abstract: 'Objectives. To identify the preferred specialties, salary perception and

  other factors that influence the choice of a career in primary care

  among last-year medical students or social service students in Central

  America.

  Methods. A cross-sectional, multicenter study using a survey that

  investigated demographic information, preferred specialty, salary

  perception, and other factors that influence the choice of a specialty.

  Results. A total of 1 722 students from 31 universities participated and

  identified as future specialties: surgery (11.7\%),

  gynecology/obstetrics (10.3\%), pediatrics (9.9\%) and internal medicine

  (6.6\%). General medicine was preferred by 3.8\% and family medicine by

  1.1\%. On grouping them, the greatest interest was observed for medical

  specialties (49.7\%), followed by surgical specialties (31.7\%). Primary

  care registered an interest of 17.1\%. Surgical specialties were

  perceived as having the highest income (USD 36 000); primary care was

  perceived as having the lowest income (USD 24 000). Income (23.6\%),

  future work (19.7\%) and ``making a difference in people{''''} (8.9\%)

  were the main factors involved in the choice. ``Working with people with

  low access{''''} was significantly associated with preference for primary

  care. Preference for other specialties was influenced by ``perceived

  prestige{''''} and ``enjoying life{''''} (P < 0.05). Most participants who

  chose primary care were studying at a public university (P < 0.05),

  highlighting the role of public institutions of higher education.

  Conclusions. There is a combination of facilitating factors and barriers

  that affect the low interest in primary care careers. There is a need

  for strategies from academia and the government sector, as well as the

  definition of public policies, that support the choice of primary care.'
affiliation: 'Puertas, EB (Corresponding Author), Org Panamer Salud, San Salvador,
  El Salvador.

  Benjamin Puertas, Eduardo, Org Panamer Salud, San Salvador, El Salvador.

  Antonio Orellana, Rafael; Jose Vindell, Juan, Univ El Salvador, San Salvador, El
  Salvador.

  Erazo Munoz, Brian, Univ Nacl Autonoma Honduras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

  Arturo Jimenez, Jorge, Ctr Desarrollo Estrateg \& Informac Salud \& Seguri, San
  Jose, Costa Rica.

  Medina Quiroz, Isamara Gilmiani, Univ Nacl Autonoma Nicaragua, Managua, Nicaragua.

  Terron, Lucia, Ejercicio Profes Supervisado Rural, Ciudad De Guatemala, Guatemala.

  Florencio, Alexandre, Org Panamer Salud, Managua, Nicaragua.

  Leal, Hilda M., Org Panamer Salud, San Salvador, El Salvador.'
article-number: e94
author: Benjamin Puertas, Eduardo and Antonio Orellana, Rafael and Erazo Munoz, Brian
  and Arturo Jimenez, Jorge and Medina Quiroz, Isamara Gilmiani and Terron, Lucia
  and Florencio, Alexandre and Leal, Hilda M. and Jose Vindell, Juan
author-email: puertasb@paho.org
author_list:
- family: Benjamin Puertas
  given: Eduardo
- family: Antonio Orellana
  given: Rafael
- family: Erazo Munoz
  given: Brian
- family: Arturo Jimenez
  given: Jorge
- family: Medina Quiroz
  given: Isamara Gilmiani
- family: Terron
  given: Lucia
- family: Florencio
  given: Alexandre
- family: Leal
  given: Hilda M.
- family: Jose Vindell
  given: Juan
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.26633/RPSP.2020.94
files: []
issn: 1020-4989
journal: 'REVISTA PANAMERICANA DE SALUD PUBLICA-PAN AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC

  HEALTH'
keywords: Primary health care; specialization; health workforce; Central America
keywords-plus: 'FAMILY MEDICINE; SPECIALTY CHOICE; HEALTH; SELECTION; IMPACT; MONEY;

  WORK; DEBT'
language: Spanish
number-of-cited-references: '40'
orcid-numbers: Erazo Munoz, Brian/0000-0002-6582-9392
papis_id: ca9cec4e10c0c585d2d6fc5a362506b5
ref: Benjaminpuertas2020factorsinfluencing
times-cited: '0'
title: Factors influencing the choice of a career in primary care among medical students
  in Central America
type: article
unique-id: WOS:000556126900001
usage-count-last-180-days: '1'
usage-count-since-2013: '2'
volume: '44'
web-of-science-categories: Public, Environmental \& Occupational Health
year: '2020'