What drives medical students and interns to choose emergency medicine as their career specialty? A cross-sectional study at Taibah University in Madinah City, Saudi Arabia

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the factors influencing career interests among medical students, with a particular emphasis on emergency medicine (EM). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 251 medical students at Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire assessing sociodemographic characteristics, career interests, and influencing factors. Factor analysis was employed to categorize these influences into six categories. Results: The study identified notable differences in factors influencing career interests among the studied students. In the EM group, students placed a strong emphasis on social orientation factors, including health promotion and patient engagement. Sociodemographic factors related to interest in EM revealed a slight positive association for male students and a negative association for those from smaller high school communities. Factor rankings indicated that EM prioritized social orientation, whereas family Medicine focused on prestige. Medical specialties ranked medical lifestyle, while surgical specialties valued a varied scope of practice. The effect of prestige was found to be minimal for EM compared to surgical and medical specialties. Conclusion: This study underscored the diverse motivations and influences shaping medical students' career interests. The findings highlighted the significance of social orientation and community engagement in attracting students to EM, alongside the impact of sociodemographic factors.