Factors affecting physicians’ specialty selection: A demographic and socioeconomic perspective

Abstract

Objectives: The medical field is advancing toward increasing specialization in knowledge, technology, and expertise. To meet the demands of quality health care, a practical, pragmatic, and well-balanced enrollment and distribution of physicians among specialties is crucial. The process of selecting a specialty as an ultimate future career is sensitive and conveys multidimensional implications on physicians, the health systems and society as a whole. Numerous complex and miscellaneous factors contribute to the development and adjustment of that decision that needs rigorous efforts to understand and hopefully control. Material and Methods: This is a cross-sectional and descriptive study, conducted through a comprehensive questionnaire encompassing demographic information, socioeconomic indicators, and components of the modified Kuppuswamy and MacArthur Scales. Data were collected using simple random sampling with considering design efficiency. Two-variable analysis with Pearson correlation and Chi-squared test was used to identify the associations and their significance. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 389 respondents completed the questionnaire: 58.87% females, 41.13% males. Among them, 67.8% were internship physicians, and 32.2% were general practitioners. The mean Kuppuswamy score was 15.17, and the mean subjective socioeconomic status (SES) score was 4.28. Female physicians presented a critical propensity toward choosing obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics as their primary future career (P ≤ 0.01), whereas male physicians were more willing to specialize in surgical specialties (P ≤ 0.01). Obstetrics, gynecology, and family medicine correlated with below-average Kuppuswamy scores (P = 0.010359), while surgical specialties correlated with higher scores (P < 0.01). Physicians with above-average subjective SES scores preferred surgical specialties (P = 0.036596). Family medicine, obstetrics, gynecology, and pediatrics correlated with below-average subjective SES scores (P = 0.041828). Conclusion: Demographic and socioeconomic factors have a significant influence on physicians’ specialty preferences and selection.