First-year medical student attitudes about general practice in China: a comparison between Chinese and international students

Figures & data

Table 1 Demographics of participants

	Overall (N=335)	Chinese students (N=258)	International students (N=77)	X^2 P- value
	n (%)	n (%)	n (%)
Sex				0.16
Male	180 (53.7)	144 (55.8)	36 (46.8)
Female	155 (46.3)	114 (44.2)	41 (53.2)
Program type, n (%)				<0.001
8-year program (PhD)	97 (29.0)	93 (36.1)	4 (5.2)
6-year program (BM)	95 (28.4)	24 (9.3)	71 (92.2)
5-year program (BM)	143 (42.7)	141 (54.7)	2 (2.6)

Table 2 Student willingness to work in various medical settings by nationality

Factor evaluated	Chinese students (N=258)		International students (N=77)		t-test P-value
	Rank	Mean/SD	Rank	Mean/SD
Operating room	1	4.15±0.95	2	3.91±1.15	0.07
Inpatient ward setting	2	3.79±0.93	4	3.77±0.96	0.82
Outpatient setting	3	3.74±0.98	1	3.99±0.92	0.05
Emergency room	4	3.46±1.15	3	3.79±1.15	0.03
ICU	5	3.36±1.11	5	3.65±1.04	0.05
Patient’s home	6	2.85±1.23	6	3.38±1.16	0.001
Delivery room	7	2.58±1.13	7	3.34±1.21	<0.001

Table 3 Student willingness to provide different types of care and to care for different age groups by nationality

Factor evaluated	Chinese students (N=258)		International students (N=77)		t-test P-value
	Rank	Mean ± SD	Rank	Mean ± SD
Types of care interest
Acute care	1	3.90±0.95	1	3.87±0.95	0.79
Chronic Care	2	3.78±0.96	3	3.65±0.96	0.31
Preventive services	3	3.30±1.13	2	3.74±1.01	0.003
Palliative care	4	3.15±1.17	4	3.52±1.07	0.01
Age groups of interest
Care for adolescents	1	3.78±0.98	2	3.77±0.96	0.94
Care for adult women	2	3.72±0.94	1	3.99±0.87	0.03
Care for elderly	3	3.69±0.91	3	3.66±1.05	0.82
Care for adult men	4	3.61±1.00	4	3.60±1.10	0.93
Care for children	5	3.07±1.26	5	3.57±1.09	0.002
Care for babies	6	3.00±1.26	6	3.49±1.05	0.002

Table 4 General factors influencing student top career choices by nationality

Factor evaluated	Chinese students (N=258)		International students (N=77)		P-value
	Rank	Mean ± SD	Rank	Mean ± SD
Social commitment	1	4.14±0.94	2	3.77±1.01	0.002
Flexibility outside medicine	2	3.92±1.08	7	3.49±1.07	0.002
Stable/secure future	3	3.90±1.07	1	3.87±0.95	0.83
Flexibility inside of medicine (clinical/research)	4	3.80±1.08	4	3.55±1.15	0.07
Acceptable hours of practice	5	3.58±1.20	6	3.52±1.03	0.68
Keep all options open	6	3.50±1.13	5	3.53±0.98	0.82
Acceptable on-call schedule	7	3.43±1.19	10	3.39±1.05	0.79
Supervisors recommended this career this career	8	3.26±1.17	11	3.32±1.17	0.69
To emulate a physician known to me	9	3.24±1.27	9	3.40±1.07	0.32
Patient population is interesting/stimulating	10	3.20±1.20	8	3.48±0.99	0.06
Focus on urgent care	11	3.00±1.13	3	3.57±1.12	<0.001

Table 5 Influence of specialty-related factors on students’ top career choices by nationality

Specialty type	Factor evaluated	Chinese students (N=258)		International students (N=77)		P-value
		Rank	Mean ± SD	Rank	Mean ± SD
Other specialty/hospital-related factors	Interest in research	1	4.04±1.05	1	3.79±1.10	0.07
	High-income potential	2	3.89±1.06	4	3.64±1.11	0.07
	Status among my colleagues	5	3.50±1.17	8	3.47±1.10	0.81
	Don’t like uncertainty	6	3.31±1.22	12	3.18±1.08	0.41
	Results of interventions immediately available	7	3.23±1.16	5	3.52±0.97	0.05
	Focus on in-hospital care	9	3.13±1.13	2	3.71±0.90	<0.001
	More narrow variety of patient problems	12	2.27±1.06	11	3.22±1.05	0.0006
General practice-related factors	Health promotion is important	3	3.75±1.14	3	3.70±1.03	0.73
	Long-term relationship with my patients	4	3.56±1.05	9	3.38±1.04	0.18
	Focus on nonurgent care	8	3.17±1.18	10	3.26±0.99	0.56
	Wide variety of patient problems	10	3.02±1.07	7	3.48±1.06	0.001
	Focus on patients in the community	11	2.64±1.22	6	3.49±1.08	<0.001

Table 6 Medical student attitudes about status of GP in China and about GPs by nationality

General practice …	Chinese students (N=258)		International students (N=77)		P-value
	Rank	Mean ± SD	Rank	Mean ± SD
Physicians are needed in rural areas in China	1	4.34±0.74	1	3.99±0.77	<0.001
Physicians are supported by the Chinese government	2	4.19±0.80	6	3.94±0.83	0.02
Physicians are respected by society	3	4.17±0.84	7	3.84±0.84	0.002
Physicians are respected by patients	4	4.16±0.86	3	3.97±0.83	0.09
Physicians are respected by nurses	5	4.11±0.82	1	3.99±0.85	0.24
Physicians are respected by other specialists	6	4.06±0.87	3	3.97±0.79	0.43
Physicians are needed in urban areas in China	7	3.86±0.92	5	3.96±0.75	0.36
Is good career choice for men	8	3.47±0.90	10	3.66±1.03	0.11
Is a good career choice for women	9	3.41±0.90	8	3.75±0.86	0.003
Physicians are specialists	10	2.96±1.13	9	3.71±0.90	<0.001

Table 7 Medical student attitudes about a GP career and lifestyle attributes by nationality

General practice career …	Chinese students (N=258)		International students (N=77)		P-value
	Rank	Mean ± SD	Rank	Mean ± SD
Needs broad knowledge	1	4.32±0.77	1	4.00±0.83	0.002
Fits with my personality	2	4.31±0.94	5	3.84±1.00	<0.001
Can provide continuous and comprehensive care	3	4.17±0.74	3	3.91±0.83	0.01
Provides a sense of accomplishment	4	3.80±0.83	8	3.78±0.75	0.86
Can allow a healthy lifestyle	5	3.77±0.89	1	4.00±0.79	0.04
Allows being a good parent	6	3.74±0.90	6	3.81±0.81	0.55
Has a good physician–patient relationship	7	3.73±0.93	4	3.86±0.84	0.28
Is a respected professional	8	3.68±0.97	8	3.78±0.88	0.43
Allows good career advancement	9	3.67±0.94	12	3.68±0.80	0.97
Provides a good income	10	3.57±0.91	11	3.70±0.80	0.25
Allows enjoyment of personal time	11	3.53±1.01	10	3.73±0.85	0.12
Has good working hours	12	3.50±0.91	6	3.81±0.83	0.01
Has too much simple and repetitive work	13	3.23±0.99	13	3.55±0.77	0.01
Has a low level of research level	14	2.95±0.97	14	3.27±0.85	0.01