FACTORS AFFECTING NEWLY GRADUATED HOUSE OFFICERS TO SELECT THEIR SPECIALTY IN THEIR FUTURE LIFE

Abstract

Background: The transition from medical college to a specialized medical field is a crucial step in the career of a medical graduate. However, limited guidance often leaves the new house officers stressed and confused regarding this decision of choosing the right specialty. Understanding these factors is vital for aligning young doctor’s career goals with national healthcare needs.

Objectives: To find the factors affecting the specialty selection among newly graduated house officers.

Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Medicine, PAF Hospital, Islamabad, from January 2023 to April 2023.  A total of 237 house officers who had just completed their house job within last 3 months and taken decision for their future specialty were contacted through social media. A structured questionnaire comprising of 9 distinct factors were sent on their e-mail addresses and 104 doctors who sent back complete response were included in the study. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 26.  Descriptive statistics were used to present the factors affecting the selection of future medical specialty.

Results: The mean age of participants was 24.94±1.08 years. The females comprised of 59 (57%) while males comprised of 45 (43%) of study population. The details of factors affecting the selection of specialty showed that career growth was the most frequent factor 30 (28.8%), followed by expected income/financial security 20 (19.2%), convenient availability of postgraduate training 18 (17.3%) and house job experience 11 (10.6%). Most of the factors were common, however, the ratio varied among gender.

Conclusion: Career growth, financial security, convenient availability of postgraduate training and house job experience significantly influence specialty selection among newly graduated house officers.