Factors Influencing the Career Choices among Medical University students of

King Saub bin Abdulaziz University, Riyadh Saudi Arabia; A Cross-sectional

Study Design

Abstract Aim: This study investigated the factors that influence career choice among
second year dental, medical and nursing students at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University
for Health Sciences. Methodology: One hundred and fifty questionnaires were
distributed to 2nd year pre-professional medical, dental and nursing students (50
questionnaires per group). First part of questionnaire was regarding demographics and
in the second part consisted of 23 factors that might influence the students’ career
choices which were divided into six dimensions namely social status, economy,
profession, vocation/service, interest in science/education, and personal background.
Results: We received 119 completed questionnaires (medical = 40, dental = 40 and
nursing = 39) with the response rate of 79.3%. We found that the social status of being
a doctor or a dentist motivated medical and dental students compared to being a nurse
for nursing students and the difference was significant among three groups (P value:
0.01). Furthermore, dental students when compared to both medical and nursing
students were more likely to be motivated by factors related to profession that were job
security, flexible timings and many others. On the other hand, with regard to factors
relating to personal background, medical students showed lower motivation in
comparison with dental and nursing students. Nevertheless the difference in attitude
related to personal background was significantly different among three groups (P value
<0.01). Conclusions: Through this study we concluded that factors related to
professional security, personal background influenced the career choices of pre-
professional medical, dental and nursing students. However we cannot generalize the
finding as it was done in one hospital of Riyadh. Nevertheless, this study was able to
provide valuable information on the reasons for choosing a professional career among
Saudi Arabian students. Further multicenter studies are needed to build upon the
findings of the current study.

Keywords: Career choice; University students; Interest in science/education; Attitude

Introduction: There are numerous professional career choices available in this modern
age. The right career choice plays a major role in molding a student’s future. In Saudi
Arabia, the acceptance for a higher education mainly requires three main grades which
are Qudurat, Tahsely and high school. The Qudurat test focuses mainly on the students’
knowledge about algebra and Arabic language skills. The Tahsely test is about the
basic science and English language evaluation. High school grades are calculated
accumulatively for all the three years spent in high school. All these grades are taken
under consideration but it usually differs from one university to another. In King Saud bin
Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), evaluation takes total of 40% from
Tahsely test, 30% from Qudurat test and the remaining 30% from the high school
grades. 4 The system in our university has changed in recent times. The students
choose their specialty depending on their Grade Point Average (GPA) in the first
preparatory year.

Discussion: The aim of this study was to investigate the factors influencing career
choice among second year medical, dental and nursing students at KSAU-HS. This
study was performed among the second year dental students because they have
chosen their speciality unlike first year students, and they have not encountered the
professional training yet unlike third year students. We found that dentistry was the first
choice for 70.0% of the dental students and medicine was the first choice for the
remaining 30.0%. This is similar to the results of Hallissey et al. and also Al-Bitar et
al.10 in his study reported that 46.0% had dentistry as their first choice and 28.5%
wanted medicine. The crucial factors that are shown in our results for students who
chose medicine as their career were helping people, challenging profession and a
science based profession. Todisco et al.17 and Vaglum et al.18 had similar findings
whereas scientific nature and intellectual challenge were also important motivations in
their studies. It is interesting to find that the most motivated factor for medical students
in Crossly et al. matches our result which is the opportunity to help people with the
percentage of 91.0%.10 A survey done at the University of Sydney on dental students,
whose first choice was dentistry, demonstrated that security of the career was the most
important factor followed by helping people.19 In a study carried out in the UK, the most
popular reason for students selecting dentistry was helping people.20 Another study
done by Zadik et al. revealed that the primary factor for choosing dentistry was related
to high SES.

Conclusion: Through this study we concluded that factors related to professional

security and personal background influenced the career choices of pre-professional
medical, dental and nursing students. However we cannot generalize the finding as it
was done in one hospital of Riyadh. Nevertheless, this study was able to provide
valuable information on the reasons for choosing a professional career among Saudi
Arabian students. This information is invaluable not only from a policy making
perspective but also in analyzing the future trend of supply of health care professionals
in the country. Future studies are needed to build upon the findings of current study.

Disclosure of benefits: Authors have no conflict of interests and the work was not
supported or funded by any company.

Acknowledgement: The authors would like to thank all the study participants and the
student leaders for their valuable support for this study.
Factors Influencing Career Choices of Adolescents and Young Adults in Rural
Pennsylvania

Abstract: Adolescent occupational choice is influenced by many factors, including life

context, personal aptitudes, and educational attainment. Whether college-bound or
work-bound, meeting the challenge of this developmental milestone is critical in
adolescents' lives. The qualitative study reported here explored factors that play key
roles in rural high school seniors and young adults career choice process. The cultural
and social context of family and community were found to be instrumental in how youth
learn about careers and influential in the choice process. Extension strategies that
target parents and community to increase their involvement in youth career selection
can promote sound career decisions.

