Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42304442›Full record

ArticleIsrael journal of health policy research2026

Key factors influencing medical residency choice among medical graduates.

Reut Shoham, Mor Vaknin, Yuval Tal, Nevo Yahav, Arnon Afek, Gad Segal, Shalev Fried, Ofira Zloto

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Israel journal of health policy research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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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

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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

8 authors.

Reut Shoham *Education Authority, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Mor Vaknin *Education Authority, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Yuval TalGray Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Nevo YahavGray Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Arnon AfekRecanati School of Medicine, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel.
Gad SegalEducation Authority, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Shalev Fried *Gray Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Ofira Zloto *Gray Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. ofira.zloto@sheba.health.gov.il.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSpecialty choice plays a central role in shaping physicians' careers and influences the distribution and sustainability of the healthcare workforce. In Israel, persistent shortages in specific specialties and geographic regions highlight the need to better understand the motivations guiding specialty preferences. Identifying latent motivational dimensions provides a broad perspective on the interplay between multidimensional factors shaping specialty choice.

methodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among Israeli medical students in their final year and medical interns between July 2024 and January 2025. Participants completed an online questionnaire including demographic characteristics and motivational factors influencing specialty choice using 5-point Likert-scale items. Exploratory factor analysis based on polychoric correlations was performed to identify latent motivational dimensions. Factor associations with demographic characteristics and intended specialty were examined using proportional-odds ordinal logistic regression.

resultsA total of 527 trainees participated. Exploratory factor analysis identified three motivational dimensions: Interpersonal Factors, Career and Academic Development, and Lifestyle Aspects. All factors demonstrated acceptable internal consistency. No sex-based differences were observed for lifestyle or career and academic motivations, while women rated interpersonal considerations higher than men. Career and academic development motivations were stronger among trainees who studied abroad and among graduates compared with final-year students. Specialty-specific analyses showed that candidates intending surgical or obstetrics and gynecology specialties placed the greatest emphasis on career and academic development, while lifestyle considerations were more prominent among those aiming for pediatrics and psychiatry. Interpersonal motivations did not differ significantly across specialties.

conclusionsSpecialty choice among Israeli medical trainees is shaped by distinct but interrelated motivational dimensions with important workforce implications. The shared importance of lifestyle considerations across sexes suggests that improvements in work-life balance may enhance recruitment across a wider range of specialties. Specialty-specific differences in career and academic motivations highlight the potential value of structured exposure during medical school rotations to research activity and academic career pathways, particularly in fields perceived as offering limited academic opportunities. Aligning training environments with trainee motivations may support recruitment to specialties in distress and contribute to long-term workforce sustainability.

Indexed as

Career ChoiceInternship and ResidencyStudents, MedicalAdultCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansIsraelMaleMotivationSpecializationSurveys and QuestionnairesCareer and academic developmentExploratory factor analysisInternsLifestyle considerationsMedical studentsMotivational factorsSpecialty choiceWorkforce planning

Identifiers

PMID42304442
PMCPMC13274235

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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.