Survey showed that very few paediatric residents in Southwest Nigeria were interested in specialising in gastroenterology

Aim: Paediatric gastroenterology remains an under-recognised sub-speciality in Africa. We determined the preferred sub-specialities among paediatric residents in Southwest Nigeria and what influenced whether they chose paediatric gastroenterology.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey of paediatric residents in seven teaching hospitals in Southwest Nigeria. A self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain information on their socio-demographics, educational attainment, choice of sub-speciality and the factors influencing that choice.

Results: Of 144 eligible paediatric residents, 124 (86.1%) completed the survey. Their mean age was 35.0 ± 1.7 years, and 83 (66.9%) were females. The majority (94.4%) had already chosen their sub-speciality, and nearly two-thirds (65.0%) made the decision during training. The most popular sub-speciality was neonatology (30.6%), and only three (2.4%) residents chose gastroenterology. Factors influencing the choice of sub-speciality were perceived ability (85.3%) and academic experience (83.8%). Financial reasons were less frequent (32.5%). Lack of diagnostic equipment (30.6%) and role models (21.0%) were the most frequent reasons for residents being disinterested in paediatric gastroenterology.

Conclusion: Few residents were interested in paediatric gastroenterology and there is a need to encourage interest in this subject at an early stage in their training and provide more diagnostic equipment and greater mentorship.