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Background <p>Selecting a profession in medicine is a major decision shaped by institutional, societal, and personal factors. In Palestine, medical students face unique challenges due to limited local training opportunities, political instability, and socioeconomic constraints. Understanding the motivations driving these students, their satisfaction with their choice, and their future goals is essential for guiding medical education and workforce planning. This study investigates the motivations, satisfaction levels, and career plans of Palestinian undergraduate medical students, situating findings within motivational theories such as Self-Determination Theory.</p> Methods <p>A cross-sectional study was conducted among 635 medical students from five universities in West Bank. Data were collected using a validated questionnaire that included demographic information, motivations for studying medicine, satisfaction levels (measured on a Likert scale), and future career preferences. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences), employing descriptive statistics and chi-square tests for multivariate analysis.</p> Results <p>Of the 635 participants, 66.9% were females, with a mean age of 20.61 years. Medicine was the first career choice for 81.4% of students, and 96.5% expressed a desire to specialize after obtaining their Doctor of Medicine (MD). The most cited motivation was the desire to make a positive impact on patients’ lives (79.1%), followed by an interest in health-related professions (74.4%). A majority (73.7%) aspired to specialize abroad, and 70% of them preferred to return to work in Palestine post-specialization. Satisfaction with studying medicine was high, with only 5.8% expressing regretion over their choice.</p> Conclusions <p>Palestinian medical students demonstrate strong intrinsic motivation, particularly a commitment to patient care and community service. Despite systemic challenges, the high levels of satisfaction with their career choice, coupled with aspirations to specialize abroad and return home, highlight both opportunities and risks for workforce planning. Policy implications include establishing partnerships with international training institutions, offering government incentives for returning specialists, and expanding local residency programs to reduce dependency on external training opportunities. These findings also carry broader relevance when compared with students in other conflict-affected regions, emphasizing the need for targeted educational and workforce strategies in resource-constrained settings.</p>

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Motivations, satisfaction, and career aspirations of undergraduate medical students in West Bank, Palestine: a cross-sectional study

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年11月24日

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  • Mahdi W. Suboh,
  • Mones H. Atatre,
  • Bessan Hamed Dababseh,
  • Ala’a S. Ghnimat,
  • Lubna W. AbuHamdiya,
  • Mahmoud S. Alhaddad

摘要

Background

Selecting a profession in medicine is a major decision shaped by institutional, societal, and personal factors. In Palestine, medical students face unique challenges due to limited local training opportunities, political instability, and socioeconomic constraints. Understanding the motivations driving these students, their satisfaction with their choice, and their future goals is essential for guiding medical education and workforce planning. This study investigates the motivations, satisfaction levels, and career plans of Palestinian undergraduate medical students, situating findings within motivational theories such as Self-Determination Theory.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 635 medical students from five universities in West Bank. Data were collected using a validated questionnaire that included demographic information, motivations for studying medicine, satisfaction levels (measured on a Likert scale), and future career preferences. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences), employing descriptive statistics and chi-square tests for multivariate analysis.

Results

Of the 635 participants, 66.9% were females, with a mean age of 20.61 years. Medicine was the first career choice for 81.4% of students, and 96.5% expressed a desire to specialize after obtaining their Doctor of Medicine (MD). The most cited motivation was the desire to make a positive impact on patients’ lives (79.1%), followed by an interest in health-related professions (74.4%). A majority (73.7%) aspired to specialize abroad, and 70% of them preferred to return to work in Palestine post-specialization. Satisfaction with studying medicine was high, with only 5.8% expressing regretion over their choice.

Conclusions

Palestinian medical students demonstrate strong intrinsic motivation, particularly a commitment to patient care and community service. Despite systemic challenges, the high levels of satisfaction with their career choice, coupled with aspirations to specialize abroad and return home, highlight both opportunities and risks for workforce planning. Policy implications include establishing partnerships with international training institutions, offering government incentives for returning specialists, and expanding local residency programs to reduce dependency on external training opportunities. These findings also carry broader relevance when compared with students in other conflict-affected regions, emphasizing the need for targeted educational and workforce strategies in resource-constrained settings.