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The future of medicine in Africa requires engaging its youth. Uganda has a predominantly young population, but their views on medical careers and healthcare evolution are poorly understood. Documenting these perspectives is necessary to inform medical education and health policy. This protocol describes a qualitative study to explore the perceptions, aspirations, and concerns of Ugandan youth regarding the future of medicine. Its primary objective is to identify key themes shaping their views on medical careers, healthcare innovation, and medicine's societal role. A qualitative descriptive design will be used. Purposive sampling will recruit up to 40 participants aged 18–30 from diverse educational backgrounds across Uganda. Data will be collected via in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed using thematic analysis. As a protocol for a future study, no empirical findings are available. The analysis is anticipated to reveal themes related to the perceived impact of technological advancement and resource constraints on future medical practice. The study is expected to generate a nuanced understanding of youth perspectives, valuable for stakeholders in medical education and health workforce planning in Uganda and similar contexts. Findings will inform targeted recommendations for medical curriculum development, career guidance programmes, and policies aimed at aligning medical training with youth aspirations and future healthcare needs. Medical careers, youth engagement, qualitative research, health workforce, Uganda, medical education This protocol provides a structured methodological approach to an under-researched area. The study aims to produce evidence to guide strategies for inspiring and preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals in Africa.
Muwanga et al. (Fri,) studied this question.