Li Ho Amy Vei, Ju Xiangqun, Dreyer Craig, Jamieson Lisa
Adelaide Dental School, The University of Adelaide, Australia.
Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, Adelaide Dental School, The University of Adelaide, Australia.
Heliyon. 2021 Jan 25;7(1):e06060. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06060. eCollection 2021 Jan.
To determine the motivations of postgraduate dental students to pursue a specialist dental career and their concerns prior to and during the program.
A 3-part online survey comprising of participants' background, motivations and concerns and quality of life during the program, was distributed to students enrolled in the Doctor of Clinical Dentistry program in Australia and New Zealand from April to May 2018. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. Two separate reminders were provided two and four weeks after the initial survey was distributed.
There was a 53.6% response rate (97/181 participants). The main factor for pursing a dental specialist degree was intellectual stimulation. Participants who were aged 40 years and above and those who were divorced/separated were most concerned about the amount of study required and finances during the program. Participants in their final year were most concerned about their personal relationships during the program. Orthodontic, oral medicine and paedodontic trainees reported concerns about the lack of exposure of their specialty during undergraduate training while periodontics and orthodontic trainees reported having the least exposure while working.
This study showed that dental specialist trainees in Australia and New Zealand were primarily motivated to pursue a specialty for intellectual stimulation. Most students were concerned about the amount of study required, finances and having a work/life balance during the training program. Most students planned to work as associates in private practice upon graduation. Financial benefits may be required to stimulate an interest in academia.
An understanding of the motivations of postgraduate students is important to help dental programs mentor students in their future career pathway, improve the selection of candidates for the specialty programs and identify key areas to provide support, prior to, or during the program.
确定牙科研究生选择专科牙科职业的动机以及他们在课程学习前和学习期间所关注的问题。
2018年4月至5月，向澳大利亚和新西兰临床牙科博士项目的学生发放了一份由三部分组成的在线调查问卷，内容包括参与者的背景、动机、关注点以及课程学习期间的生活质量。参与是自愿且匿名的。在首次发放调查问卷两周和四周后分别提供了两次单独提醒。
回复率为53.6%（97/181名参与者）。攻读牙科专科学位的主要因素是智力激励。40岁及以上以及离婚/分居的参与者最担心课程学习量和学习期间的经济状况。最后一年的参与者最担心学习期间的个人关系。正畸、口腔医学和儿童牙科专业的学员表示担心本科培训期间对其专业的接触不足，而牙周病学和正畸专业的学员表示工作时接触最少。
本研究表明，澳大利亚和新西兰的牙科专科培训学员主要是出于智力激励而选择专科学习。大多数学生担心培训课程期间的学习量、经济状况以及工作与生活的平衡。大多数学生计划毕业后在私人诊所担任助理。可能需要经济激励来激发对学术的兴趣。
了解研究生的动机对于帮助牙科项目指导学生未来的职业道路、改进专科项目候选人的选拔以及在课程学习前或学习期间确定提供支持的关键领域非常重要。
