Authors : Dr. Eva Hanciles; Abdulai Turay; Abu Kanu; Dr. Kai Jabba; Mamoud Massaquoi; Senesie Kamara; Sheka Sankoh

Volume/Issue : Volume 10 - 2025, Issue 7 - July

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/36cvd9y4

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/tczuwt3d

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/25jul1723

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Note : Google Scholar may take 30 to 40 days to display the article.

Abstract : Introduction: Anaesthesia is critical to surgical safety and emergency care, yet it remains an underrepresented career choice among medical graduates in low- and middle-income countries like Sierra Leone. Factors such as limited undergraduate exposure, lack of mentorship, and misconceptions about the specialty contribute to this trend. Understanding the perceptions of medical students is essential to addressing the workforce gap.  Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted between January and May 2025 among final-year (Part I and II) MBBS students at the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS), University of Sierra Leone. Using Slovin’s formula and quota sampling, 139 students were selected. Data were collected using structured questionnaires covering demographics, knowledge, awareness, and career preference. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS, while open-ended responses were analyzed thematically. Ethical approval and informed consent were obtained.  Results: All participants (100%) were aware of Anaesthesiology, but only 2.9% rated their knowledge as "very good." Only 4.3% of students expressed interest in pursuing the specialty, while 61.9% were undecided. Most became aware of Anaesthesiology during their fourth year. Misconceptions were common, including beliefs that anaesthetists have limited patient interaction and work exclusively in operating theatres. Subspecialty recognition was limited. Students cited improved mentorship (48.9%) and enhanced teaching (30.9%) as motivators for career consideration.  Conclusions: Despite universal awareness, interest in Anaesthesiology as a career among final-year medical students at COMAHS remains low due to limited exposure, weak mentorship, and prevalent misconceptions. Interventions such as early curricular integration, structured mentorship, and awareness campaigns are needed to improve interest and recruitment into the field.

Keywords : Anaesthesiology, Career Choice, Medical Students, Mentorship, Perception, Sierra Leone, Undergraduate Training, COMAHS, Specialization, Awareness.

References :

1. Afolabi, B.B., Afolabi, A.A., Faponle, A.F. and Ayeni, O.M., 2019. The status of anaesthesia in Sub-Saharan Africa: A review of workforce and resources. Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice, 22(3), pp.315–322.
2. Agarwal, A., Batra, B., Daga, S., Khurana, P., Pandey, A. and Chauhan, R., 2015. Perception of anesthesia and anesthesiologists among medical students: A cross-sectional survey. Journal of Anaesthesiology Clinical Pharmacology, 31(3), pp.349–353.
3. AlKhilaiwi, R.M., Muayqil, S.A., AlHumaid, A.M., AlAteeq, M.A., AlBishi, M.A. and AlShehri, A.S., 2018. Awareness and perception of anesthesiology among medical students in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study. Saudi Journal of Anaesthesia, 12(2), pp.234–238.
4. Holmer, H., Lantz, A., Kunjumen, T., Finlayson, S., Hoyler, M., Siyam, A., Montenegro, H. and Shrime, M.G., 2019. Global distribution of surgeons, anaesthesiologists, and obstetricians. The Lancet Global Health, 7(Suppl 1), pp.S9–S11.
5. India, R.K., Patil, A.D. and India, R., 2019. Medical students’ awareness of anaesthesiology as a career option. International Journal of Health Sciences and Research, 9(4), pp.140–145.
6. Ige, O., Oyetunji, T. and Onifade, A., 2016. Factors influencing choice of medical specialty among final year medical students in South-Western Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice, 19(6), pp.659–664.
7. Mullan, F., Frehywot, S., Omaswa, F., Buch, E., Chen, C., Greysen, S.R., Wassermann, T., Abubakr, D.E., Awases, M. and Boelen, C., 2017. Medical schools in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Lancet, 377(9771), pp.1113–1121.a
8. NHS, 2021. Anaesthetists: What they do and how they help. [online] NHS Health Careers. Available at: https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/doctors/roles-doctors/anaesthesia/anaesthetist [Accessed 14 June 2025].
9. Okeke, P.C., Okeke, T.I. and Okoye, E.I., 2024a. Awareness and perception of anaesthesia among clinical medical students in Nigeria. West African Journal of Medicine, 41(1), pp.22–28.
10. Okonkwo, D.A., Udeh, C.I. and Okafor, C., 2025. Barriers to specialty choice: A survey of graduating medical students in Nigeria. Nigerian Medical Journal, 66(1), pp.17–22.
11. Ossai, E.N. and Uwakwe, K.A., 2016. Specialty choices among final year medical students in medical schools of southeast Nigeria: Need for career guidance. BMC Medical Education, 16(1), pp.1–8.
12. Shahbaz, S. and Howard, D.H., 2024. Global anesthesia workforce crisis: A call to action. Anesthesia & Analgesia, 138(2), pp.345–351.
13. Toye, F.O., Bakare, A., Ige, T.A. and Oyediran, K., 2019. Medical students’ perception and attitude towards anesthesia as a specialty. Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development, 6, pp.1–8.
14. Vaughan, E.M., Dubowitz, G., Lugazia, E., Mhando, M., Mkumbaye, S.I., Msuya, A., Mtatifikolo, F., Newton, M.W., Rafiq, M. and Sifaki-Pistolla, D., 2015. Anaesthesia in Sierra Leone: A critical gap in patient safety and surgical access. Anaesthesia, 70(5), pp.556–562.
15. Walsh, M., Cheng, D., Lui, A. and Roberts, D., 2023. Medical students’ exposure to anesthesiology: A Canadian perspective. Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, 70(1), pp.104–110.
16. World Bank, 2020. Sierra Leone population and health sector data. [online] Available at: https://data.worldbank.org/country/sierra-leone [Accessed 14 June 2025].
17. World Health Organization (WHO), 2018. Global Health Workforce Statistics. [online] Geneva: WHO. Available at: https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/topics/health-workforce [Accessed 14 June 2025].
18. Yu, J., n.d. What is an anaesthetist and what do they do? [online] Royal College of Anaesthetists. Available at: https://rcoa.ac.uk [Accessed 14 June 2025].