Entrepreneurial intention, expectations of success and self-efficacy in undergraduate students of health sciences

Background Entrepreneurial intention is considered to be the best predictor of entrepreneurial behaviour. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) explains the degree of correlation between variables such as entrepreneurial intention, perceived feasibility and perceived desirability. Knowing the entrepreneurial intention of students of Health Sciences will help to guide and promote effective university policies to support entrepreneurship. The authors aimed to analyse the entrepreneurial intention of university students in the field of Health Sciences. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Faculties of Health Sciences of two public universities of Southern Spain. 1518 students of different degrees of Health Sciences (Physiotherapy, Podiatry, Dentistry, Nursing and Occupational Therapy), from first to fourth year. An online structured questionnaire was used, the Entrepreneurial Event Model (EEM) adapted to the Spanish context. This measurement model was completed with 8 items from the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire-MSLQ. Results The hypothetical model showed that perceived desirability and perceived feasibility were positive and significant predictors of entrepreneurial intention. Perceived desirability showed an indirect effect on entrepreneurial intention through perceived feasibility. Expectation of success and self-efficacy had no direct effect on entrepreneurial intention. Conclusions Perceived desirability and perceived feasibility are related to entrepreneurial intention in Health Sciences students.