A systematic review of the literature on the specialty preferences of Nigerian medical graduates: disparity between the literature and reality

Figures & data

Figure 1: Selection of Nigerian studies for a systematic review of career choices made by Nigerian medical students.

Table 1: Summary of the studies reviewed

Article ID	Authors’ specialty	Place of study	Study design	Study population	Preferred first four specialties	Family Medicine (FM) presence in the table of specialties
Asani et al.^5	Paediatrics	Bayero University, Kano	Cross-sectional	Final-year medical students	Core specialties	Yes; not chosen at all by participants
Ekanem et al.^6	Public Health and Haematology	University of Uyo	Cross-sectional	Year 4 to 6 medical students	Core specialties	Yes; ranked fifth
Eze et al.^7	Ophthalmology	Postgraduate medical college, Enugu	Cross-sectional	Medical graduates taking primary examination	Core specialties	Yes; ranked eighth with Pathology
Madu et al.^8	Paediatrics and Haematology	University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital	Cross-sectional	House officers	Core specialties	No; it was not one of the specialties listed in the table
Mohammed et al.^9	Microbiology and Chemical Pathology	University of Maiduguri	Cross-sectional	Final-year medical students	Core specialties	No; it was not one of the specialties listed in the table
Ossai et al.^10	Community medicine	Multicentre: University of Nigeria; Nnamdi Azikiwe University; Abia State University; Ebonyi State University Abakaliki; Enugu State University of Science and Technology; Imo State University	Cross-sectional	Final-year medical students	Core specialties	No; it was not one of the specialties listed in the table
Oku et al.^17	Anaesthesia	University of Calabar	Cross-sectional	Final-year medical students	O&G, Paediatrics, FM and internal medicine	Yes; FM ranked third
Oche et al.^11	Public Health	Usman Dan Fodio University	Cross-sectional	Year 4 to 6 medical students	Core specialties	Yes; FM ranked eighth
Okonta et al.^12	Surgery	Multi-centre: University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt; University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Uyo; National Hospital, Abuja and Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos	Cross-sectional	House Officers	Core specialties	No; it was not one of the specialties listed in the table
Adeleye et al.^13	Public Health	University of Benin	Cross-sectional	Final-year medical students	Core specialties	Yes, FM ranked ninth
Ogiator et al.^14	Internal Medicine Histopathology and Paediatrics	Benue State University	Cross-sectional	Year 4 to 6 medical students	Core specialties	No; it was not one of the specialties listed in the table
Eke et al.^15	Histopathology and Surgery	Benue State University	Cross-sectional	Year 4 to 6 medical students	Core specialties	Yes; FM ranked fifth
Akinsola et al.^16	Public Health and Child Dental Health	University of Lagos	Cross-sectional	Year 5 and 6 medical students	Core specialties	No; it was not one of the specialties listed in the table
Gadanya et al.^18	Community Medicine and Radiology	Bayero University, Kano	Longitudinal design	Final-year medical students	Graduation: core specialties; 10 years post-graduation: Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Radiology and Paediatrics	Yes; FM was not among first four specialties at graduation but became one of the first four specialties of choice 10 years post-graduation

Figure 2: Distribution by faculty of 1 345 fellows certified by the WACP in 10-year period (2006–2015). Adapted from Odusote (2016, 20–21).¹

Figure 3: Line graph showing the comparison between the number of certified fellows produced by each faculty under the WACP over a 10-year period (2006–2015).

Odusote K. The college at 40-time for reflection and reform. Mabayoje annual lecture. 40th West African college of physicians annual general and scientific meeting; 2016; Monrovia, Liberia. Lagos, Nigeria: West African College of Physicians; 2016. p. 9–21.

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