Preference of specialty choices among final year medical students of Bayero University Kano

Abstract

Background: The choosing of a career specialty by medical students can be a complex and confusing issue. Several studies have demonstrated that medical students often show a strong preference for particular specialties even before graduation. This study aims to find out the specialty choices and the factors that influence the choices of final year medical students of Bayero University Kano. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. The sample population involves all final year medical students of the Bayero University Kano. Ethical consent was obtained from the relevant authority. The subjects were given self-administered questionnaires. Chi-square or Fisher's exact test was used to assess the association between choice of specialty and demographic variables. P < 0.05 was considered as significant. Results: Total number of respondents is 71. The core clinical specialties account for 70.3% of the first choice among respondents: Obstetrics and gynecology – 19 (28.5%), surgery – 14 (20.9%), internal medicine – 8 (11.9%), and pediatrics – 6 (9%). None of the students chose pathology, microbiology, family medicine, and ENT as the first choice. The major reasons given for the choice of future career are personal interest and a better outcome for patients. There was no association between choice of future career and demographic variables. Conclusions: The preferences do not reflect the present demands of the health needs in Nigeria, therefore, there is need for healthcare planners, policy makers, and medical educators to strengthen mentorship processes and career guidance in undergraduate medical education.

Keywords

• Kano
• medical students
• specialty choices