Perception of medical students about family medicine in Karachi, Pakistan: Medical students’ perception about family medicine
Objectives: To assess the perceptions of medical students about Family Medicine (FM) as a career choice and to examine if exposure to FM in undergraduate medical curriculum is associated with a positive perception of FM. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration: The study was conducte...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_636_24 |
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| Summary: | Objectives:
To assess the perceptions of medical students about Family Medicine (FM) as a career choice and to examine if exposure to FM in undergraduate medical curriculum is associated with a positive perception of FM.
Study Design:
Cross-sectional study.
Place and Duration:
The study was conducted in four medical universities of Karachi out of which two were public and two were private sectors. From July 2021 to January 20 22.
Methodology:
The investigator administered a structured questionnaire in person to the participants. Quantitative data was collected, and descriptive statistics were computed. Association between exposure to FM and perceptions about FM was compared using Chi-squared test. A P value of < 0.05 was considered as significant.
Results:
A total of 300 students were included; 116 (38.7%) were male. The mean age of participants was 22.8 (±1.7) years. Most (79%) of the participants had a positive perception of FM. Exposure to FM in the undergraduate curriculum (UGC) played a significant role in improving perception, and 80.6% of exposed participants were found to have positive perception. However, there was no association between participants’ preference for choosing FM as their career and exposure to FM (not exposed: 35 (31%) vs. exposed: 52 (28%); P = 0.598).
Conclusion:
Our study highlights the significant impact that exposure to Family Medicine (FM) in undergraduate medical education has on students’ perceptions of the specialty. While this exposure generally fosters a positive view of FM, it does not translate into a strong inclination to pursue FM as a career. The primary deterrent identified is the perception of low remuneration associated with the specialty, which remains a critical factor in specialty choice. Addressing these financial concerns may be key to encouraging more students to consider Family Medicine as a viable and rewarding career path. |
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| ISSN: | 2249-4863 2278-7135 |