title: Gender Associated with the Intention to Choose a Medical Specialty in Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in 11 Countries in Latin America.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The selection of a medical specialty has been associated with multiple factors, such as personal preferences, academic exposure, motivational factors and sociodemographic factors, such as gender. The number of women in the medical field has increased in recent years. In Latin America, we have not found any studies that explore this relationship.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether there is an association between gender and the intention to choose a medical specialty in medical students from 11 countries in Latin America.
  
  
  METHODS
  Secondary analysis of the Collaborative Working Group for the Research of Human Resources for Health (Red-LIRHUS) data; a multi-country project of students in their first year and fifth year of study, from 63 medical schools in 11 Latin American countries. All students who referred intention to choose a certain medical specialty were considered as participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 11073 surveyed students, 9235 indicated the name of a specific specialty. The specialties chosen most often in the fifth year were General Surgery (13.0%), Pediatrics (11.0%), Internal Medicine (10.3%) and Obstetrics/Gynecology (9.0%). For women, the top choices were Pediatrics (15.8%), Obstetrics/Gynecology (11.0%), Cardiology (8.7%), General Surgery (8.6%), and Oncology (6.4%). In the adjusted analysis, the female gender was associated with the choice of Obstetrics/Gynecology (RP: 2.75; IC95%: 2.24-3.39); Pediatric Surgery (RP: 2.19; IC95%: 1.19-4.00), Dermatology (RP: 1.91; IC95%:1.24-2.93), Pediatrics (RP: 1.83; IC95%: 1.56-2.17), and Oncology (RP: 1.37; IC95%: 1.10-1.71).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is an association between the female gender and the intention to choose Obstetrics/Gynecology, Pediatrics, Pediatric Surgery, Dermatology, and Oncology. We recommend conducting studies that consider other factors that can influence the choice of a medical specialty.
authors: Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Perú|Sociedad Científica Estudiantes de Medicina UPC, Lima, Perú
authors: Luis Fernando
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9835-2669
authors: LF
authors: Ng-Sueng
authors: Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Perú
authors: Iván
authors: I
authors: Vargas-Matos
authors: Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Perú
authors: Percy
authors: P
authors: Mayta-Tristán
authors: Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Perú
authors: Reneé
authors: R
authors: Pereyra-Elías
authors: Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú
authors: Juan José
authors: JJ
authors: Montenegro-Idrogo
authors: Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú
authors: Fiorella
authors: F
authors: Inga-Berrospi
authors: Universidad Nacional Jorge Basadre Grohmann, Tacna, Perú
authors: Felix
authors: F
authors: Ancalli
authors: Instituto Cisalva, Escuela de Salud Pública, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.
authors: Francisco
authors: F
authors: Bonilla-Escobar
authors: Universidad de San Martín de Porres, Chiclayo, Perú
authors: Cristian
authors: C
authors: Diaz-Velez
authors: Universidad Autónoma de Nayarit, Tepic, Nayarit, México.
authors: Erick
authors: E
authors: Gutierrez-Quezada
authors: Universidad de San Martín de Cali, Cali, Colombia.
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: Gomez-Alhach
authors: Universidad del Oriente Núcleo Bolivar, Ciudad Bolivar, Venezuela.
authors: Carlos E
authors: CE
authors: Muñoz-Medina
authors: Universidad Nuestra Señora de La Paz, La Paz, Bolivia.
authors: Adriana
authors: A
authors: Sanchez-Pozo
authors: Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
authors: Milisen
authors: M
authors: Vidal
mesh_terms: D002321:Career Choice; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D007843:Latin America; D008297:Male; D008511:Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult