Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41911306›Full record

ArticlePloS one2026

Does a degree in medicine or a specialist programme or socioeconomic status advance the career of general practitioners in primary healthcare?

Dandan Zheng, Gazi Mahabubul Alam, Karima Bashir, Norlizah Che Hassan, Miao Lei

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Dandan ZhengDepartment of Science and Technology, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China.
Gazi Mahabubul AlamSchool of Education, Faculty of Social Sciences and Leisure Management, Taylor's University, Subang Jaya, Malaysia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2867-6793
Karima BashirDepartment of Educational Foundation, Faculty of Education and Extension Services, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria.
Norlizah Che HassanDepartment of Foundation of Education, Faculty of Educational Studies, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia.
Miao LeiStudent Affairs Division, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng, Jiangsu, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Extensive studies have investigated possible mechanism to improve the career path of general practitioners (GPs) in order to ensure the primary healthcare system (PHC) functions properly. Nevertheless, this problem persists in many countries and it is aggravated by preferential policy. Against this background, the current study examined whether the diverse groups of GPs employed by the PHC system help to develop a sustainable PHC system or create a dysfunctional one. This quantitative cross-sectional survey sampled 12,767 graduates from 13 medical schools in China. Secondary data was collected on socioeconomic status (SES), career advancement, educational qualification, demographic characteristics and graduates' employment information. The collected data was analyzed using group regression and mediation analysis. Results indicated that, among the 1,769 clinical physicians working in PHC institutions, the ratio of specialist to specialists transferred general practitioners and full general practitioners is 3:2:1, indicating a horizontal mismatch. Furthermore, medical graduates' degree program type significantly relates to their career advancement and SES mediated the link between medical graduates' degree program type and career advancement with an indirect effect: Internal Medicine SP-GP → SES → CA (β = 0.040, P < 0.001); Obstetrics and Gynecology SP-GP → SES → CA (β = 0.026, P < 0.001); Emergency Medicine SP-GP → SES → CA (β = 0.021, P < 0.001); Paediatrics SP-GP → SES → CA (β = 0.024, P < 0.001). This study contributes to discourse on SES and medical education by highlighting how medical education has evolved into a money-driven program in which students' SES influences the program they select.

Indexed as

Career MobilityGeneral PractitionersPrimary Health CareSocial ClassSpecializationAdultCareer ChoiceChinaCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMale

Identifiers

PMID41911306
PMCPMC13035118

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.