Level of  Job Satisfaction among Teachers in Khyber Medical University: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Job satisfaction reflects an individual’s attitude toward their work and is a key determinant of a teacher’s professional performance. It is frequently examined due to workplace stress, which can negatively influence student performance and teacher effectiveness. Prolonged dissatisfaction may contribute to teacher attrition, disrupting the continuity of educational systems and ultimately affecting community outcomes. Objective: To assess the level of job satisfaction among teachers at Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among Khyber Medical University teachers. A total of 75 teachers from five institutes were included, and informed consent was obtained in both Urdu and English. Only those teachers who were full-time academic staff, demonstrators, lecturers, assistant and associate professors, and professors, both genders, who had experience of more than six months were recruited in this study. Visiting faculty members were excluded. Data were collected using a self-administered Job Satisfaction Survey questionnaire, which was made by Spector, and it was employed to evaluate levels of job satisfaction. Of the 83 initially considered, 75 participants met the criteria, and 53 responded. Job satisfaction levels were analyzed and compared across variables, including gender, age, designation, institute, and teaching experience. The collected data were entered and then analyzed by employing the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 23. Data was checked for significance by employing the chi-square test. Results: Among 53 participants, 24 were aged 24–36 years, 23 were 36–48 years, and 6 were 48–60 years. There were 41 male and 12 female teachers. Only 14 (26.4%) reported satisfaction with their pay. Overall, 2 teachers were dissatisfied, 41 were ambivalent, and 10 were satisfied. Male teachers showed greater ambivalence compared to females. Although ambivalence appeared to increase with years of teaching experience, this was not statistically significant (p>0.05). Conclusion: Most teachers reported ambivalent job satisfaction. No significant association was found between job satisfaction and demographic or professional variables, indicating the coexistence of positive and negative perceptions.