Masters Theses

Date of Award

6-1983

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Major

Sociology

Major Professor

Dean J. Champion

Committee Members

James A. Black, Robert G. Perrin

Abstract

This study examined the differences between the motivations. professional expectations, sociocultural dimensions, and sources of support for first-year male and female medical students.

The data were obtained from a private midwestern medical A questionnaire was distributed to first-year medical students by a student in the class.

The findings were that most medical students tend to come from school. rather affluent backgrounds in terms of sociocultural standing; and that female medical students tend to have a slightly higher socio-cultural standing than male medical students.

It was also found that, in terms of financial support for medical school, the male medical students received less financial support from their parents than the female medical students; however, more male medical students received governmental and school financial support than female medical students.

With regard to social support, it was found that, regardless of gender, the family of origin was supportive of the student's decision to enter medical school. However, it was also found that the opinions of the family of origin regarding the student's career decision were more important for the female medical student than for the male medical student; and that the parents of female medical students were more influential in the student's career choice than the parents of male medical students.

Furthermore, it was found that female medical students were more likely to have physicians in their families than male medical students, and that more female medical students had fathers who are/ were physicians than male medical students, students who reported having physician fathers indicated that the However, all medical fathers were influential in the student's decision to enter medical school.

Finally, with regard to motivations and professional expectations it was found that male medical students anticipated working more hours than female medical students; however, female medical students planned to donate more time to volunteer work as physicians than male Relative to the issues concerning income, it was found that female medical students had lower expectations and were more likely to favor a required National Service Corps for physicians medical students. than male medical students; and that male medical students were more likely than female medical students to perceive physicians as deserving to earn higher incomes than other persons in society.

The above findings indicated that there is a need for more study in the area of medical sociology, particularly since the value systems of the various cohorts of medical students tend to change over time, and since there is currently a larger proportion of women who are pursuing careers in medicine.

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