Table 3. The Respondents’ Perceived Influential Factors in Choosing a Future Specialty.
* Disagreement responses: (1 - strongly disagree, and 2 - disagree) were grouped as "Disagree"; agreement responses (4 - agree, and 5 - strongly agree) were grouped as "Agree"; neutral responses (3 - neutral) were presented as "Neutral."
** The average 5-point Likert scale responses were presented as means ±SD; all calculations of means ±SDs for all evaluative statements were based on the 5-point Likert rating scale.
# A two-tailed Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the mean 5-point Likert scale responses between male and female respondents.
† Statistical significance, p-value <0.05
| Evaluative Item | All Respondents (n=252) | Male Respondents (n=127) Mean ±SD | Female Respondents (n=125) Mean ±SD | P-Value# | |||
| Disagree n (%)* | Neutral n (%)* | Agree n (%)* | Mean ±SD ** | ||||
| Hours of Practice | 34 (13.5) | 75 (29.8) | 143 (56.7) | 3.6 ±1.1 | 3.5 ±1.1 | 3.7 ±1.1 | 0.067 |
| On-Call Schedule | 31 (12.3) | 67 (26.6) | 154 (61.1) | 3.7 ±1.0 | 3.7 ±1.0 | 3.7 ±1.1 | 0.569 |
| Length of Residency program | 53 (21.0) | 70 (27.8) | 129 (51.2) | 3.4 ±1.1 | 3.4 ±1.1 | 3.4 ±1.2 | 0.865 |
| Flexibility of Specialty | 23 (9.1) | 67 (26.6) | 162 (64.3) | 3.7 ±0.9 | 3.7 ±0.9 | 3.8 ±0.9 | 0.682 |
| Specialty Prestige | 33 (13.1) | 87 (34.5) | 132 (52.4) | 3.5 ± 1.0 | 3.7 ± 1.0 | 3.4 ± 1.0 | 0.005† |
| Work Pressure | 39 (15.5) | 76 (30.1) | 137 (54.4) | 3.5 ±1.0 | 3.5 ±1.0 | 3.5 ±1.1 | 0.795 |
| Involve 'Urgent' Life-Saving Care | 39 (15.5) | 77 (30.5) | 136 (54.0) | 3.6 ±1.1 | 3.7 ±1.1 | 3.5 ±1.1 | 0.208 |
| Interest in Research | 65 (25.8) | 72 (28.6) | 115 (45.6) | 3.3 ±1.1 | 3.2 ±1.2 | 3.3 ±1.0 | 0.503 |
| Interest in Long-Term Relations with Patients | 49 (19.4) | 88 (34.9) | 115 (45.6) | 3.4 ±1.1 | 3.3 ±1.1 | 3.4 ±1.1 | 0.610 |
| Diversity of Patients | 30 (11.9) | 81 (32.1) | 141 (56.0) | 3.6 ±1.0 | 3.6 ±1.0 | 3.6 ±1.1 | 0.849 |
| Anticipated Income | 24 (9.5) | 72 (28.6) | 156 (61.9) | 3.8 ±1.1 | 3.8 ±1.1 | 3.7 ±1.1 | 0.484 |
| Focus on Community Health | 32 (12.7) | 96 (38.1) | 124 (49.2) | 3.4 ±1.0 | 3.4 ±1.0 | 3.5 ±0.9 | 0.660 |
| Does not Involve Urgent Care | 73 (29.0) | 99 (39.3) | 80 (31.7) | 3.0 ±1.1 | 2.9 ±1.1 | 3.1 ±1.1 | 0.263 |
| Curriculum | 22 (8.7) | 122 (48.4) | 108 (42.9) | 3.4 ±0.8 | 3.5 ±0.8 | 3.4 ±0.8 | 0.313 |
| Intellectual Content of the Specialty | 13 (5.2) | 86 (34.1) | 153 (60.7) | 3.7 ±0.8 | 3.8 ±0.9 | 3.7 ±0.8 | 0.289 |
| Interest in Specialty Field | 4 (1.6) | 30 (11.9) | 218 (86.5) | 4.4 ±0.8 | 4.4 ±0.8 | 4.5 ±0.7 | 0.589 |
| Culture—No Opposite Gender Patients | 133 (52.8) | 76 (30.2) | 43 (17.1) | 2.4 ±1.2 | 2.2 ±1.2 | 2.6 ±1.3 | 0.009† |
| Specialty Deficiency | 49 (19.4) | 110 (43.7) | 93 (36.9) | 3.2 ±1.0 | 3.1 ±1.0 | 3.3 ±1.0 | 0.093 |
| Individual's Competencies | 13 (5.2) | 109 (43.3) | 130 (51.6) | 3.6 ±0.8 | 3.7 ±0.9 | 3.5 ±0.8 | 0.259 |
| Imitate/Emulate a Physician | 53 (21.0) | 134 (53.2) | 65 (25.8) | 3.0 ±1.0 | 3.2 ±0.9 | 2.9 ±1.1 | 0.142 |
| Advice from Faculty | 68 (28.0) | 97 (38.5) | 87 (34.5) | 3.1 ±1.0 | 3.1 ±1.0 | 3.0 ±1.0 | 0.562 |
| Advice from Parents | 60 (23.8) | 87 (34.5) | 105 (41.7) | 3.2 ±1.1 | 3.2 ±1.1 | 3.2 ±1.1 | 0.992 |
| Advice from Practicing Physicians | 43 (17.1) | 63 (25.0) | 146 (57.9) | 3.6 ±1.1 | 3.6 ±1.2 | 3.5 ±1.1 | 0.575 |