Dataset Information

Factors influencing to study medicine: a survey of first-year medical students from India.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Students joining medical studies may be motivated by many factors. However, there may also be some factors which may concern them. Although, it can be assumed that those joining medical studies would have largely been influenced positively, how the factors interact in different groups of students has not been studied adequately.

Methods

We conducted a questionnaire-based survey in first-year medical students. Besides the demographics and intentions about their future career plans, students rated a list of positively influencing items and a list of negatively affecting items relevant to our context that influenced their decision. We performed factor analysis followed by clustering of study participants.

Results

Ninety-seven students participated in the survey which comprised of 59% females with mean age of 18.6 years. The factors extracted were named as 'personal growth factor,' 'professional calling factor,' 'personal concerns factor,' and 'professional concerns factor.' Four distinct clusters of participants differing in their average ratings to each of the above factors were identified.

Conclusion

This study provides information on the factors that influence students to join medical studies from an Indian context. The motivational patterns were varied in different sub-groups of students. The data obtained from this study may provide pointers to educators to plan training of students, changes in curricular structure that takes into account the expansion of medical education into specialties and beyond.

SUBMITTER: Narayanasamy M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6589632 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Factors influencing to study medicine: a survey of first-year medical students from India.

Narayanasamy Muthuraman M Ruban Anand A Sankaran Prakash Somi PS

Korean journal of medical education 20190301 1

<h4>Purpose</h4>Students joining medical studies may be motivated by many factors. However, there may also be some factors which may concern them. Although, it can be assumed that those joining medical studies would have largely been influenced positively, how the factors interact in different groups of students has not been studied adequately.<h4>Methods</h4>We conducted a questionnaire-based survey in first-year medical students. Besides the demographics and intentions about their future caree ...[more]

PMID: 30852862

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Project description:BackgroundA much higher prevalence of alexithymia has been reported in medical students compared with the general population, and alexithymia is a risk factor that increases vulnerability to mental disorders. Our aim was to evaluate the level of alexithymia in Chinese medical students and to explore its influencing factors.MethodsA cross-sectional study of 1,950 medical students at Shenyang Medical College was conducted in May 2014 to evaluate alexithymia in medical students using the Chinese version of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). The reliability of the questionnaire was assessed by Cronbach's ? coefficient and mean inter-item correlations. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to evaluate construct validity. The relationships between alexithymia and influencing factors were examined using Student's t-test, analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression analysis. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 21.0.ResultsOf the 1,950 medical students, 1,886 (96.7%) completed questionnaires. Overall, Cronbach's ? coefficient of the TAS-20 questionnaire was 0.868. The results of CFA showed that the original three-factor structure produced an acceptable fit to the data. By univariate analysis, gender, grade (academic year of study), smoking behavior, alcohol use, physical activity, history of living with parents during childhood, and childhood trauma were influencing factors of TAS-20 scores (p?<?0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that gender, physical activity, grade, living with parents, and childhood trauma also had statistically significant association with total TAS-20 score (p?<?0.05).ConclusionsGender, physical activity, grade, history of living with parents during childhood, and childhood trauma were all factors determining the level of alexithymia. To prevent alexithymia, it will be advisable to promote adequate physical activity and pay greater attention to male medical students and those who are in the final year of training.

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Dataset Information

Factors influencing to study medicine: a survey of first-year medical students from India.

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Factors influencing to study medicine: a survey of first-year medical students from India.

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