Perception of medical students about family medicine in Karachi, Pakistan: Medical students' perception about family medicine

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the perceptions of medical students about Family Medicine (FM) as a career choice and to examine if exposure to FM in undergraduate medical curriculum is associated with a positive perception of FM.

Study design: Cross-sectional study.

Place and duration: The study was conducted in four medical universities of Karachi out of which two were public and two were private sectors. From July 2021 to January 20 22.

Methodology: The investigator administered a structured questionnaire in person to the participants. Quantitative data was collected, and descriptive statistics were computed. Association between exposure to FM and perceptions about FM was compared using Chi-squared test. A P value of < 0.05 was considered as significant.

Results: A total of 300 students were included; 116 (38.7%) were male. The mean age of participants was 22.8 (±1.7) years. Most (79%) of the participants had a positive perception of FM. Exposure to FM in the undergraduate curriculum (UGC) played a significant role in improving perception, and 80.6% of exposed participants were found to have positive perception. However, there was no association between participants' preference for choosing FM as their career and exposure to FM (not exposed: 35 (31%) vs. exposed: 52 (28%); P = 0.598).

Conclusion: Our study highlights the significant impact that exposure to Family Medicine (FM) in undergraduate medical education has on students' perceptions of the specialty. While this exposure generally fosters a positive view of FM, it does not translate into a strong inclination to pursue FM as a career. The primary deterrent identified is the perception of low remuneration associated with the specialty, which remains a critical factor in specialty choice. Addressing these financial concerns may be key to encouraging more students to consider Family Medicine as a viable and rewarding career path.

Keywords: Family Medicine; medical students; perception; undergraduate curriculum; undergraduate students.