Why A Medical Career? What Makes Sudanese Students to Join a Medical College and Pursue a Medical Career?

Abstract

Introduction:Career selection and decision to pursue a medical career is a multi factorial process. It is influenced by the personalcapabilities and the available resources as well as the social, educational, economical and cultural factors. Sudan isone of the African countries with a high number of medical colleges and an increasing number of Sudanesestudents are joining the medical colleges each year.Aim and objectives:The aims of the present study were to study and compare the motives and reasons for joining a medical college andpursuing a medical career, among the newly admitted Sudanese medical students.Methods:A cross sectional survey was implemented, in eight medical colleges (four private and four public colleges) inKhartoum. A semi structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the subjects to investigate and compare thereasons and motives for choosing a medical career.Results:1556 students responded to the questionnaire (86%). 50.9% of them were admitted on private account; and 63.7%students were from public colleges; and 61.8% were female. The highest ranked reason for choosing a medical careerwas the altruistic reason (78.1%) and the lowest reason was the personal ambition (17.9%). 71.2% of the studentswere influenced by the family to joining a medical college. 11.9% of the students joined the medical colleges againsttheir desire. There were differences between the publicly admitted and privately admitted students.Discussion:The reasons and motives of the Sudanese medical students, for selecting a medical career, are comparable to otherinternational studies.