COVID-19 Pandemisinin Diş Hekimliği Öğrencilerinin Kariyer ve Uzmanlık Tercihlerine Etkisinin Değerlendirilmesi

Abstract

Amaç: Sağlık hizmetine ihtiyacın arttığı pandemi döneminde, sağlık merkezleri bulaş riskine açık yerler haline geldiğinden elektif işlemler ertelenmiş, sağlık merkezleri pandemi koşullarına uygun şekilde çalışmaya başlandı. Birçok alanda olduğu gibi diş hekimliği alanı da COVID-19 pandemisinden etkilendi. Bu çalışmanın amacı; COVID-19 pandemisinin diş hekimliği öğrencilerinin kariyer ve uzmanlık eğitimi planlarına etkisini değerlendirmektir. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Çalışmaya anket formunu eksiksiz dolduran 259 diş hekimliği öğrencisi dahil edildi. Hazırlanan anket internet ortamında Google Forms kullanılarak katılımcılara ulaştırıldı. Anket formu içerisinde demografik bilgiler, öğrencilerin uzmanlık branşları hakkındaki kariyer planlarının COVID-19 pandemisi sebebiyle değişiklik gösterip göstermediği sorgulandı. Gruplar arası farklılıkların belirlenmesi amacıyla Pearson ki-kare testi kullanıldı (p<0.05). Bulgular: COVID-19 pandemisinin “mesleği uygularken eskiye göre daha fazla oranda bulaşıcı hastalığa yakalanma korkusu” kadın katılımcılarda erkeklere göre daha yüksek bulundu (p=0.004). Katılımcıların sınıflarına göre “uzmanlık eğitimi için hasta ile daha düşük riskli temasta olacağını düşündüğü branşlara olan ilginin artmaya başlamasına” ilişkin yanıtları bakımından birinci sınıflarda 'Evet' yanıtı dördüncü ve beşinci sınıflara kıyasla daha yüksek bulundu (p=0.003). “Mezuniyet sonrası kariyer tercihleri” bakımından kadın katılımcıların büyük çoğunluğu uzmanlık eğitimi almayı isterken, erkek katılımcılar kendi muayenehanesini açma ve özel sektörde çalışma yönündeki hedefleri kadınlara göre daha yüksek bulundu (p<0.05). Sonuç: Diş hekimliği öğrencileri COVID-19 pandemisi nedeniyle hastalar ile daha az yakın temasta olacakları bir uzmanlık dalı arayışındadır. COVID-19 pandemisi sürecinde bulaşıcı hastalığa yakalanma korkusu, diş hekimliği öğrencilerinin uzmanlık alanı seçimini etkileyen faktörler arasındadır.

Keywords

• Bulaşıcı hastalıklar
• COVID-19
• Diş hekimliği öğrencileri
• Kariyer seçimi

Evaluating the Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Career and Specialization Preferences of Dentistry Students

Abstract

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, elective procedures were adjourned, as health centers became prone to contamination and were operating in accordance with emergency safety and prevention protocols. Like many other fields, dentistry was also affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the career and specialization education plans of dentistry students. Materials and Methods: A total of 259 dentistry students responded and were included in the analysis. An online questionnaire was administered to dentistry students via Google Forms, which inquired about the students’ demographic information and whether their career plans about the specialization branches changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pearson’s chi-squared test was used to determine the differences (p<0.05). Results: The “fear of contracting a contagious disease at a higher rate when practicing the profession” during the pandemic was greater among female students than among male students (p = 0.004). According to the participants’ class, a greater number of first grader responded as “Yes” compared to the fourth and fifth grades regarding an “increasing interest in the branches that they think will be in contact with the patient with a lower risk for specialization education” (p = 0.003). In terms of “career preferences after graduation,” the majority of female participants wanted to receive specialty training, while male participants’ were more interested in starting their own practice or working in the private sector (p<0.05). Conclusion: A fear of contracting the COVID-19 infection during the pandemic has been a chief factor affecting dentistry students’ choice for a specialization branch. More students tend to choose a branch that requires less close contact with patients.

Keywords

• Bulaşıcı hastalıklar
• COVID-19
• Diş hekimliği öğrencileri
• Kariyer seçimi

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