FACTORS INFLUENCING CHOICE OF INTERNAL MEDICINE AND SUBSPECIALTIES BY POSTGRADUATE RESIDENTS IN A TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITAL

Objective: To determine the factors considered by postgraduate residents while choosing internal medicine and subspecialties in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Lahore Study Design: Descriptive cross – sectional study. Methodology: A two part self – administered structured questionnaire was designed and distributed to postgraduate residents in Mayo Hospital, Lahore during May 2013 to determine the factors they considered important while choosing internal medicine and subspecialties. The responses were graded on Likert scale which ranged from 1 to 3 (1 – great extent, 2 – some extent and 3 – lesser extent). Result: The 78 respondent doctors included in the study comprised of 50 (64.1%) males and 28 (35.9%) females. 60 (76.9%) were enrolled in the FCPS program while 18 (23.1%) were enrolled in the MD and other programs. Among subspecialties, dermatology KEMU / Mayo Hospital, Lahore was most popular among females while cardiology and nephrology among males. The adoption of medicine and subspecialties was comparable across both genders (p-value 0.05) and their reasons for this choice were also similar (p-value 0.05). Research, national requirement, particular institution, private practice and work hours were significantly important (p-value 0.05). Availability of training post and job after training remained the least important factors (p-value 0.05). No significance was shown for aptitude, family pressure, mentors and work environment (p-value 0.05). Conclusion: In this study, work hours, private practice, good institutions, research and national requirement were considered most important. Less consideration was given to job and training vacancy while the role of mentors remained undefined.