Table 4 Variables that influence students’ career interests at medical school
Factor | % of the students | Results of ANOVA | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EM n = 32 | CL n = 80 | PC n = 163 | SS n = 133 | F | P value | |
Wide variety of patient problems | 3.97 | 3.15 | 3.27 | 3.35 | 3.96 | 0.008 |
Narrower variety of patient problems | 2.41 | 3.4 | 3.22 | 3.13 | 4.88 | 0.002 |
Good match to career | 2.75 | 2.55 | 2.55 | 2.38 | 0.86 | 0.464 |
Patient population is interesting | 4.13 | 3.9 | 3.94 | 3.95 | 0.36 | 0.783 |
Focus on in-hospital care | 3.41 | 3.45 | 3.63 | 3.8 | 2.4 | 0.067 |
Focus on patients in community | 2.87 | 3.4 | 3.61 | 3.12 | 6.53 | < 0.001 |
Focus on urgent care | 4.25 | 2.63 | 2.9 | 3.74 | 26.5 | < 0.001 |
Focus on non-urgent care | 2.47 | 3.56 | 3.39 | 3.03 | 10.2 | < 0.001 |
Intervention results immediate | 4.22 | 2.99 | 3.32 | 3.98 | 18.84 | < 0.001 |
High income potential | 3.13 | 3.55 | 3.27 | 3.72 | 5.35 | 0.001 |
Long-term patient relationship | 2.28 | 3.02 | 3.16 | 2.73 | 6.16 | < 0.001 |
Status among colleagues | 2.97 | 3.07 | 3.17 | 3.19 | 0.44 | 0.726 |
Acceptable on-call schedule | 3.31 | 3.68 | 3.28 | 2.94 | 6.38 | < 0.001 |
Do not like uncertainty | 2.81 | 3.09 | 3.04 | 3.04 | 0.44 | 0.728 |
Prefer medical to social problems | 3.53 | 3.04 | 3.26 | 3.44 | 2.08 | 0.102 |
Emulate physician | 3.03 | 2.64 | 3.09 | 3.28 | 3.56 | 0.014 |
Research interest | 3.03 | 3.59 | 3.26 | 3.28 | 1.82 | 0.143 |
Social commitment | 2.84 | 2.86 | 2.98 | 2.65 | 1.73 | 0.16 |
Stable/secure future | 2.31 | 2.54 | 2.36 | 2.48 | 0.56 | 0.644 |
Health promotion is important | 3.06 | 3.68 | 3.67 | 3.28 | 5.25 | 0.001 |
Acceptable hours of practice | 3.66 | 3.81 | 3.52 | 3.1 | 7.54 | < 0.001 |
Flexibility inside of medicine | 3.69 | 3.62 | 3.64 | 3.26 | 4.06 | 0.007 |
Flexibility outside of medicine | 3.44 | 3.51 | 3.28 | 2.96 | 4.49 | 0.004 |
Keep options open | 3.53 | 3.19 | 3.59 | 3.17 | 4.76 | 0.003 |
Meaningful past experience | 3.5 | 2.71 | 2.96 | 3.11 | 3.21 | 0.023 |
Short postgraduate training | 2.75 | 2.26 | 2.68 | 2.24 | 3.9 | 0.009 |
Less intense residency program | 2.53 | 2.36 | 2.53 | 2.23 | 1.54 | 0.204 |
Experiences in health fields during medical school | 3.13 | 2.78 | 3.02 | 3.1 | 1.1 | 0.35 |
Experiences with role models during medical school | 3.31 | 2.74 | 3.07 | 3.14 | 2.53 | 0.057 |
Able to spend appropriate time with my family | 3.63 | 3.45 | 3.5 | 2.98 | 6.06 | < 0.001 |