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1Department of Rheumatology, Tangier-Tetouan-El Hoceima University Hospital, Tangier, Morocco
2Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Tangier, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Tetouan, Morocco
3Applied Mathematics and Data Science, School of Science and Engineering, Al Akhawayn University, Morocco
TF Zahrae
, A Adnine, H Tbatou, A Amar, FE Abourazzak
Objective: To assess the attractiveness of a career in rheumatology among Moroccan medical students and to study factors that motivate or demotivate them to choose rheumatology as a future career. Methods: An electronic survey was distributed among students in medical training, interns, and graduates from the Faculty of Medicine at the University Hospital of Tangier. The questionnaire evaluated the level of clinical exposure to rheumatology, the interest in rheumatology as a specialty, and the motivation or demotivation for choosing or not choosing rheumatology as a career. Results: 318 students responded to the survey. Of these, 57.5% reported that they had already completed a training period in a rheumatology department. Of Moroccan students, 35.6% would consider specialising in rheumatology and 8.5% of these stated that rheumatology was their first specialty choice. The uni- and multi-variate analysis determined that clinical exposure to rheumatology (OR=2.39 IC95% [1.46–3.91]) and female gender (OR=1.95 IC95% [1.2–3.2]) were the main statistically significant factors for the prediction of the choice of rheumatology. Intern status was statistically associated with not choosing rheumatology (OR=0.085 IC95% [0.03–0.24). The main motivation factors for Moroccan medical students to choose rheumatology were the diversity of musculoskeletal diseases (54.5%) and the good balance work/life (46.6%). The main reasons for not choosing rheumatology were the limited therapeutic aspects of the discipline (30.3%) and an interest in surgical specialties (29.3%). Conclusion: Rheumatology fascinates Moroccan medical students by the diversity of its pathologies and the good balance work/life. Greater clinical exposure to rheumatology is the strongest predictor of medical students choosing rheumatology as a future career.
Cite this article as: Taik FZ, Adnine A, Tbatou H, Amar A, Abourazzak FE. Would You Consider Becoming a Rheumatologist? A Survey Regarding the Attractiveness of Rheumatology as a Career Among Moroccan Medical Students. Mediterr J Rheumatol 2023;34(3):349-55.
Article Submitted: 04 Nov 2022; Revised Form: 28 Jan 2023; Article Accepted: 22 Feb 2023; Available Online: 27 Jul 2023
https://doi.org/10.31138/mjr.20230727.wyc
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
©2023 The Author(s).
