Masuadi Emad M, Mohamud Mohamud S, Alhassan Abdulrahman M, Alharbi Khalid G, Hilabi Ahmed S, Alharbi Faisal A, Tatwani Abdullah T, Farraj Abdullah I, Al-Nasser Sami, Safi Mohammed F
Research Unit/Biostatistics, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences/King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC), Riyadh, SAU.
Medical Education, College of Medicine/King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, SAU.
Cureus. 2021 Jun 21;13(6):e15790. doi: 10.7759/cureus.15790. eCollection 2021 Jun.
Background Globally, less than 10% of graduating medical students select pathology as a future career. Many factors were reported from different settings to influence the choice of pathology. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors that determine medical students' preferences in choosing pathology as a future career. Methods This cross-sectional study surveyed students from three governmental medical schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire that contained demographic questions and items that addressed perceived factors that affect the choice of pathology was distributed to medical students. Collected data were analyzed using Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) Statistics for Windows, Version 25.0 (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp). A chi-square test was used to determine the association between independent variables and interest in pathology. Results Out of the 400 questionnaires distributed, 338 students completed the survey with a response rate of 84.5%. Overall, surgery (24%) and internal medicine (20%) were the most favored, specialties with only 5% of the students selecting pathology as their first choice. Patient-doctor interaction (72.2%) was perceived as the most important factor in not choosing pathology as a future career. Taking an elective course, younger age groups, and year in medical school were all significantly associated (p<0.001) with an interest in pathology. Conclusion In this study, most of the students indicated surgery and internal medicine as their first specialty choices. Only 5% of the students chose pathology as their first choice. Two-thirds of medical students perceived pathologists do not interact with patients. A significant association was found between younger age groups, enrolling for a pathology course, and having an interest in pathology.
在全球范围内，不到10%的医学专业毕业生选择病理学作为未来职业。不同地区报告了许多影响病理学选择的因素。本研究的目的是调查决定医学生选择病理学作为未来职业偏好的因素。方法：这项横断面研究对沙特阿拉伯利雅得三所政府医学院校的学生进行了调查。向医学生发放了一份包含人口统计学问题以及涉及影响病理学选择的感知因素的自填式问卷。使用Windows版的统计产品与服务解决方案（SPSS）Statistics 25.0（纽约州阿蒙克：IBM公司）对收集的数据进行分析。采用卡方检验来确定自变量与对病理学的兴趣之间的关联。结果：在发放的400份问卷中，338名学生完成了调查，回复率为84.5%。总体而言，外科（24%）和内科（20%）是最受欢迎的专业，只有5%的学生将病理学作为首选。患者与医生的互动（72.2%）被认为是不选择病理学作为未来职业的最重要因素。参加选修课程、年龄较小的群体以及医学学习的年级与对病理学的兴趣均显著相关（p<0.001）。结论：在本研究中，大多数学生将外科和内科作为他们的首选专业。只有5%的学生选择病理学作为首选。三分之二的医学生认为病理学家不与患者互动。年龄较小的群体、参加病理学课程与对病理学的兴趣之间存在显著关联。
