- Authors: Paulo Ferrinho, Inês Fronteira, Tiago Correia, Clotilde Neves
- Publication Year: 2020
- Journal: Human Resources for Health volume 18 number 90
- Link: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-020-00528-1
Background: In this article, we analyze data collected in the context of health workforce planning (HWFP) for GuinéBissau as part of the development of the third National Health Strategy, to study the relationship between educational achievement of parents and medical student characteristics and professional expectations.
Methods: Cross-sectional analytical study of all frst-year medical students in Guiné-Bissau during December 2016.
Results: Our results confrm that the isolated efect of each parent is diferent as it is the combined education of both parents. Parental infuence also seems to vary according to the sex of the ofspring. The higher the education of the father, the stronger the urban background of the ofspring. Level of education of parents is also important in relation to the decision to study medicine and the age of starting those studies. It is also an important infuence as to expectation regarding place of future practice: the highest the educational level, particularly of the father, the highest the expectation for a future urban practice.
Conclusions: Our main interest in medical education is to study it as a health system intervention in order to contribute to health system’s strengthening in fragile states. This is discussed in the context of two frameworks: the labor market framework and WHO’s health system strengthening framework. Our data and that of others, recognize that household characteristics are important regarding future training and a future career in the health sector. This recognition should be integrated into HWFP frameworks.