Motives Influencing Arab Students' Preference for Cardiology: A Cross-sectional Multicenter Study

Choosing a medical specialty is a crucial decision influenced by factors such as personal interest, job opportunities, stability, patient variety, lifestyle, and financial incentives, with gender also playing a role. This study explores factors affecting Arab medical students' preference for cardiology, aiming to address the shortage of cardiologists amidst a high prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in the region and to promote interest in this specialty.

A cross-sectional study was conducted across Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and Algeria. A total of 391 clinical-year medical students completed a structured questionnaire covering demographics, specialty preferences, and influencing factors. Data were analyzed using SPSS.

Participants were predominantly aged 18-24 (68.5%) with a balanced gender distribution (57.5% males). While many had completed rotations in internal medicine (81.8%), fewer had done so in cardiology (45.3%). About 47.1% expressed interest in cardiology. Key factors influencing interest included intellectual appeal, salary, national need, scholarship opportunities, and hands-on work. Significant predictors of cardiology interest were completing a cardiology rotation and valuing long-term patient relationships, hands-on work, and intellectual challenges ( P < 0.001, P = 0.02, P = 0.04, respectively). Gender, marital status, and children were not significant predictors.

Despite the high prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and the shortage of cardiologists, interest in cardiology among Arab students is promising, exceeding some global trends. Enhancing hands-on experiences, promoting cardiology rotations, and emphasizing cardiology's intellectual and practical aspects may further boost interest. Future research should investigate educational strategies to promote pursuing a career in cardiology.