Gender differences in specialty preference among medical Students at Aleppo University: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background This study aims to identify gender differences in specialty preference and career choice among Syrian medical students. Method A cross-sectional study comprising currently enrolled second, fourth and sixth year medical students at Aleppo University was conducted. Demographics, specialty preferences and factors influencing this decision were collected and analyzed. Results A total of 561 students (44% males, 56% females) responded to our survey (87% response rate). Surgical specialties (40%) and internal medicine (16%) comprised the two most common specialties chosen by males. In contrast, the majority of females preferred other specialties (17%), internal medicine (16%) and surgical specialties (15%). The most common factor affecting the choice of a specialty by both genders (74% females and 71% males) was ‘A specialty that I like and find interesting’. Work/life balance and anticipated income were the second most common influencing factors by females (62%), males (67%), respectively. The majority of both genders supported the idea that medical students should be able to pursue any medical specialty they want, regardless of their gender. However, females more often believed that they had decreased opportunities for professional advancement based on their gender compared to males (33% vs. 4% respectively, p < 0.001). Conclusions We illustrated significant gender differences in specialty preferences and factors influencing this decision. While the majority of participants agreed that medical students should be able to pursue any medical specialty they desire regardless of gender, more women believed they had decreased opportunities for professional advancement based on gender. Policy makers should advocate for a culture of gender equity and develop educational programs to insure gender balance of physicians into different specialties.

A national survey on the characteristics of iranian general practitioners and their preferred specialty: A need to transition toward preventive medicine

“…The current study revealed that being married and having children were associated with non-surgical specialty preferences. These results confirm findings of other studies reported that marital status[ 47 48 49 ] and child-rearing status[ 38 50 51 ] are background factors that can significantly explain physicians' preferences for specialty selection. Some review studies reported that married physicians[ 52 53 54 ] and those who have children[ 55 56 ] were more likely to choose specialties that ensure work-life balance.…”

Factors affecting medical student's decision in choosing a future career specialty: A cross-sectional study

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Factors and Determinants of Choosing Pathology as a Future Career: Results From a Multi-Institution Study

“…This study’s finding is consistent with French and Indian studies that showed women were more likely to prefer obstetrics and gynecology as their first and second [ 18 - 19 ]. Numerous studies have also reported that males traditionally choose surgery [ 1 , 15 - 16 , 20 ]. In contrast, our findings show that there is no significant difference between males and females in terms of their preference for general surgery.…”