ArticleJRSM open2014
Studying medicine - a cross-sectional questionnaire-based analysis of the motivational factors which influence graduate and undergraduate entrants in Ireland.
Article in JRSM open, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- What motivates medical students to select medical studies: a systematic literature review.BMC medical education · 2018Pooled it
- Ambiguous motivations in medical school applicants: a retrospective study from Japan.Medical education online · 2025Article
- Motivation in medical students: higher intrinsic motivation among graduate-entry students across academic stages.Frontiers in medicine · 2025Article
- Being a physician: what messages have medical students received during the first month of medical school experience?BMC medical education · 2024Article
- Motivational Factors Influencing the Choice of Medical Studies and Future Career Plans among Montenegrin Students.Zdravstveno varstvo · 2024Article
- Unraveling motives: identifying the impact of university attendance motives on learning behaviors among dental students.BMC psychology · 2024Article
- Graduates' perceptions of the role and availability of career guidance at medical school.Irish journal of medical science · 2022Article
- A mixed-approach to investigate what motivates Belgian students to study medicine.MedEdPublish (2016) · 2020Article
- Motivation towards medical career choice and academic performance in Latin American medical students: A cross-sectional study.PloS one · 2018Article
- Motivation and Career Perceptions of Dental Students at the School of Dental Medicine University of Zagreb, Croatia.Acta stomatologica Croatica · 2016Article
- Why People Apply to Medical School in Iraq?Journal of medical education and curricular developmentArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
objectivesThe number of places available in Ireland for graduate entry to medical school has steadily increased since 2006. Few studies have, however, characterized the motivational factors underlying decision to study medicine via this route. We compared the factors motivating graduate entrants versus undergraduate entry (UGE) students to choose medicine as a course of study.
designThe present study was a quantitative cross-sectional questionnaire-based investigation.
settingThe study was conducted in University College Cork and University of Limerick, Ireland.
participantsIt involved 185 graduate entry (GE) and 120 UGE students. OUTCOME MEASURES: QUESTIONNAIRES WERE DISTRIBUTED TO STUDENTS ADDRESSING THE FOLLOWING AREAS: demographic/academic characteristics; factors influencing the selection of academic institution and motivation to study medicine; and the role of career guidance in choice of study.
resultsWhen asked to list reasons for selecting medicine, both groups listed a wish to help and work with people, and a desire to prevent and cure disease. UGE students were significantly more motivated by intellectual satisfaction, encouragement by family/friends, financial reasons, and professional independence. Approximately half of GE students selected their first degree with a view to potentially studying medicine in the future. GE and UGE students differed significantly with respect to sources consulted for career guidance and source of study information.
conclusionsThis study is the first systematic examination of study and career motivation in GE medical students since the programme was offered by Irish universities and provides insight into the reasons why graduate entrants in Ireland choose to study medicine via this route.
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