CAREER PREFERENCE AND CHOICE OF PRACTICE LOCATIONS BY SAUDI MEDICAL-STUDENTS

The identification of career preference and intended practice location of medical students may provide a useful contribution to the projecti ons and distribution of doctors across different specialties in the co untry. Information for this study was obtained from a survey of medica l students in the final years at King Saud University College of Medic ine in Saudi Arabia. This included demographic characteristics, career choice, training location, qualification in view and intended practic e locations. The majority (61.2%) intended to specialize and subsequen tly practise in the major disciplines of medicine, surgery, paediatric s and obstetrics. Twenty-eight per cent were not sure of their future career choice. Only a few (3.5%) chose primary care and none chose pat hology or anaesthesia. More men chose medicine, paediatrics and surger y, but more women chose obstetrics and primary care. The majority (81. 2%) would like to have foreign certificates, but all the Saudis would subsequently practice in Saudi Arabia and mainly in large cities. The implications of this career pattern and practise locations are discuss ed with recommendations for health planners and medical schools.