Gender and other factors influencing the specialty choice among postgraduate medical students in Bangladesh, 2016-2020

Authors

  • Evana Binthe Alam Department of Public Health and Informatics, Bangabandhu Shiekh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh https://orcid.org/0009-0008-4265-9993
  • Md Atiqul Haque Department of Public Health and Informatics, Bangabandhu Shiekh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7598-2550
  • Muhammad Ibrahim Ibne Towhid Department of Public Health and Informatics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7403-9627
  • Md Maruf Haque Khan Department of Public Health and Informatics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8014-9638
  • Khandakar Fatema Department of Public Health and Informatics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2996-695X
  • Marium Salwa Department of Public Health and Informatics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7869-3343
  • Fariha Haseen Department of Public Health and Informatics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
  • Bijoy Kumer Paul Department of Public Health and Informatics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh https://orcid.org/0009-0000-0756-3322

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3329/bsmmuj.v16i3.67860

Keywords:

Post-graduate medical student, faculty, gender, specialty choice, influencing factors.

Abstract

Background: Over the last two decades, there has been a gender shift in undergraduate medical education in Bangladesh with different influencing factors in specialty choice as a career. We aimed to determine the gender and other influencing factors in specialty choice among post-graduate medical students of Bangladesh.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka. Secondary data regarding students’ enrollment from 2016 to 2020 were acquired from the registry of the Information Technology Cell of BSMMU. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 118 postgraduate medical students to learn about the motivation behind their specialty selections.

Results: From 2016 to 2020, 9,112 postgraduate medical students were enrolled in 73 post-graduate medical programmes across the five faculties (Surgery, Medicine, Basic Science and Para Clinical Science, Pediatrics, and Preventive and Social Medicine) of BSMMU. There was a gradual increase in female students from 41.6% in 2016 to 49.3% in 2020. Male dominancy was found in the faculties of Surgery (61.2%) and Medicine (69.7%), whereas the faculties of Basic Science and Paraclinical Science (74.6%), Pediatrics (53.7%), and Preventive and Social Medicine (66.9%) were dominated by female students. Significant differences in the sex distribution among postgraduate medical students were observed in the faculties of Surgery and Pediatrics. The most frequently mentioned influencing factors for medical students' choice of specialization were 'personal interest' (86.3%), followed by 'future career potential' (74.6%) and 'demand for the specialty' (73.7%). Significant gender variations in these influencing factors existed.

Conclusion: Over the years, the percentage of female postgraduate medical students has increased in all five faculties of BSMMU. Gender differences in specialty choice can assist policymakers in making equitable distributions of the healthcare workforce.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Journal 2023;16(3): 152-159

 

 

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Author Biographies

Evana Binthe Alam, Department of Public Health and Informatics, Bangabandhu Shiekh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh

 

 

 

 

 

Muhammad Ibrahim Ibne Towhid, Department of Public Health and Informatics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh

 

 

Md Maruf Haque Khan, Department of Public Health and Informatics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh

 

 

Khandakar Fatema, Department of Public Health and Informatics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University.

 

 

Marium Salwa, Department of Public Health and Informatics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh

 

 

Fariha Haseen, Department of Public Health and Informatics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh

 

 

Bijoy Kumer Paul , Department of Public Health and Informatics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh

 

 

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Published

2023-09-27

How to Cite

Alam, E. B. ., Haque, M. A., Ibne Towhid, M. I. ., Khan, M. M. H. ., Fatema, K., Salwa, M. ., Haseen, F. ., & Paul , B. K. . (2023). Gender and other factors influencing the specialty choice among postgraduate medical students in Bangladesh, 2016-2020. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Journal, 16(3), 152–159. https://doi.org/10.3329/bsmmuj.v16i3.67860

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 3 (2023)

Section

Original Article

License

Copyright (c) 2023 Evana, Atiq, Ibrahim, Maruf, Fatema, Marium, Fariha, Bijoy

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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