title: Reducing the physician workforce crisis: Career choice and graduate medical education reform in an emerging Arab country.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In today's interdependent world, issues of physician shortages, skill imbalances and maldistribution affect all countries. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a nation that has historically imported its physician manpower, there is sustained investment in educational infrastructure to meet the population's healthcare needs. However, policy development and workforce planning are often hampered by limited data regarding the career choice of physicians-in-training. The purpose of this study was to determine the specialty career choice of applicants to postgraduate training programs in the UAE and factors that influence their decisions, in an effort to inform educational and health policy reform. To our knowledge, this is the first study of career preferences for UAE residency applicants.
  
  
  METHODS
  All applicants to residency programs in the UAE in 2013 were given an electronic questionnaire, which collected demographic data, specialty preference, and factors that affected their choice. Differences were calculated using the t-test statistic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 512 applicants, 378 participated (74%). The most preferred residency programs included internal medicine, pediatrics, emergency medicine and family medicine. A variety of clinical experience, academic reputation of the hospital, and international accreditation were leading determinants of career choice. Potential future income was not a significant contributing factor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Applicants to UAE residency programs predominantly selected primary care careers, with the exception of obstetrics. The results of this study can serve as a springboard for curricular and policy changes throughout the continuum of medical education, with the ultimate goal of training future generations of primary care clinicians who can meet the country's healthcare needs. As 65% of respondents trained in medical schools outside of the UAE, our results may be indicative of medical student career choice in countries throughout the Arab world.
authors.affiliation: Department of Academic Affairs, Tawam Hospital, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Halah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.affiliation: Department of Academic Affairs, Tawam Hospital, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Satish Chandrasekhar
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Education, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shaban
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Education, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El-Zubeir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002321:Career Choice; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D058007:Physicians, Primary Care / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014479:United Arab Emirates