Medical students' preferences for working in rural areas after graduation: Results of a cross-sectional Study

Background: pakistan faces an inequitable distribution of health workforce between urban and rural health facilities posing problems for the health system and threatening the delivery of quality health care services to the poor population. various interventions have been suggested and practiced by the government to increase uptake and retention of doctors in rural health facilities. aim: to determine the preferences of fourth and final year medical students at lahore medical & dental college to work in rural areas after graduation and identify associated factors. study design: this cross-sectional study was conducted at lahore medical & dental college,lahore fromjanuary to april 2017. methodology: medical students of fourth and final year mbbs were invited to participate in the study after obtaining voluntary informed consent from the respondents. a pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to collect information from 235 students. a 5-point likert scale was used to collect data regarding motivating and de-motivating factors influencing students' preference for working in rural areas after graduation. data was analyzed using spss 16.0. chi-square test was conducted to identify factors associated with medical students intention to work in rural areas results: respondents comprised of 4th year 49% (116) and final year 119(51%) mbbs students. a total of 235 respondents of which 71(30%) showed the intention to work in a rural area and almost the same number of respondents 76(32%) were seen to be unwilling to work in rural area after graduation.most 88 (38%) were unsure of their decision about working in rural areas after graduation. the popular motivating factor influencing students' intention to work in rural areas was opportunity to help poor people 93% (64/69). limited opportunity for professional development87% (65/75) discouraged students to work in rural area after graduation. conclusion: majority of students were unsure regarding uptake of job in rural areas after graduation. the opportunity to help poor people was identified as the factor influencing students who were willing to work in rural areas after graduation,whereas limited opportunity for professional development was the factor,which discouraged students to work in rural areas after graduation. a mechanism should be formulated to address the professional development of doctors working in rural areas.