Career choice of final-year female medical students at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)

In recent years, female enrollment into medical faculties almost all over the world has increased tremendously. In the UKM, female medical students constitute 47.6% of the total enrollment for 1985; in the first year, they form 61.1% of the medical class. Once accepted, a woman has an equal if not better chance of graduation. However, it is during the later years of the career of female doctors that cause most concern because it has been shown that fewer women than men acquire additional qualifications. In view of their increasing enrollment, career aspirations of female doctors will have an important impact on the health services. A survey was conducted among 149 final-year medical students in 1985. This study revealed that irrespective of sex, the majority of medical students do wish to pursue postgraduate education. However, of those who do not wish to undergo further training, the majority are female students. The pattern of choice of speciality also differs in that females do not choose surgical-based disciplines.