The influencing factors of selecting the field of study for the students of librarianship and medical information

Abstract

Aim: Choosing a field of study affects different aspects of people's lives. Therefore, the influencing factors of the choice of students can contribute to the transparency of this issue. Methods: This was a descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional study, conducted in 2019. The 243 people who made the sample were selected through Morgan table from the population which consisted of all the librarianship and medical information students between 2015 and 2019 in undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs. The data collection tool was a standard questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 24 by independent t-test and one-way analysis of variance. Results: The results indicated that among the five components of "interest in the field", "employment, income and social status", "the role of family and friends", "personal motivations and service to society" and "academic position and teaching staff of the university"; The component of "academic position and academic staff of the university" had the highest average (3 . 35) and the component of "role of family and friends" had the lowest (2 . 17). Conclusion: Since the name and academic position of the university had the greatest impact on the choice of field according to the results, it is expected that the authorities of public universities set the foundations for the scientific growth and prosperity of students. It is also recommended that programs be prepared to inform the students about the fields of librarianship and medical information at school level and through social media so that this field is selected with personal interest and high motivation.