Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to explore the factors influencing medical students’ specialty choices in Saudi Arabia, particularly focusing on emergency medicine, to provide data for effective workforce planning and policy development aligned with Vision 2030.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 517 medical students from medical schools in the western region of Saudi Arabia. Data was collected using a validated, self-administered electronic questionnaire assessing demographic characteristics and 19 potential influencing factors. The specialties were categorized into controllable and uncontrollable lifestyles.
Results: Among 517 students, 56.1% were male, with a mean age of 21.5 years. Of the students who indicated a specialty preference, 62.2% favored specialties with an uncontrollable lifestyle. The most preferred specialties were internal medicine (13%), general surgery (10.1%), and pediatrics (9.9%), while 6.48% selected emergency medicine. The most influential factors were specialty matching students’ capabilities (74.4%), interest in patient population (62.5%), and perceived community need (52.7%).
Conclusion: Specialty choices among Saudi medical students were influenced by personal interests, perceived community needs, and lifestyle considerations. Emergency Medicine remained under selected. Understanding these determinants might guide mentorship efforts, inform curriculum planning, and support national workforce development aligned with Saudi Vision 2030.

Key words: Medical specialty choice, career preferences, emergency medicine, cross-sectional study, Saudi Arabia.