72Medical studentsSpecialtiesChoicesCareers |
| spellingShingle | Bittaye Mustapha Odukogbe Akin-Tunde Ademola Nyan Ousman Jallow Bintou Omigbodun Akinyinka O Medical students’ choices of specialty in The Gambia: the need for career counseling BMC Medical Education Medical students Specialties Choices Careers |
| title | Medical students’ choices of specialty in The Gambia: the need for career counseling |
| title_full | Medical students’ choices of specialty in The Gambia: the need for career counseling |
| title_fullStr | Medical students’ choices of specialty in The Gambia: the need for career counseling |
| title_full_unstemmed | Medical students’ choices of specialty in The Gambia: the need for career counseling |
| title_short | Medical students’ choices of specialty in The Gambia: the need for career counseling |
| title_sort | medical students choices of specialty in the gambia the need for career counseling |
| topic | Medical students Specialties Choices Careers |
| url | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6920/12/72 |
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