Table 4. Influential factors of intended choice (first choice) by groups of medical specialties.
The numbers represent the median and interquartile range for factors in each group of medical specialties according to a Likert scale.
| Factors | Median (interquartile range) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Controllable lifestyle | Uncontrollable lifestyle—PC | Uncontrollable lifestyle—SS | Uncontrollable lifestyle-IM | All | |
| Perceived ability | 3 (3–4) | 4 (3–4) | 4 (3–4) | 4 (3–4) | 4 (3–4) |
| Way of wok | 4 (3–4)* | 3.5 (3–4)* | 4 (3–4) | 4 (3–4) | 4 (3–4) |
| Autonomy | 3 (2–4)* | 2 (1–3)* | 3 (2–4) | 3 (2–4) | 3 (2–4) |
| Variety of medical problems | 3 (2–4) | 3 (2–4) | 3 (2–4) | 3 (2–4) | 3 (2–4) |
| Internship (curricular) | 2 (1–4)* | 4 (3–4)* | 3 (2–4) | 3 (2–4) | 3 (2–4) |
| Role models | 3 (1–4) | 3 (2–4) | 3 (1–4) | 3 (2–4)* | 3 (2–4) |
| Financial reason | 3 (2–3)* | 2 (0–3)* | 3 (2–3)* | 2 (1–3)* | 3 (2–3) |
| Academic experience | 2 (1–3)* | 3 (2–4) | 3 (2–4) | 2 (1–3) | 2 (1–4) |
| Personal time | 4 (2–4)* | 2 (0–3)* | 1 (0–2)* | 2 (1–3) | 2 (1–4) |
| Social commitment | 2 (1–3)* | 3 (2–4)* | 2 (1–3) | 3 (2–3)* | 2 (1–3) |
| Prestige of specialty | 2 (1–3)* | 1 (0–2)* | 2 (1–3)* | 2 (1–3) | 2 (1–3) |
| Residency time | 2 (0–3)* | 1 (0–2) | 0 (0–2)* | 0 (0–2)* | 1 (0–3) |
| Research opportunity | 1 (0–2) | 0 (0–2) | 1 (0–2) | 1 (0–3) | 1 (0–2) |
| Family influence | 0 (0–2) | 0 (0–1) | 0 (0–1) | 0 (0–2) | 0 (0–2) |
*p < 0.0019, comparison between the selected group and the rest of the sample considering two groups: low influence (0–2 Likert scale) and high influence (3–4 Likert scale; Fisher test). PC, primary care; SS, surgical specialties; IM, internal medicine.