Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>Background Entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) has a significant impact on innovation and engagement in entrepreneurship among health professionals but studies that explore its relationship with perceived social support among medical and allied health students are rare. The present study was carried out to examine the relationship between perceived social support and entrepreneurial self-efficacy among the medical and allied health students. Methods The present cross-sectional analytical study was performed on 488 medical and allied health students of a medical university in Iran. Data were completed by using the validated Persian versions of Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy Scale and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Participants were selected through proportional quota sampling and then through convenience sampling. We investigated the association between perceived social support and entrepreneurial self-efficacy using correlation analysis and pooled multivariable linear regression with multiple imputation, controlling for demographic variables. Results The results showed that perceived social support was positively associated with entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE). Adjusted multivariable analysis revealed that male sex (B = 5.68, 95% CI: 3.67–7.70) and peer support (B = 0.082, 95% CI: 0.017–0.147) were independently associated with higher ESE. Family support and other important ones’ support were not significantly associated with ESE after adjustment. The highest mean score was in planning among the ESE dimensions, and finance capabilities had the lowest mean score. Conclusions Peer support is the most important source of perceived social support for ESE in medical and allied health students, after controlling for other confounders. Peer interaction and collaborative learning as educational practices may have a promising role in improving entrepreneurial confidence in health professions education. This study contributes to the evidence that peer-based support may be more impactful on ESE than support from family or significant others in this population. Validation of these associations requires longitudinal and intervention studies.</p>