General surgery career path and factors in medical students and interns in Saudi Arabia

Rani A. Al-Sairafi; Mohannad T. Hemdi; Asrar Ahmad Banjar; Rahaf Ibrahim Bukhari; Rahaf Mohammad Alradadi; Rahaf Ghassan Baaqeel

doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1673807643

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Original Article
Online Published: 06 Mar 2023

IJMDC. 2023; 7(6): 886-893

doi: 10.24911/IJMDC.51-1673807643

General surgery career path and factors in medical students and interns in Saudi Arabia

Rani A. Al-sairafi, Mohannad T. Hemdi, Asrar Ahmad Banjar, Rahaf Ibrahim Bukhari, Rahaf Mohammad Alradadi, Rahaf Ghassan Baaqeel.

Abstract
Background: Even though selecting a surgical career to follow after graduation is a difficult and complex procedure, many other elements may influence a student’s choice. The purpose of this study is to identify the variables influencing medical students’ and interns’ decisions to pursue a surgical profession.
Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional survey was conducted by distributing questionnaires online to sixthyear medical students and interns. Survey items obtained data on demographics, surgical interests, and factors affecting a surgical career.
Results: A total of 685 participants responded, 76.1% were sixth-year medical students, and 23.9% were medical interns. Most participants (70.5%) were interested in pursuing surgery as a future career. Factors influencing students’ decisions, such as lifestyle, career opportunities, future employment, work hours, stressful job, financial rewards, lifestyle during training, intellectual challenge, and hands-on work skills, were the highest- scored factors, respectively. On the other hand, the least scored factors were Saudi surgical programs being better than overseas ones, advice from family and friends, and surgery being “female-unfriendly,” respectively.
Conclusion: As most respondents showed interest in pursuing a career in surgery, many factors have played a significant role in their decision. These findings represent an opportunity that needs to be addressed to increase the number of applicants to surgical residency programs.

Key words: Surgery, medical students, prospective career path, interns.

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Pubmed Style

Al-sairafi RA, Hemdi MT, Banjar AA, Bukhari RI, Alradadi RM, Baaqeel RG. General surgery career path and factors in medical students and interns in Saudi Arabia. IJMDC. 2023; 7(6): 886-893. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1673807643

Web Style

Al-sairafi RA, Hemdi MT, Banjar AA, Bukhari RI, Alradadi RM, Baaqeel RG. General surgery career path and factors in medical students and interns in Saudi Arabia. https://www.ijmdc.com/?mno=139698 [Access: June 29, 2026]. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1673807643

AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Al-sairafi RA, Hemdi MT, Banjar AA, Bukhari RI, Alradadi RM, Baaqeel RG. General surgery career path and factors in medical students and interns in Saudi Arabia. IJMDC. 2023; 7(6): 886-893. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1673807643

Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Al-sairafi RA, Hemdi MT, Banjar AA, Bukhari RI, Alradadi RM, Baaqeel RG. General surgery career path and factors in medical students and interns in Saudi Arabia. IJMDC. (2023), [cited June 29, 2026]; 7(6): 886-893. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1673807643

Harvard Style

Al-sairafi, R. A., Hemdi, . M. T., Banjar, . A. A., Bukhari, . R. I., Alradadi, . R. M. & Baaqeel, . R. G. (2023) General surgery career path and factors in medical students and interns in Saudi Arabia. IJMDC, 7 (6), 886-893. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1673807643

Turabian Style

Al-sairafi, Rani A., Mohannad T. Hemdi, Asrar Ahmad Banjar, Rahaf Ibrahim Bukhari, Rahaf Mohammad Alradadi, and Rahaf Ghassan Baaqeel. 2023. General surgery career path and factors in medical students and interns in Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries, 7 (6), 886-893. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1673807643

Chicago Style

Al-sairafi, Rani A., Mohannad T. Hemdi, Asrar Ahmad Banjar, Rahaf Ibrahim Bukhari, Rahaf Mohammad Alradadi, and Rahaf Ghassan Baaqeel. "General surgery career path and factors in medical students and interns in Saudi Arabia." International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries 7 (2023), 886-893. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1673807643

MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Al-sairafi, R. A., Hemdi, . M. T., Banjar, . A. A., Bukhari, . R. I., Alradadi, . R. M. & Baaqeel, . R. G. (2023) General surgery career path and factors in medical students and interns in Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries, 7 (6), 886-893. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1673807643

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