The choice of ophthalmology as a career among Nigerian medical interns

Abstract

To determine the choice of ophthalmology as a career among Nigerian medical interns, structured questionnaire was administered to a set of medical interns at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (U1TM), Ilorin, Kwara State in the year 2003. The key information sought included the University attended, duration of undergraduate ophthalmology posting, perception of ophthalmology as a specialty, and the choice of postgraduate specialty in order of preference. Also included were improvements they would like to see in the undergraduate teaching of ophthalmology and whether they support the view that interns should have mandatory clinical rotation in other surgical subspecialties like Ophthalmology and Otorhinolaryngology. Seventy-six interns who graduated from seven Nigerian medical schools participated in the study. Average duration of their undergraduate posting in Ophthalmology was 4 weeks. (SD=3.327). Fifty (67.6%) considered Ophthalmology as an interesting and important specialty, 6(8.1%) regarded it as a boring specialty, while 18(24.3%) considered it adjust one specialty in their curriculum. Only 5 (6.6%) of the respondents chose Ophthalmology as first choice career while 16(21%), 14(18.4%), 13(17.1%) and 10( 13.2%) chose Surgery, Paediatrics, Community Health and Obstetrics and Gynaecology respectively. 78% of the respondent suggested that interns should have clinical rotation in surgical subspecialties such as Ophthalmology. Other suggestions offered included the need to increase the duration of undergraduate Ophthalmology posting, provision of audiovisual aids and more equipment like Ophthalmoscope for teaching. The interns considered Ophthalmology posting as an important and interesting specialty even though only a few chose it as their future career. There is therefore an urgent need to improve the undergraduate teaching of Ophthalmology. The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) should make rotation through Ophthalmology a part of the internship curriculum. These measures may increase the interest of medical students and interns alike in Ophthalmology as a career.