Tauqeer Ahmad, Farzana Shamim, Ansar Latif, Anila Ansar, Namra Chaudhary, Saad Ansar.
Factors in Opting Medical Career in Pakistan and Abroad - a Cross Sectional Study.
Pak J Med Health Sci Jan ;12(3):987-9.

Aim: To statistically analyse the factors leading to opt career in Pakistan and abroad in doctors of district Sialkot of Pakistan. Study Design: Questionnaire based survey . Place and duration of study : Department of General Surgery and Medical Education , Khawaja Muhammad Safdar Medical College, Sialkot from November 2017 to May 2018. Methods: Questionnaires were distributed to almost 2015 doctors working locally and those who have worked abroad (any country) for a minimum of one year or have foreign postgraduate degree. The doctors were grouped in two categories Group I Local Career and Group II- Career Abroad. The questionnaire was to be filled completely and a time of 6 months was given to answer all questions. The collected questionnaire were studied and any queries and ambiguities were made clear by talking to the doctors in person or on telephones. Doctors having basic medical degree from foreign were included in Local career group while those who incompletely filled the questionnaires were excluded from the study. Data was entered and analysis done by SPSS v22. Results: Total doctors included in our study were 2015, out of which 1317 were included in local career group & 698 were in Career abroad group. , foreign graduates were 578 and postgraduate foreign degree holders were 185, doctors with foreign service experience were 513 and those having local and foreign experience both were 415, Government service doctors were 823, private job was of 276, but those having both Government and private jobs were 534, doctors having only private practice and no job experience were 92. Conclusion: Opting career by the doctors is a complex and vague issue which has multifactorial basis. The trend of opting career abroad is exotic for those having few resources while the doctors with sound financial background opt it to excel and ace higher qualifications and at times don’t return back due to adjustment concerns. Litigation and Family concern play a strong role in leaving the established career abroad. Career at Pakistan is a definite and reliable option but with some social concerns and a sense of compromise at higher qualifications as well as poor gains as compared to the input involved in career building.

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