ArticleBMC medical education2021
A thematic network for factors affecting the choice of specialty education by medical students: a scoping study in low-and middle-income countries.
Article in BMC medical education, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 30 papers.
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Who cites it
30 citing papers in PubMed.
- Breaking stereotypes or making compromises? gender, income, and the unequal landscape of medical specialty choice.BMC medical education · 2026Article
- "Probably one of medicine's best kept secrets": preliminary qualitative insights into motivations and concerns regarding addiction medicine specialisation in Australasia.BMC medical education · 2026Article
- Exploring factors influencing medical specialty choice among undergraduates in The Gambia: a situated expectancy-value theory approach.BMC medical education · 2026Article
- Attitudes of final-year medical students towards psychiatry as a specialisation at a university in South Africa.The South African journal of psychiatry : SAJP : the journal of the Society of Psychiatrists of South Africa · 2026Article
- Medical student perceptions and career intentions toward neurosurgery: results from an international multicentre study.Neurosurgical review · 2025Article
- The Relationship Between Medical Student Neuroticism and Preferred Medical Specialty: Cross-Sectional Study.JMIR formative research · 2025Article
- Observational
- Identification of essential topics and procedural skills for inclusion in a contextualised undergraduate anaesthesia and critical care clerkship in Rwanda: results of a modified Delphi process.BMC medical education · 2025Article
- Stereotypes and social representations associated with pediatric surgeons among medical students, residents and physicians: a cross-sectional study.BMC medical education · 2025Article
- Choosing the Path: Insights Into Zambian Medical Students' Specialty Selections.Health science reports · 2025Article
- Crafting dental specialities in Iran: insights from a qualitative study.BMC oral health · 2025Article
- Aspirations to study medicine, perceptions of a good doctor, and their influence on specialty choice among medical students.PloS one · 2025Article
- A cross-sectional investigation of trend in career specialty preference among clinical year medical undergraduates, including factors influencing preferences and discouragement.Frontiers in medicine · 2025Article
- The impact of a longitudinal mentorship program on medical students: A mixed-methods study.PloS one · 2025Article
- The complex interplay of personal and external factors in medical students' specialty decision-making: A qualitative study.PloS one · 2025Article
- Factors Influencing Chinese Medical Students Choice of Infectious Disease Specialty: A Qualitative and Quantitative Survey.Advances in medical education and practice · 2025Article
- The Attractive and Deterring Factors for Medical Students Towards Pathology as a Specialty in Saudi Arabia.Advances in medical education and practice · 2025Article
- Examining dimensions of career intentions: insights from medical and nursing students at a private not-for profit university in Vietnam.BMC medical education · 2024Article
- Article
- Challenges and solutions of medical residency: the example of Iran.BMC health services research · 2024Article
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5 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundMedical specialty selection is a complex phenomenon that can affect the performance of health systems, community health, and physicians' lives. It is essential to identify the key factors influencing the choice of specialty for evidence-based policymaking. This scoping review aimed to provide a comprehensive map of evidence regarding the factors influencing the choice of specialty by medical students (MS) in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) and also to determine knowledge gaps.
methodsWe carried out a systematic search on six online databases from January 2000 to May 2020. We used a five-step scoping review method proposed by Arksey and O'Malley. We synthesized the data using a quantitative content analysis approach. Then, we developed a thematic network as a conceptual map for a better understanding of the concept.
resultsThe analysis led to the development of five main themes, including personal determinants, life fulfillment aspects, influential career aspects, educational determinants, and interpersonal effects. Moreover, the most frequent sub-themes were specific personal factors, controllable lifestyle, quality of working life, and future working conditions.
conclusionThis review provided evidence on the factors influencing the choice of specialties. In order to support physician workforce policy with more precise evidence, it is necessary to explore the weight and ranking of these factors based on the socioeconomic contexts of the countries. This study also indicated that factors such as ethical values, various aspects of medical philosophy, and immigration tendencies are areas for further investigations.
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