Determinants of proclivity for anaesthesia as a career among medical students in a Southwestern Nigeria tertiary institution: a cross-sectional study

Boluwatife Adefunke Bolatito; Christabel Ijeoma Uche-Orji; Abigail Olawumi Oyedokun; Save Harmony Chufor; Eniola Oreoluwa Olatunde; Adeniyi Abraham Adesola; Olusola Idowu

doi:10.1186/s12909-025-08408-9

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Determinants of proclivity for anaesthesia as a career among medical students in a Southwestern Nigeria tertiary institution: a cross-sectional study

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Determinants of proclivity for anaesthesia as a career among medical students in a Southwestern Nigeria tertiary institution: a cross-sectional study

Boluwatife Adefunke Bolatito, Christabel Ijeoma Uche-Orji, Abigail Olawumi Oyedokun, Save Harmony Chufor, Eniola Oreoluwa Olatunde, Adeniyi Abraham Adesola and Olusola Idowu

BMC medical education, Vol.26(1), 75

2026

DOI: 10.1186/s12909-025-08408-9

PMCID: PMC12801803

PMID: 41372967

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Abstract

Nigeria faces a critical shortage of anaesthetists (0.113 per 100,000) exacerbated by consistently low uptake among medical graduates. This study investigated factors influencing medical students' interest in anaesthesia as a career choice. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 147 final-year and penultimate medical students at University College Hospital, Ibadan, using a structured self-administered online questionnaire. Data were collected in March 2025 and analyzed using SPSS version 27 employing Chi-square tests and binary logistic regression. Among students considering specialization, 29.2% expressed interest in anaesthesia and 9.2% ranked it first choice. Among respondents interested in anaesthesia, 28.9% developed interest during clinical exposure, while 65.8% did so after their posting. Key motivators included perceived lucrativeness (92.1%), personal interest (76.3%), and positive rotation experiences (73.7%), while deterrents were low personal interest (90.3%), lack of role models (37.1%), and experience during clinical rotation in the department (25.4%). While most understood the anesthetist's role, 58.5% planned to practice abroad. Logistic regression found no significant sociodemographic or academic predictors. Interest in anaesthesia among Nigerian medical students remains low but higher than previously reported in other regions. Clinical exposure during rotations plays a pivotal role in shaping career preferences, suggesting a need for enhanced undergraduate training programs and improved mentorship to address the shortage of anaesthetists in Nigeria's healthcare system.

Anaesthesia

Medical students

Residency training

Ibadan

Specialty preference

Details

Title: Subtitle: Determinants of proclivity for anaesthesia as a career among medical students in a Southwestern Nigeria tertiary institution: a cross-sectional study
Creators: Boluwatife Adefunke Bolatito - University of Ibadan
Christabel Ijeoma Uche-Orji - University of Ibadan
Abigail Olawumi Oyedokun - University of Ibadan
Save Harmony Chufor - University of Ibadan
Eniola Oreoluwa Olatunde - University of Ibadan
Adeniyi Abraham Adesola - University of Ibadan
Olusola Idowu - University College Hospital, Ibadan
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: BMC medical education, Vol.26(1), 75
DOI: 10.1186/s12909-025-08408-9
PMID: 41372967
PMCID: PMC12801803
NLM abbreviation: BMC Med Educ
ISSN: 1472-6920
eISSN: 1472-6920
Publisher: Springer Nature
Language: English
Electronic publication date: 12/10/2025
Date published: 2026
Academic Unit: Anesthesia
Record Identifier: 9985090605602771

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