Health Education and Health Promotion

Abstract Aims: This research aimed to clarify knowledge sharing in texts related to the healthcare system.
Information & Methods: This systematized review was conducted across six databases, including MEDLINE (via PubMed), WOS, Scopus, Embase, ERIC, and ProQuest, without time limitations until 2023. After removing duplicates and screening articles, 36 were included for qualitative content analysis using conventional methods.
Findings: After merging and categorizing the codes, the analysis identified five main categories: 'Nature of Shared Knowledge', 'Ways of Knowledge Sharing', 'Factors Involved in Organizational and Inter-Organizational Knowledge Sharing Events', 'Consequences of Knowledge Sharing', and 'Barriers to Knowledge Sharing'.
Conclusion: Various healthcare system knowledge types are shared through formal and informal channels, either in person or virtually. Organizational and technological components contribute to knowledge sharing at both organizational and inter-organizational levels, resulting in positive individual, organizational, and therapeutic outcomes.

Abstract Aims: It is important to know the factors that influence physicians when choosing a medical specialty so that authorities can improve the admission and selection processes for medical residency positions accordingly. This study aimed to determine the factors that influence the choice of medical specialty among general practitioners of Peru.
Instruments & Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire and included 576 general practitioners who were preparing for the medical residency exam in Peru. To establish the association of demographic variables and other factors with the choice of medical specialty, we used Pearson’s chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test.
Findings: Most participants were women (56.8%) under 30 years (79.2%). The specialties in high demand were pediatrics (11.1%), general surgery (7.3%), and gynecology and obstetrics (5.4%). Most physicians believed that their university education did not prepare them enough for the residency exam (59.8%). Moreover, 64% of the participants chose their specialty based on vocation and mainly intended to work in hospitals where they could better perform their clinical and surgery rotations (40.5%). Most participants did not consider the economic factor as decisive for choosing their medical specialty (76.3%). Male physicians (p˂0.0001) and those who consider the economic factor (p=0.008) important for choosing their medical specialty were more likely to choose a surgical specialty.
Conclusions: Physicians already have a fixed choice and do not choose specialties where there is less competition. Economic factors are not decisive in choosing a specialty. Additionally, we observed few applicants for primary care specialties.