GENDER-BASED DIFFERENCES IN MEDICAL STUDIES IN PALESTINE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY OF CLINICAL STUDENTS AND INTERNS
Date
2026-05-12
Authors
Malak Awad
Iman Abu Nawa
Abeer Radi
Salsabil Al-Shaieb
Jana Faroun
Peter Bael
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Deanship of Scientific Research - Al-Quds University
Abstract
Background: For many, studying medicine is a childhood dream; the idea of being a respected doctor is a cherished escapade. But what many don't realize is that compromises should be made along the road, a road that might seem idyllic from afar. Gender discrepancies are one of the least-discussed struggles for any gender, and they can lead to sacrifices along the way. These discrepancies could influence academic performance, clinical exposure, mental health, and specialty preferences; however, evidence remains inconsistent across our cultural settings. In Palestine, a conservative society, social norms may uniquely shape the clinical training experiences and opportunities among medical students. Our study aims to evaluate gender-based differences in academic, clinical, psychological, and career-related outcomes among Palestinian clinical-year medical students and interns.
Methods: A multicenter cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 400 clinical-year medical students and interns from the five major Palestinian universities in the West Bank. Participants completed a structured questionnaire assessing their demographics, academic performance, clinical exposure, specialty preferences, and mental health using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). Statistical analyses were carried out with ‘R statistical software” using chi-square tests, Mann–Whitney U tests, Kruskal–Wallis tests, and multivariate regression modeling.