Table 2 Comparison of mean scores of the potential motivation factors

My specialty choice will allow me to choose what I want to do in medicine

4.42

4.45

4.42

0.7681

My specialty choice will allow me to do other things outside of medicine

4.23

4.05

4.23

0.2451

My specialty choice will allow me to have acceptable practice hours

3.95

3.80

3.95

0.5870

My specialty choice will provide me with multiple professional opportunities

3.94

3.67

3.95

0.0562

My choice of specialty will allow me to have acceptable on-call hours

3.71

3.80

3.70

0.4956

I am ready to change my choice of city (university) to practice my chosen specialty (3)

3.71

3.95

3.69

0.1920

The rotations that I completed had a strong influence on my choice of specialty (3)

3.65

3.97

3.62

0.0516

I am interested in a wide range of problems experienced by patients of all ages

3.57

3.60

3.57

0.8603

My choice of specialty is guided by the intensity of my relationships with patients

3.37

3.60

3.36

0.1588

My choice of specialty offers high income potential

3.35

3.50

3.34

0.3556

My choice of specialty is guided by the search for an inter-disciplinary practice (3)

3.27

3.50

3.25

0.1846

My choice of specialty is guided by the image of dynamism associated with it (3)

3.26

3.20

3.26

0.7219

I am interested in health promotion and my choice of specialty will allow me to do so

3.09

3.00

3.09

0.5672

My specialty career choice will allow me to cultivate long-term relationships with patients

3.05

3.50

3.02

0.0069

I prefer to see immediate results of treatment

2.91

2.50

2.94

0.0034

My partner plays an important role in my choice of specialty (3)

2.83

2.40

2.86

0.0607

I feel self-confident and this guides my choice of specialty (3)

2.81

2.98

2.80

0.4053

I identify with a doctor who practices the specialty I have chosen

2.78

2.95

2.76

0.3235

My choice of specialty is guided by the severity of the clinical cases to be treated (3)

2.78

2.78

2.78

0.9745

My choice of specialty is guided by social commitment

2.75

2.88

2.75

0.5675

My choice of specialty will allow me to focus on local patients

2.74

2.75

2.74

0.9353

My choice of specialty will require a difficult but stimulating residency

2.68

2.58

2.69

0.5130

My choice of specialty will allow me to focus on emergency care

2.63

2.98

2.68

0.0005

My choice of specialty will provide greater chances of practicing in a large urban center

2.63

2.78

2.62

0.4245

I prefer to focus on a limited variety of patient problems and/or on one or more specific age group(s) of patients

2.52

2.48

2.52

0.7187

My choice of specialty will make preparation for the national ranking exam less difficult.

2.49

2.46

2.50

0.1009

My choice of specialty will require a shorter residency

2.49

2.33

2.50

0.3099

My choice of specialty will allow me to focus on hospital care

2.48

2.90

2.45

0.0209

My choice of specialty will provide greater chances of practicing in a rural environment

2.38

2.00

2.41

0.0155

My choice of specialty will bestow me with prestige in society

2.38

2.55

2.36

0.1224

My choice of specialty is guided by personal experience as a patient or relative (3)

2.22

2.01

2.23

0.4162

My choice of specialty will bestow me with prestige among my future colleagues

2.12

2.30

2.07

0.4885

I am ready to change my choice of specialty to remain in my chosen city (university), (3)

2.12

1.95

2.13

0.3046

My choice of specialty will allow me to have a strong association with clinical research (3)

2.08

2.50

2.05

0.0427

I feel psychologically fragile, and my choice of specialty is guided by this fragility (3)

2.08

2.18

2.08

0.6051

My choice of specialty will allow me to have a strong association with clinical, fundamental, or technological research

2.07

2.45

1.94

0.0317