Career expectations and influences of emerging dental workforce: A quantitative study of final year dental students in Malaysia
Malaysia has experienced a rapid expansion in the number of dental schools. Five factors have influenced their choice of professional career, with ‘academic’ factor being the most important. Research into the career expectations of emerging graduates is important to inform career planning and workfo...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Conference or Workshop Item |
| Language: | English English |
| Published: |
2015
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://irep.iium.edu.my/55451/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/55451/8/55451-PROGRAM.pdf http://irep.iium.edu.my/55451/2/PGR%20Day%2018.03.15.pdf |
| Summary: | Malaysia has experienced a rapid expansion in the number of dental schools. Five factors have influenced their choice of professional career, with ‘academic’ factor being the most important. Research into the career expectations of emerging graduates is important to inform career planning and workforce retention.
The objective of this study was to explore short and long-term career expectations, and influences, in relation to individual and school characteristics.
All final year students across 11 dental schools in Malaysia were invited to participate in a self-administered questionnaire (n=530) using an instrument amended for the Malaysian context. The instrument explored short and long-term career expectations, influences and student demography using mixture of open and closed questions. Data were analysed using SPSS including Chi Squared test for linear association.
A response of 356 students (83%) across eight schools was achieved; representing 67% of all students nationally. Most were female (71%), Malay (57%), from middle-income families (41%) and public/state schools (77%). In the short-term, undertaking specialist training (46%) was the most commonly goal and; achieving financial stability (79%) the greatest influences. In the long-term, 210 (59%) planned to specialise; Indian/Others (69%) were significant more likely to report specializing compared with Malay (68%); and Chinese students (44%)(p<0.001). Overall, work/life balance (51%) and family commitment (48%) were perceived as strongly influencing their careers. Significantly more women (51%) ranked family commitments as strongly agree compared to men (39.2%)(p=0.004).
There is high level of interest in specialisation amongst new entrants to the profession who combine personal and professional goals |
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