Assessment of Factors Influencing Medical Students’ Choice of Emergency Medicine as a Future Career Specialty: A Nationwide Survey

INTRODUCTION: In Saudi Arabia, emergency medicine (EM) is a fast growing specialty that aims to boost the public service and diversify the economy. Selecting a medical specialty, however, is a challenging process that is occasionally misunderstood. The medical lifestyle, social orientation, and hospital orientation all have an impact on the decision of medical students to specialize in EM. Delay in selection has been connected with waiting until year three to expose oneself to EM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 440 Saudi medical students to evaluate the factors influencing their decision to pursue EM as a future specialty. The participants included both male and female Saudi medical students who had completed their preparatory year. The present study aimed to determine and evaluate the elements that increase Saudi medical students' propensity to select EM as their future area of specialization. RESULTS: Our study included 440 medical students, of whom 256 (58%) were female and 184 (42%) were male. The gender factor had a major effect on specialty preference, with 44% of females preferring EM and 60% preferring surgery, compared to 56% of males preferring EM and 41% preferring primary care. Age was a factor, as 9.6% of students chose surgery before turning 20, while 7.9% preferred EM after the age of 40 years. Those who preferred EM and surgery had the highest median prestige score. CONCLUSION: The findings of study showed the importance of studying many factors that affect Saudi medical students' decision to choose EM as a future specialty. Educators and program directors can help students navigate their professional pathways by understanding the influence of hospital orientation, social orientation, medical lifestyle variables, and personal preferences.