Table 3 Rating of female and male motivational factors for specialty preference
From: Gender difference in preference of specialty as a career choice among Japanese medical students
Total | Women | Men | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
N = 368 | N = 141 | N = 227 | P-value | |
Factor 1: Educational experience | 3.0 ± 0.6 | 3.1 ± 0.7 | 3.0 ± 0.6 | 0.009 |
15) Received excellent teachings | 3.1 ± 0.7 | 3.2 ± 0.7 | 3.1 ± 0.7 | 0.111 |
14) Memorable experience in a class or clinical rotation | 3.0 ± 0.7 | 3.2 ± 0.8 | 2.9 ± 0.7 | 0.005 |
16) Comfortable atmosphere at the specialty department | 3.1 ± 0.8 | 3.2 ± 0.8 | 3.1 ± 0.7 | 0.268 |
17) Encounter with role model teachers | 2.9 ± 0.9 | 3.1 ± 0.9 | 2.8 ± 0.9 | 0.024 |
Factor 2: Job security | 2.1 ± 0.6 | 2.1 ± 0.5 | 2.1 ± 0.6 | 0.392 |
19) Advice/Expectation of parents | 2.2 ± 0.9 | 2.3 ± 0.9 | 2.2 ± 0.9 | 0.178 |
26) Expected income | 2.3 ± 0.8 | 2.1 ± 0.7 | 2.4 ± 0.9 | 0.002 |
24) Ease of opening practice | 2.0 ± 0.8 | 1.9 ± 0.7 | 2.1 ± 0.8 | 0.077 |
25) Expectation to inherit practice of my parents/relatives | 1.6 ± 0.8 | 1.5 ± 0.7 | 1.7 ± 0.9 | 0.121 |
23) Job availability | 2.5 ± 0.8 | 2.6 ± 0.8 | 2.5 ± 0.9 | 0.250 |
Factor 3: Advice from others | 2.1 ± 0.7 | 2.1 ± 0.8 | 2.1 ± 0.7 | 0.175 |
20) Advice from senior students/residents | 2.1 ± 0.9 | 2.2 ± 0.9 | 2.0 ± 0.8 | 0.154 |
21) Advice from teachers/consultants | 2.2 ± 0.9 | 2.4 ± 1.0 | 2.2 ± 0.9 | 0.037 |
22) Influence of friends | 2.0 ± 0.8 | 1.9 ± 0.7 | 2.0 ± 0.8 | 0.578 |
Factor 4: Work-life balance | 2.4 ± 0.7 | 2.5 ± 0.7 | 2.4 ± 0.7 | 0.087 |
27) Working hours | 2.4 ± 0.9 | 2.5 ± 0.9 | 2.3 ± 0.9 | 0.080 |
28) Attainable lifestyle | 2.7 ± 0.9 | 2.8 ± 0.9 | 2.7 ± 0.9 | 0.106 |
30) Risk of my malpractice law suits | 2.2 ± 0.8 | 2.2 ± 0.8 | 2.2 ± 0.8 | 0.587 |
Factor 5: Technical & research specialty | 3.0 ± 0.6 | 3.0 ± 0.6 | 3.0 ± 0.6 | 0.766 |
5) Interest in the surgical procedures or technologies | 3.1 ± 0.8 | 3.0 ± 0.9 | 3.1 ± 0.8 | 0.338 |
6) Mastering the specialty | 3.0 ± 0.8 | 2.9 ± 0.8 | 3.0 ± 0.7 | 0.298 |
4) Interest in the research or scientific aspects | 3.0 ± 0.8 | 3.0 ± 0.8 | 3.0 ± 0.8 | 0.884 |
2) Interest in the organ specialty | 3.0 ± 0.8 | 3.0 ± 0.8 | 3.0 ± 0.8 | 0.377 |
Factor 6: Personal reasons | 2.5 ± 0.6 | 2.6 ± 0.6 | 2.5 ± 0.7 | 0.290 |
11) I suffering(ed) from an illness of the specialty | 2.2 ± 1.0 | 2.2 ± 1.0 | 2.3 ± 1.1 | 0.520 |
12) Friend/family suffers(ed) from an illness of the specialty | 2.2 ± 1.0 | 2.5 ± 1.0 | 2.4 ± 1.1 | 0.401 |
13) Became interested in the specialty before medical school | 2.5 ± 0.9 | 2.6 ± 0.9 | 2.5 ± 0.9 | 0.124 |
3) Interest in the targeted populations such as children or the elderly | 2.9 ± 0.8 | 3.0 ± 0.8 | 2.8 ± 0.8 | 0.010 |