Specialty choices of Kuwaiti medical graduates during the last three decades

This study examined postgraduate specialty training of Kuwaiti medical graduates during 1968 to 1999 and identified their attained professional qualifications to reveal scarcity in some specialties.

A survey was carried out involving review of the records maintained at the Kuwait Institute for Medical Specialization (KIMS) and the Ministry of Health for all of the trainees who were enrolled in higher training programs for specialization. Information obtained from the records was ascertained through matching with the doctors' career destinations and employment in the recruitment departments of the health sector.

A total of 652 Kuwaiti medical graduates attained their higher postgraduate qualifications until 1999. There were more female postgraduates compared with males from 1993 upwards and a drop in 1991 in the number of postgraduates owing to the Gulf War. Specialty differed according to gender: males mostly opted for medicine and surgery, whereas females mainly chose obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and family medicine. The nature of postgraduate qualifications differed according to gender: fewer females undertook academic qualifications.

The number of Kuwaiti medical graduates with higher professional qualifications significantly increased after 1985 owing to the establishment of KIMS and the Kuwait Faculty of Medicine. The increase in the number of female postgraduates since 1993 is attributable to the social and cultural transitions witnessed by Kuwait. Gender significantly affected the nature of postgraduate studies and the choice of specialty. The pattern of preference of Kuwaiti graduates to specialties was consistent with other parts of the world. Scarcity in some specialties has been revealed and needs to be adjusted.