Neurosurgery in Saudi Arabia: Navigating Through Future Pathways and Students' Perspectives
Zhra Muneer Al Sadah1, Amer Ayman Altalib1, Hosam Maher Al-Jehani2
1College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
World Neurosurgery
|April 30, 2024
Summary
Medical students find neurosurgery intriguing but often lack confidence in their education. Gender and academic year significantly influence career choices in this competitive surgical field.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Surgical Specialties
- Career Development
Background:
- Neurosurgery is a highly competitive surgical specialty requiring extensive knowledge.
- A growing trend favors lifestyle-friendly medical specialties.
- Perception of neurosurgery and influencing factors require assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate medical students' perceptions of neurosurgery.
- To identify factors affecting attitudes toward neurosurgery as a career.
Main Methods:
- An observational, online survey-based study was conducted.
- 305 medical students from Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University participated.
- Data collected included demographics and 20 Likert scale questions; Pearson's χ² test was used.
Main Results:
- A majority (76.72%) felt neurosurgery education was inadequate.
- While 69.5% found neurosurgery intriguing, 47.87% would not pursue it.
- Career consideration significantly differed by gender (P=0.009) and academic year (P<0.001).
Conclusions:
- Gender and academic year are key factors influencing neurosurgery career choices.
- Limitations include self-reporting bias and a single-institution focus.
- Future research could explore national programs to increase student engagement in neurosurgery.