Introduction: Career development, for most people, is a lifelong process of engaging the
work world through choosing among employment opportunities made available to them.
Each individual undertaking the process is influenced by many factors, including the
context in which they live, their personal aptitudes, and educational attainment
(Bandura, Barbaranelli, Caprara, & Pastorelli, 2001). A major turning point in
adolescents' lives involves the career choice that they make while in high school.
Frequently, it is viewed by family and community as a mere start to workplace
readiness; however, this decision plays a major role in establishing youth in a career
path that opens as well as closes opportunities. Given the differences in the social and
economic context of college-bound versus work-bound adolescents (Bluestein, Phillips,
Jobin-Davis, Finkelberg, & Roarke, 1997), a study was designed to explore the factors
that influence rural young adults' selection of specific careers.

Findings: Throughout all of the groups, a consistent picture of the major influencers of
young adult's career choices emerged. The interrelated nature of the groups'
perceptions highlighted the importance family and community play in shaping young
adult's career choices.

Interdependence of Family, School, and Community Culture: Young adults, through

interaction with the context of family, school, and community, learn about and explore
careers that ultimately lead to career choice. The interdependence of family, school,
and community culture played a critical role in shaping the youth's occupational choice.
The economic and social circumstances of the broader community colored and
influenced the youth's perceptions of appropriate career choices. Youth in communities
of more affluence appeared to have more family and school support in career
exploration, which resulted in consideration of a wider range of career options. Parents,
followed by other family members, provided valuable learning experiences through their
own role models and supporting activities that assisted in exploring career interests.
Work-bound youth's parents frequently taught skills that provided youth with a broader
understanding of their own aptitudes contributing to career choice. "My Dad works on
big Caterpiller transmissions, and some my uncles do that kind of work. We would work
together, and, you know, I learned a lot from him, how to do anything. This is why I'm a
Diesel-Teck major."

Implications for Practice: These findings have implications for Extension educators who
are being challenged to assume a more assertive role in providing programs to assist
youth in career choice. Understanding the key role that family and community play in
the process requires educators to reach beyond traditional youth audiences. Engaging
parents in understanding the vital role they play in adolescents' occupational choice will
challenge 4-H, as it has schools. Developing collaborative programs with innovative
strategies that engage youth, parents, and community will require youth educators to
become effective in managing collaborative partnerships that can help change
stakeholders perceptions of their role in adolescent's career selection. Developing
programs and strategies that assist both parents and youth in exploring a wide range of
occupations can open the door to emerging and non-traditional career choices.
Providing adolescents with learning opportunities in which they are challenged to make
sense of situations that they will encounter in various types of employment can provide
them with a greater understanding of career options. Community-based learning that
involves teens in solving real-world workplace problems directly connects them to the
reality of various occupations. Engaging parents and community in active support of
career exploration and choice provides the context that assists adolescents in making
successful transitions into adult workplace roles.

References: Bandura, A., Barbaranelli, C., Caprara, G.V., & Pastorelli, C. (2001). Self-
efficacy beliefs as shapers of children's aspirations and career trajectories. Child
Development, 72, 187-206. Blustein, D., Phillips, M., Jobin-Davis, M., Finkelberg, S., &
Roarke, A. (1997). A theory-building investigation of the school-to-work transition. The
Counseling Psychologist, 25, 364-401. Chen, C.P. (1997). Career projection: Narrative
in context. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 54, 279-295. Krueger, R.A. (1994). Focus
groups: A practical guide for applied research. Second Edition. London: Sage
Publication. School Report Cards, (2002). PA Department of Education: Harrisburg, PA.
Retrieved September 26, 2002 from http://www.paprofiles.org/ Straus, A., & Corbin, J.
(1990). Basics of qualitative research. Newbury Park, CA: Sage. Super, D.E., Savickas,
M.L., & Super, C.M. (1996). The life-span approach to careers. In D. Brown, L. Brooks,
& Associates (Eds.) Career choice and development (pp. 121-178). San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.
Generational Approach to Factors Influencing Career Choice in Accounting

