title: Factors influencing Saudi Arabian optometry candidates' career choices and institution of learning. Why do Saudi students choose to study optometry?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Optometry is a primary health-care profession (PHCP) and this study aimed to elucidate the factors influencing the choice of optometry as a career for Saudi students, the students' perceptions of optometry and the effect of gender.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and forty-seven students whose average age was 21.7 ± 1.5 (SD) years and who are currently enrolled in two colleges of optometry in Saudi Arabia--King Saud University (KSU) and Qassim University (QU)--completed self-administered questionnaires. The survey included questions concerning demography, career first choice, career perception and factors influencing career choices.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 87.6 per cent and there were 161 male (64.9 per cent) students. Seventy-nine per cent of the participants were from KSU (males and females) and 20.6 per cent were from QU (only males). Seventy-three per cent come from Riyadh and 19 per cent are from Qassim province. Regarding the first choice for their careers, the females (92 per cent) were 0.4 times more likely (p = 0.012) to choose optometry than males (78.3 per cent). The males were significantly more likely to be influenced by the following factors: the Doctor of Optometry (OD) programs run at both universities, good salary and prospects (p < 0.05, for all). The women were significantly less likely to be influenced by another individual (p = 0.0004). Generally, more than two-thirds of the respondents viewed the desire to help others, professional prestige and the new OD programs as the three most influential factors in opting for a career in optometry.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Females were more likely to opt for a career in optometry and males were more likely to be influenced by the new OD programs, good salary and job prospects. Service provision to others in the community was a primary motivation to opt for a career in optometry among young Saudis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Department of Optometry & Vision Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia. uchechukwulevi.osuagwu@student.qut.edu.au.
authors.forename: Uchechukwu L
authors.initials: UL
authors.lastname: Osuagwu
authors.forename: Stella T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Briggs
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Chijuka
authors.forename: Saud A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Alanazi
authors.forename: Kelechi C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Ogbuehi
mesh_terms: D002321:Career Choice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009907:Optometry / Q000193:education*; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Saudi Arabia; career choice; education; gender; health care profession; optometry