Factors Affecting Medical Students Willingness to Work in Rural Areas and Countermeasures Analysis

Abstract

A significant obstacle to Chinas public health system and rural revitalization plan is the lack of medical resources in rural areas. Despite recent measures to encourage medical students to work in these regions, some still choose not to pursue medical careers. To understand this phenomenon, this study analyzed 528 genuine questionnaires from Zhejiang Province to determine medical students willingness to work in rural healthcare and the factors influencing their career choices.
The results show that medical students inclination to work in rural healthcare is influenced by a variety of factors, including their personal goals, feeling of professional honor, career prospects, quantity of opportunities, and pay. In order to increase medical students willingness to work in rural areas, the study suggests countermeasures based on these factors, including improving the social environment, optimizing career development channels, increasing job opportunities, improving salaries and welfare benefits, establishing support systems, and setting up reasonable working hours.