Table 2 Responses to the survey (n = 205). Values are numbers (%)
Whose decision was it for you to apply to medical schools? | |
 Mine | 189 (92.2) |
 My mother's | 1 (0.5) |
 My father's | 2 (0.9) |
 Both my parents' | 3 (1.5) |
 Others | 10 (4.9) |
When did you start having an interest in medicine? | |
 Since I was a child | 67 (32.7) |
 At high school | 124 (60.5) |
 After entering another college at the university | 9 (4.4) |
 Others | 5 (2.4) |
If you chose 'others', please specify | |
 After entering the College of Medicine | 2 |
 Since serious illnesses in the family | 1 |
 Since watching medical TV series | 1 |
 Not sure | 1 |
What was your overall grade in high school? | |
 A student (90–100%) | 175 (85.4) |
 B student (80–90%) | 29 (14.1) |
 C student (70–80%) | 1 (0.5) |
Did you apply to more than one medical school? | |
 Yesa | 60 (29.3) |
 No | 145 (70.7) |
Did you apply to other colleges within the UAE University? | |
 Yesb | 93 (45.4) |
 No | 112 (54.6) |
What was your reason for choosing the UAE University?c | |
 It is a public university | 1 (0.5) |
 Studying is free | 13 (6.3) |
 Close to your living emirate | 32 (15.6) |
 It has a good reputation | 146 (71.2) |
 Multinational expertise | 1 (0.5) |
 Others | 12 (5.9) |
What was your reason for choosing medicine as a career? | |
 I scored high in my high school | 53 (25.9) |
 I did not know what I wanted to become | 25 (12.2) |
 The person who recommended medicine to me wanted me to be a doctor | 32 (15.6) |
 Being a doctor is looked upon highly in our society | 19 (9.3) |
 The person who recommended medicine to me was a physician | 4 (1.9) |
 Othersd | 72 (35.1) |
Is gender a limitation for studying medicine? | |
 Yes | 24 (11.7) |
 No | 181 (88.3) |
Are the long years a limitation for studying medicine? | |
 Yes | 93 (45.4) |
 No | 112 (54.6) |
Have you thought of a medical specialty to pursue?e | |
 Yes | 128 (62.4) |
 No | 77 (37.6) |
Will you recommend studying medicine to high school students? | Â |
 Yes | 124 (60.5) |
 No | 81 (39.5) |
Have you ever considered quitting studying medicine? | Â |
 Yesf | 85 (41.5) |
 No | 120 (58.5) |
Do you have a family member who is a physician? | |
 Yes | 91 (44.4) |
 No | 114 (55.6) |
What is your opinion of a physician's pay? | |
 More than other specialties | 52 (25.4) |
 Average, like most other specialties | 103 (50.2) |
 Less than most specialties | 15 (7.3) |
 I do not know | 35 (17.1) |
How confident are you in finding a job once you graduate? | |
 Very Confident | 139 (67.8) |
 Not confident | 15 (7.3) |
 Not sure | 51 (24.9) |
Which emirate would you start working in? | |
 My emirate | 150 (73.2) |
 Another emirate | 55 (26.8) |