PERCEPTION OF MEDICAL STUDENTS ON ANAESTHESIOLOGY AS A SPECIALTY: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW collinsokeke@gmail.com

 

PERCEPTION OF MEDICAL STUDENTS ON ANAESTHESIOLOGY AS A SPECIALTY: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

8

 

 

 

 

Nigeria

Oral or Poster

Anaesthesia is integral to a wide range of clinical procedures; however, there is a global challenge in the anaesthesia workforce. This study seeks to assess the knowledge and perceptions of medical students regarding anaesthesia as a specialty. Understanding these perspectives is essential to addressing the global shortage of anaesthesia professionals.

A systematic search on PubMed, Scopus, African Journal Online, and ProQuest database from inception to July 2024. 2,575 articles were identified. After screening the articles against our inclusion and exclusion criteria, eight studies were included for qualitative analysis. The studies assessed the perceptions of the clinical-year medical students regarding anesthesiology as a career, irrespective of institution, age, or gender.

We included 2,135 medical students from six countries: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Austria, the United States, and South Africa. The mean student age ranged from 23 to 28 years, with 748 males, 530 females, and 857 students whose gender was not specified. While a significant proportion of the students were aware of the role of the anesthetist, only 178 expressed an interest in specializing. The reasons for disinterest included: limited patient contact, lack of recognition or respect from peers, low income, limited availability of local job opportunities or training positions, and the presence of anaesthetic nurses. A critical factor highlighted across all studies was the length of exposure to anaesthesia during clinical rotations.

Enhancing clinical exposure, increasing visibility, providing financial incentives, and offering mentorship could help address these barriers and encourage more students to consider anesthesiology as a career.