Abstract: This research aims to grasp which factors influence the generation Y to
choose accounting as its career. A significant decline in the number of candidates
willing to pursue a career as accountant has been observed abroad - USA, Australia,
and Japan. However, in other countries - Brazil, Singapore, and Hong Kong - the
opposite has been observed. Another issue is the decline in educational qualification of
those pursuing an accounting career, contributing in a way that many talented students
change their career choice. This may be explained by the fact that people tend to
believe accounting is an exact science, full of calculations, boring, and not very creative,
bringing an unbalance between the traits an individual should have according to the job
market and those perceived by society. In order to give a contribution to literature
concerning the factors that influence the generation Y in its career choice, a goal of this
research was conducting an exploratory study where some hypotheses were formulated
to support the discussion. We used Mannheim's Generational Theory and the literature
on career choice. Data collection was carried out using a questionnaire, based on
Schwartz's Portrait Value Questionnaire and Germeijs and Verschueren's Student
Choice Task Inventory, adapted through focus group interview. Data were fully collected
online and the sample consisted of 665 subjects. The results showed that people who
chose accounting as their career were influenced by factors such as creativity,
independence, challenging and dynamic environment, job security, money-making, job
availability, and other significant people - friends and teachers. The subjects were not
influenced by social factors, such as working with people and making contributions to
society and family. They wish for more autonomy, creativity, and flexibility at work, and
people still care about job security and money-making.

Keywords: accounting; profession; career; generation Y; social influence

Introduction: Increased school time and increased years of schooling, named by

Pimenta (2007) as "post-adolescence," are observed not only due to increased length in
time, but also because of its association with other factors, such as a later entry into the
job market, since young individuals wait and try out professions, remain with their
family, and delay marriage. Such an increased length of schooling may be explained by
the characteristics of modern society, with sudden social and capitalist changes: people
believe that a young adult is never prepared for a professional career, she/he is
expected to acquire further knowledge and expertise (Oliveira & Melo-Silva, 2010). This
new generation - the Gen Y (Eisner, 2005) -, which has been entering the job market in
recent years, shows some traits that make it different from previous generations. The
Gen Y (Stein, 2013) consists of young people who are eager to consume new
technologies, looking for immediate outcomes and rewards, yearn for autonomy and
balance between personal life and work, prone to multitasking, settled down to a
domestic life and civic duties, although there are controversies concerning these traits in
the literature, e.g. Dejoux and Wechtler (2011), who present myths related to the Gen Y,
such as lower efficiency due to a predilection for multitasking. The international
academic research in accounting that addresses the theme of generations is at an
advanced stage. Authors like Ahmed, Alam, and Alam (1997), Albrecht and Sac (2000),
Auyeung and Sands (1997), Chen, Jones, and McIntyre (2008), Lindquist (2008),
Mauldin, Crain, and Mounce (2000), Milliron (2008), Sugahara, Boland, and Cilloni
(2008), and Tan and Laswad (2006) are concerned with issues as attracting, recruiting,
selecting, training, and retaining these young people in the organizations. In Brazil,
research addressing this theme has gained ground recently through studies conducted
by authors like Cavazotte, Lemos, and Viana (2012), Oliveira, Piccinini, and Bitencourt
(2012), Scharf, Rosa, and Oliveira (2012), and Vasconcelos, Merhi, Goulart, and Silva
(2010).

Generations: The concept of generations has been an issue, despite the efforts to reach
a consensus in the 1960s and 1970s. This concept has been applied since antiquity to
explain social change processes (Laufer & Bengston, 1974).

Career Choice: Career choice is a process rather than a specific event in a teenager's
life. Barreto and Aiello-Vaisberg (2007), Gati and Saka (2001), and Nepomuceno and
Witter (2010) point out that career choice is a major decision in a person's life, it usually
takes place during adolescence, and this may bring serious consequences later in life,
regarding fortune, lifestyle, and education, as well as personal and professional
acquaintanceships.

References: Ahmed, K., Alam, K. F., & Alam, M. (1997). An empirical study of factors
affecting accounting student's career choice in New Zealand. Accounting Education,
6(4), 325-335. [ Links ] Albrecht, W. S., & Sack, R. J. (2000). Accounting education:
charting the course through a perilous future. Accounting Education Series, 16, 1-72.
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de administradores brasileiros: adaptação da escala de valores PVQ para estudo de
valores no Brasil. Revista de Administração Mackenzie, 10(3), 101-126. [ Links ]
Almeida, M. E. G. G., & Pinho, L. V. (2008). Adolescência, família e escolhas:
implicações na orientação profissional. Psicologia Clínica, 20(2), 173-184. [ Links ]
Auyeung, P., & Sands, J. (1997). Factors influencing accounting students' career
choice: a cross cultural validation study. Accounting Education , 6(1), 13-23. [ Links ]
Azevedo, R. F. L. (2010). A percepção pública sobre os contadores: "bem ou mal na
foto"? (Master's Degree). Faculdade de Economia, Administração e Contabilidade,
Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo. [ Links ] Barreto, M. A., & Aiello-Vaisberg, T.
(2007). Escolha profissional e dramática do viver adolescente. Psciologia & Sociedade,
19(1), 107-114. [ Links ] Beck, U., & Beck-Gernsheim, E. (2002). Individualization:
institutionalized individualism and its social and political consequences. London,
England: SAGE. [ Links ] Bengtson, V. L., Furlong, M. J., & Laufer, R. S. (1983).