Interest in Clinical Pharmacology as a Future Career Choice and Associated Factors Among Medical Students in Tanzania

Abstract

Background: Despite its critical role in drug development, research, patient care and drug safety, Clinical Pharmacology
remains one of the least preferred medical specialities among medical students, potentially threatening the future availability
of professionals in this essential field. In Tanzania and broader Sub-Saharan Africa, there is a lack of comprehensive
studies exploring medical students’ interest in clinical pharmacology and the factors influencing their career preferences.
This study uniquely addresses the underrepresentation of clinical pharmacology in career considerations by medical
students in Tanzania, aiming to uncover underlying causes and inform targeted strategies to elevate interest in this vital
speciality.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 423 registered medical students in four universities in Tanzania.
An online self-administered questionnaire (Google Form) was used to collect data on socio-demographics, interest in
clinical pharmacology, knowledge of the potential roles of a clinical pharmacologist and attitude towards clinical
pharmacology. A robust Poisson regression model was performed to identify the factors associated with the choice of
clinical pharmacology as a future career choice.
Results: A total of 423 participants were enrolled in this study. The studied population’s median age (min, max age) was
24 years (20, 39). Almost half of the participants, 211/423 (49.9%), have shown interest in clinical pharmacology
as a future career. The main reason for those who did not show interest was preference for other specialities 100/212
(47.2%). Overall, about 61.5% (260/423) of the participants were knowledgeable about the potential roles of clinical
pharmacology. Only 13.9% (59/423) of the participants had a positive attitude towards clinical pharmacology
as a discipline. Married participants demonstrated lower interest compared to unmarried participants (aPR=0.85;
95% confidence interval [CI], 0.78 to 0.93; P<.001), while differences were also observed across academic year
categories, both third- and fourth-year students demonstrated slightly higher levels of interest in clinical pharmacology
compared to fifth year students (aPR 1.12; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.26; P=.04 and aPR 1.16; 95% CI, 1.08 to 1.24;
P<.001 respectively). Notably, knowledge of the potential roles of clinical pharmacology did not predict interest in
clinical pharmacology.
Conclusions: This study highlights a moderate level of interest in clinical pharmacology as a future career among
medical students, with nearly half expressing such interest. Despite generally adequate knowledge regarding clinical
pharmacology, positive attitudes toward the speciality remains low, suggesting that factors beyond awareness alone
may influence career preferences among medical students. Marital status and year of study were the only demographic
variables significantly associated with career interest in this field. These findings underscore the need for targeted
strategies to enhance career guidance programs.