Factors that affect career choices of pediatric dentistry advanced education students

A questionnaire addressing factors that affect career choices by pediatric dentistry advanced education students was mailed to 52 training programs. Two hundred and thirty-two completed surveys from 45 responding programs were returned. The responses were analyzed for women and men and citizens and noncitizens. Concern for spouse career opportunities affected women's personal career decisions significantly more (P < 0.05) than it did for men. Women rated previous federal/military experience significantly less (P < 0.05) influential on their career choice than did men. Geographic preference when making career decisions was significantly more (P < 0.001) important to citizens than it was for noncitizens. Noncitizens assigned significantly higher (P < 0.001) ratings to an interest in teaching and research than did citizens. A preference for practicing with a parent or relative and previous federal/military experience affected career choices by noncitizens significantly more (P < 0.05) than they did citizens. This study suggests that numerous career-influencing factors in pediatric dentistry are perceived differently by women and men, and citizens and noncitizens.