Job preferences of undergraduate pharmacy students in China: a discrete choice experiment

Abstract Background Pharmacists are a crucial part of the health workforce and play an important role in achieving universal coverage. In China, pharmaceutical human resources short supply, distribution is unequal. This study aimed to identify key job characteristics that influence preferences undergraduate pharmacy students elicit relative importance different shed light on future policy interventions. Methods A discrete choice experiment was conducted assess from 6 provinces mainland China. face-to-face interview used collect data. Conditional logit mixed models were analyse data, final model chosen according fit statistics. series simulations also conducted. Results total, 581 respondents completed questionnaire, 500 who passed internal consistency test analysed. All attributes statistically significant except for open management. Monthly income work location most respondents, followed by unit (which refers nature workplace) years promotion. There preference heterogeneity among e.g., male preferred management, female jobs public institutions. Furthermore, with urban background or single-child family placed higher value city compared their counterparts. Conclusion The showed complexity preferences. Both monetary nonmonetary significantly influenced more effective intervention attract graduates rural areas should consider both incentives itself school graduates.