Factors Influencing Interns’ Satisfaction with the Internship Training Programme Offered at Saudi Medical Schools

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the perceptions of medical interns with regards to the internship training programme offered at Saudi medical schools and to explore factors influencing their overall satisfaction with this progamme. METHODS: This exploratory study was conducted at four medical schools in Saudi Arabia between July 2017 and June 2018. All medical interns undergoing internship training at the selected medical schools during the 2017–2018 academic year were invited to participate in the survey. A questionnaire covering 10 internship dimensions and including a total of 76 items and one global item was designed to assess the medical interns’ satisfaction with the training programme. RESULTS: A total of 295 interns returned completed questionnaires (response rate: 92%). Overall, the interns’ satisfaction with all 10 internship dimensions was high (mean score: ≥3.6). A multiple regression analysis indicated that various factors were significant predictors of medical interns’ overall satisfaction with the internship training programme, including orientation, training site services, supervision, relationships with their superiors and hospital activities (P <0.050 each). CONCLUSION: Medical interns were highly satisfied with the internship training programme offered at Saudi medical schools, with various factors found to significantly influence overall satisfaction. The findings of this study may help policymakers in Saudi Arabia to improve the internship training programme so as to ensure medical interns’ overall satisfaction and potentially improve their learning outcomes and clinical training.