Table 4 Univariate analysis of sociodemographic factors and motivators associated with first-choice specialty of 185 HO (Reference dependent variable: Surgical specialties)
Medical-based specialties N = 75 | Acute care-related specialties N = 25 | Primary care N = 27 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number (%) | Crude OR (95% CI) | p-value | Number (%) | Crude OR (95% CI) | p-value | Number (%) | Crude OR (95% CI) | p-value | |
Age | |||||||||
< 27 (23 – 26) | 37 (49.3) | 1 | 0.288 | 13 (58.6) | 1 | 0.577 | 7 (25.9) | 1 | 0.006 |
≥ 27 (27 – 34) | 38 (50.7) | 1.46 (0.73, 2.91) | 12 (41.4) | 1.31 (0.51, 3.36) | 20 (74.1) | 4.05 (1.48, 11.08) | |||
Sex | |||||||||
Male | 27 (36.0) | 1 | 0.406 | 8 (32.0) | 1 | 0.345 | 7 (25.9) | 1 | 0.132 |
Female | 48 (64.0) | 1.35 (0.6, 2.72) | 17(68.0) | 1.61 (0.60, 4.32) | 20 (74.1) | 2.17(0.79, 5.92) | |||
Marital Status | |||||||||
Single | 59 (78.7) | 1 | 0.292 | 15 (60) | 1 | 0.342 | 13 (48.1) | 1 | 0.047 |
Married/into | 16 (21.3) | 0.65 (0.30, 1.44) | 10 (40) | 1.61 (0.60, 4.28) | 14 (51.9) | 2.60 (1.01, 6.67) | |||
Ethnicity | |||||||||
Non-Malay | 44 (58.7) | 1 | 0.425 | 9 (36.0) | 1 | 0.191 | 7 (7.8) | 1 | 0.029 |
Malay | 31 (41.3) | 0.76 (0.38, 1.51) | 16 (64.0) | 1.91 (0.73, 5.00) | 20 (74.1) | 3.06(1.12, 8.35) | |||
Has a health professional in the family or among relatives | |||||||||
Yes | 36 (48.0) | 1 | 0.670 | 4 (16) | 1 | 0.004 | 12 (44.4) | 1 | 0.533 |
No | 39 (52.0) | 1.61 (0.59, 2.31) | 21 (84) | 5.63 (1.72, 18.43) | 15 (56.6) | 1.34(0.54,3.35) | |||
Public/private medical school | |||||||||
Private | 51 (68.0) | 1 | 15 (60.0) | 1 | 9 (33.3) | 1 | |||
Public | 24 (32.0) | 0.67 (0.33, 1.36) | 0.265 | 10 (40.0) | 0.94 (0.36, 2.46) | 0.907 | 18 (66.7) | 2.83 (1.09, 7.37) | 0.033 |
Malaysian or overseas medical school | |||||||||
Overseas | 25 (33.3) | 1 | 8 (32.0) | 1 | 13 (48.1) | 1 | |||
Local | 50 (66.7) | 0.97 (0.47, 2.02) | 0.944 | 17 (68.0) | 1.04 (0.38,2.82) | 0.946 | 14 (51.9) | 0.53 (0.21, 1.33) | 0.175 |
Stage of HO posting | |||||||||
4th—6th posting | 35 (46.7) | 1 | 12 (48) | 1 | 12 (44.4) | 1 | |||
1st – 3rd posting | 40 (53.3) | 1.07 (0.54, 2.12) | 0.854 | 13 (52) | 1.01(0.40, 2.59) | 0.982 | 15 (55.6) | 1.17(0.47, 2.92) | 0.742 |
Domain scores of motivational factors (mean and SD) | |||||||||
Work schedule and personal | 3.62 (0.71) | 1.46 (0.92, 2.33) | 0.109 | 3.53 (0.63) | 1.23 (0.66, 2.29) | 0.519 | 4.02 (0.63) | 3.62 (1.75, 8.01) | 0.001 |
Training related | 3.96 (0.71) | 1.35 (0.86, 2.13) | 0.198 | 3.84 (0.61) | 1.09 (0.59, 2.02) | 0.780 | 4.13 (0.74) | 1.90 (1.00, 3.63) | 0.050 |
Past work experience | 4.12 (0.74) | 0.89 (0.55,1.44) | 0.231 | 4.34 (0.63) | 1.44 (0.70, 2.97) | 0.320 | 4.18 (0.67) | 0.998 (5.21,1.91) | 0.996 |
Specialty characteristics | 3.04 (0.79) | 0.24 (0.14, 0.41) | < 0.001 | 3.72 (0.72) | 0.660 (0.35, 1.23) | 0.192 | 2.98 (0.91) | 0.222 (0.12, 0.42) | < 0.001 |
Career prospects of the specialty | 3.76 (0.85) | 0.76 (0.50, 1.16) | 0.204 | 3.44 (0.95) | 0.494 (0.28, 0.87) | 0.014* | 4.06 (0.76) | 1.21 (0.67, 2.18) | 0.535 |
Patient care characteristics | 3.56 (0.97) | 0.96 (0.66, 1.41) | 0.845 | 3.73 (0.78) | 0.704 (0.70, 2.09) | 0.487 | 3.37 (0.90) | 0.473 (0.47, 1.27) | 0.312 |
Social factors | 2.86 (0.95) | 0.68 (0.47, 0.99) | 0.046 | 3.01 (0.73) | 0.820 (0.49, 1.36) | 0.445 | 2.70 (0.97) | 0.56 (0.33, 0.94) | 0.029 |