Let's be pediatricians: What influences Saudi medical students' interest in pursuing a career in pediatrics.

Abstract

Background: Many students join medical schools without a clear career plan. Through years of learning, volunteering, and extracurricular activities, a Saudi student can decide on their field of interest. This study aims to explore Saudi medical students' interest in pediatrics while trying to capture influencing factors and barriers.

Method: A cross-sectional design was adopted to conduct this study. A survey was designed and tested by a pilot study. To disseminate the survey, the Saudi Medical Students' online forum was chosen as a platform to reach a representative sample of the whole country.

Results: The study attracted 205 participants from all Saudi Medical schools. Most participating students were females (71.2%), were attending public medical school (84.4%), and first-generation doctors (78%). Finding pediatrics detailed and stimulating were the most attractive features of pediatrics followed by willingness to help children in their communities and job satisfaction. Only 14.1% of Saudi medical students have a high interest in pediatrics and only 5.4% strongly desire to be general pediatricians. Advanced level of education, elective rotations, and urban medical schools were associated with higher interest in pediatrics. However, role models, academic advisors, and mentors were not major players in shaping students' interests.

Conclusion: The Saudi pediatrics workforce might start changing soon with geographic and gender shifts. Suboptimal interest might not meet high demands and future directions. With most students being first-generation doctors, there is a huge need to activate the roles of academic advisors and mentors. Offering more elective rotations might increase interest in this vital specialty.