Why medicine? Analyzing students' motives for studying medicine

Abstract

Despite increasing numbers of physicians, shortage of doctors is a predominant problem in the German health care system. AIM of the present study is a detailed and gendered analysis of current motives to study medicine in order to deduce implications for securing medical care in the future. Study motives of medical students from Duisburg-Essen and Muenster were assessed using an online questionnaire. 13 given motives had to be rated on a 5 point Likert-scale according to their relevance for the decision to study medicine. Descriptive analysis regarding age, gender, location and study period was performed and a dichotomization of data (agreement vs. disagreement) was undertaken for logistic regression analysis. 1545 medical students took part in the survey (64.5% female). "Many-faceted workspaces", "varied tasks", "helping patients", "scientific interest" and "good career prospects" - backward-sorted - were the most frequent study motives indicated by medical students. The aspect "helping patients" was more important to female than to male students, the latter rated career-associated motives e. g. income, reputation etc. as more relevant. Only for about 8% of the respondents - independently of gender - compatibility of job and family was a motive to study medicine. Perspectively, results of this study could help to shape medicine in a way that will appeal to the growing up generation of doctors: a sophisticated, demanding and fulfilling occupation compatible with family with options to carve out a career for those who want to - regardless of gender. Furthermore, coaching programs paralleling either medical studies or work as clinician should be considered to improve the matching of gender-specific study motives and careers.