Determinants of proclivity for anaesthesia as a career among medical students in a Southwestern Nigeria tertiary institution: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Nigeria faces a critical shortage of anaesthetists (0.113 per 100,000) exacerbated by consistently low uptake among medical graduates. This study investigated factors influencing medical students’ interest in anaesthesia as a career choice. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 147 final-year and penultimate medical students at University College Hospital, Ibadan, using a structured self-administered online questionnaire. Data were collected in March 2025 and analyzed using SPSS version 27 employing Chi-square tests and binary logistic regression. Results: Among students considering specialization, 29.2% expressed interest in anaesthesia and 9.2% ranked it first choice. Among respondents interested in anaesthesia, 28.9% developed interest during clinical exposure, while 65.8% did so after their posting. Key motivators included perceived lucrativeness (92.1%), personal interest (76.3%), and positive rotation experiences (73.7%), while deterrents were low personal interest (90.3%), lack of role models (37.1%), and experience during clinical rotation in the department (25.4%). While most understood the anesthetist’s role, 58.5% planned to practice abroad. Logistic regression found no significant sociodemographic or academic predictors. Conclusion: Interest in anaesthesia among Nigerian medical students remains low but higher than previously reported in other regions. Clinical exposure during rotations plays a pivotal role in shaping career preferences, suggesting a need for enhanced undergraduate training programs and improved mentorship to address the shortage of anaesthetists in Nigeria’s healthcare system.