{"title":"Motives Influencing Arab Students' Preference for Cardiology: A Cross-sectional Multicenter Study.","authors":"Safaa H Abudawoud, Lateefa Riyad, Fayiz Rahhal, Isra Idris, Omar Kanbr","doi":"10.4103/aam.aam_107_25","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Choosing a medical specialty is a crucial decision influenced by factors such as personal interest, job opportunities, stability, patient variety, lifestyle, and financial incentives, with gender also playing a role. This study explores factors affecting Arab medical students' preference for cardiology, aiming to address the shortage of cardiologists amidst a high prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in the region and to promote interest in this specialty.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted across Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and Algeria. A total of 391 clinical-year medical students completed a structured questionnaire covering demographics, specialty preferences, and influencing factors. Data were analyzed using SPSS.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participants were predominantly aged 18-24 (68.5%) with a balanced gender distribution (57.5% males). While many had completed rotations in internal medicine (81.8%), fewer had done so in cardiology (45.3%). About 47.1% expressed interest in cardiology. Key factors influencing interest included intellectual appeal, salary, national need, scholarship opportunities, and hands-on work. Significant predictors of cardiology interest were completing a cardiology rotation and valuing long-term patient relationships, hands-on work, and intellectual challenges (P < 0.001, P = 0.02, P = 0.04, respectively). Gender, marital status, and children were not significant predictors.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Despite the high prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and the shortage of cardiologists, interest in cardiology among Arab students is promising, exceeding some global trends. Enhancing hands-on experiences, promoting cardiology rotations, and emphasizing cardiology's intellectual and practical aspects may further boost interest. Future research should investigate educational strategies to promote pursuing a career in cardiology.</p>","PeriodicalId":7938,"journal":{"name":"Annals of African Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.7000,"publicationDate":"2025-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Annals of African Medicine","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.4103/aam.aam_107_25","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
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Abstract
Background: Choosing a medical specialty is a crucial decision influenced by factors such as personal interest, job opportunities, stability, patient variety, lifestyle, and financial incentives, with gender also playing a role. This study explores factors affecting Arab medical students' preference for cardiology, aiming to address the shortage of cardiologists amidst a high prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in the region and to promote interest in this specialty.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted across Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and Algeria. A total of 391 clinical-year medical students completed a structured questionnaire covering demographics, specialty preferences, and influencing factors. Data were analyzed using SPSS.
Results: Participants were predominantly aged 18-24 (68.5%) with a balanced gender distribution (57.5% males). While many had completed rotations in internal medicine (81.8%), fewer had done so in cardiology (45.3%). About 47.1% expressed interest in cardiology. Key factors influencing interest included intellectual appeal, salary, national need, scholarship opportunities, and hands-on work. Significant predictors of cardiology interest were completing a cardiology rotation and valuing long-term patient relationships, hands-on work, and intellectual challenges (P < 0.001, P = 0.02, P = 0.04, respectively). Gender, marital status, and children were not significant predictors.
Conclusions: Despite the high prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and the shortage of cardiologists, interest in cardiology among Arab students is promising, exceeding some global trends. Enhancing hands-on experiences, promoting cardiology rotations, and emphasizing cardiology's intellectual and practical aspects may further boost interest. Future research should investigate educational strategies to promote pursuing a career in cardiology.
背景：医学专业的选择是一个重要的决定，受个人兴趣、工作机会、稳定性、患者种类、生活方式、经济激励等因素的影响，性别也起着重要作用。本研究探讨了影响阿拉伯医学生对心脏病学偏好的因素，旨在解决该地区心血管疾病高发的情况下心脏病专家短缺的问题，并促进对该专业的兴趣。方法：横断面研究在沙特阿拉伯、苏丹、埃及、叙利亚、约旦和阿尔及利亚进行。共有391名临床年医科学生完成了一份结构化问卷，内容包括人口统计、专业偏好和影响因素。数据采用SPSS进行分析。结果：参与者年龄以18-24岁为主（68.5%），性别分布平衡（男性57.5%）。虽然许多人完成了内科的轮转（81.8%），但完成心脏病学轮转的人数较少（45.3%）。约47.1%表示对心脏病学感兴趣。影响兴趣的主要因素包括智力吸引力、工资、国家需要、奖学金机会和实际工作。心脏病学兴趣的重要预测因素是完成心脏病学轮转、重视长期患者关系、实际工作和智力挑战（P < 0.001, P = 0.02, P = 0.04）。性别、婚姻状况和子女不是显著的预测因素。结论：尽管心血管疾病发病率高，心脏病专家短缺，但阿拉伯学生对心脏病学的兴趣是有希望的，超过了一些全球趋势。加强实践经验，促进心脏病学轮转，强调心脏病学的知识和实践方面可以进一步提高兴趣。未来的研究应探讨教育策略，以促进追求心脏病学的职业生涯。
期刊介绍：
The Annals of African Medicine is published by the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria and the Annals of African Medicine Society. The Journal is intended to serve as a medium for the publication of research findings in the broad field of Medicine in Africa and other developing countries, and elsewhere which have relevance to Africa. It will serve as a source of information on the state of the art of Medicine in Africa, for continuing education for doctors in Africa and other developing countries, and also for the publication of meetings and conferences. The journal will publish articles I any field of Medicine and other fields which have relevance or implications for Medicine.
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