Perceived employability of postgraduate graduates from the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences in Tanzania: An exploratory qualitative tracer study using the framework method to inform postgraduate training reform

Abstract

Introduction: Highly skilled and competent human resources are needed for quality healthcare services. There is a growing concern about unemployment among health professionals in Sub-Saharan Africa. Employers in many developing countries reportedly complain that graduates lack in-demand employable skills.

Objective: We aimed to examine the experiences of graduates and employers regarding the perceived required attributes for the employability of graduates from health-related programs in Tanzania.

Methods: We used an exploratory qualitative approach though this specific report focuses on the qualitative findings from a secondary analysis which was conducted from December 2022 to February 2023. Data were collected across nine regions in Tanzania, including zonal and regional hospitals. Participants were purposefully selected MUHAS alumni who graduated in 2017 or later and their immediate supervisors at regional and zonal hospitals chosen due to their capacity employment of MUHAS graduates. Data collection involved semi-structured in-depth interviews, mostly conducted face-to-face in Kiswahili. Data analysis employed the framework method for content analysis, involving transcription, familiarization, thematic framework development, coding, and indexing. The analysis specifically focused on specialist medical doctors, specialist nurses, and specialist pharmacists.

Results: A total of 282 in-depth interviews were conducted, comprising 238 alumni and 44 supervisors/employers. Five themes emerged from the qualitative interviews including employability and career trajectories, curriculum relevance to labour market needs, supervisory and learning experiences, workplace readiness and professional skills and working within the system and system and institutional factors affecting employability.

Conclusion: The employability of graduates depends on the attributes they possess, which employers considered positively. Both employers and alumni hold high expectations for the attributes of MUHAS graduates. The study suggests that graduate tracking is important for quality improvement, along with regular evaluation of competencies demanded by the labor market. The findings support a multidimensional view of employability, including knowledge, skills, personal characteristics, and social experience. The perceived facilitators and barriers to employability should be considered positively during curriculum revision.