Curricular reform and career choices of Iraqi medical students

الملخص EN

Objective: To study career choices of Iraqi medical students who followed curricular reform, determine motivational factors influencing them, and compare the results with choices chosen in the traditional teaching.

Methods: During the academic year 2018-2019, the final-year students at Al-Kindy College of Medicine, University of Baghdad were recruited in a questionnaire obstetrics (17.7%), and pediatrics (10.2%).

Choices in BMSSs were chosen by 4 students, namely anatomy in one male student and pharmacology, pathology, and microbiology in three female students.

Personal interest (46.7%) and anticipated future mastering skills and development (26.6%) were rated as the most influential factors to the choice in both genders.

Other factors were rated less and included: charismatic role models (13.2%), anticipated higher income (8%), prestige (3.6%), and family or spouse influence (1.8%).

There were no statistical gender differences (p>0.05).

Conclusions: Reform seemed to influence choices and made CSs highly outnumbered BMSSs.

Policy makers could consider study results in planning postgraduate studies and healthcare system in Iraq