Career in pediatrics as a specialty among students in two Iraqi medical colleges

ABSTRACT

Limited knowledge is present on career in pediatrics among Iraqi medical students. The objective of this study was to figure out how pediatrics is popular among Iraqi medical students to be pursued as a future career as well as to define factors associated with the decline to pursue such specialty, if any. During the academic year 2010-2011, a questionnaire survey was employed to the final-year students from two medical colleges in Baghdad. The questionnaire included the variables of participant's gender, the option to participate in the study, the intention to pursue pediatrics career and, finally the reason stand behind rejecting that career, if any. Descriptive statistics was used to address data. Three hundred and thirty five students were asked to participate in this study and 271 have proved to take part in it with a response of 81%. Pediatrics was chosen as a career in 42.1% of the participants while 57.9% rejected it. Males were more attracted to pediatrics than females with a rejection percentage of 41.5% compared with 5 8.5% for females. Among factors stand behind not to pursue pediatrics were lacking of intellectual interest [79.6%] and deficient pediatric clinical training and skills [10.2%]. Other factors such as sparse promotional academic opportunities, lacking of anticipated higher financial rewards, and unfavorable prestige were at low percentages [5.1%, 3.2%, and 1.9% respectively]. In comparison with previous Iraqi studies, medical students were more enthusiastic towards pursing pediatrics as a career. This trend is anticipated to ensure the adequacy of pediatricians' workforce and healthcare. It should be continuously promoted necessitating the attention of policy makers and medical educators