21 Padmanabhan Etal
21 Padmanabhan Etal
21 Padmanabhan Etal
Copyright @2015
ISSN: 2319-5886
Accepted: 6th Mar 2015
Associate Professor, 3Prof and Head, Department of Biochemistry, 2Professor, Department of Pharmacology
Rural Medical College, Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences-Deemed University, Loni, Ahmednagar,
Maharashtra, India
*Corresponding author email: [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Background: Adolescents in India choose career in medicine under the influence and pressure from parents,
family members, peers and external sources. There are no measures taken to study whether these medical students
understand the demands and priorities of a career in medicine once they decide to choose it. Hence the study was
undertaken at PIMS-DU with Ist year MBBS students as participants. Aims: 1) Assess the factors influencing the
choice of MBBS. 2) Analyze the prior knowledge and awareness of medical students regarding the course. 3)
Their career trend in future. Material and Methods: All newly admitted students present at the orientation
programme in September 2014 at PIMS DU were included as participants. Their written responses to a 14 point
questionnaire were entered into a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet and descriptive analysis was done. Results: A
majority of students had their parents and family members in medical profession indicating prior idea amongst the
students regarding the course, even when the choice was made at an early stage of academics or without
appearing for aptitude tests due to unawareness. Appearance for entrance exams to kept their options wide open
but caused unnecessary stress, anxiety and economic burden to parents. However, these participants had limited
knowledge about medical curriculum but had decisive ideas regarding future trend in career. Conclusions: Family
being strong motivator for career choice for medical students; should encourage students to undertake aptitude
tests, career guidance courses and investigate about future prospects to create a strong foundation as MBBS
students.
Keywords: Career, Medical students, Awareness, Medical curriculum.
INTRODUCTION
The personnels opting for medical profession must
have the right approach, aptitude, attitude, selfless
service motto and ability to work relentlessly for the
patients. Other attributes are ability to overcome
sleep, preparedness for a kaleidoscope of emotions,
service over economics and empathy [1].
To enable the medical students to make the right
choice of professional career, aptitude tests are
developed by trained expert psychologists to prevent
Padmanabhan et al.,
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60
50
Percentage
40
Boys(%)
Girls (%)
30
51.06
20
31.82
23.4
10
45.45
2.12
23.4
13.64
0
17 yrs
18 yrs
9.09
20 yrs
19 yrs
Age in years
367
12 (27.27)
20 (42.55)
B .Pharm
00 (00.00)
Biotech
03 (6.82)
B.Sc
03 (6.82)
BAMS
02 (4.55)
Engineering
01 (2.27)
Any other
01 (2.27)
Not disclosed
08(18.18)
Awareness that ragging is prohibited
Yes
42 (95.45)
No
02 (4.55)
05 (10.64)
01 (2.13)
00 (0.00)
01 (2.13)
03 (6.82)
02 (4.26)
08 (17.02)
47 (100)
00 (0.00)
Parameter
Boys (%) Girls (%)
Any other member of the family in medical
profession
Mother
11 (25.00) 20 (42.55)
Father
09 (20.45) 07 (14.89)
Maternal uncle
08 (18.18) 11 (23.40)
Paternal uncle
07 (15.90) 03 (6.38)
Grandparents
05 (11.36) 03 (6.38)
Sister
03 (6.82)
03 (6.38)
None
01 (2.27)
00 (0.00)
Profession of family
Nursing
10 (22.73) 23 (48.94)
Hospital
12 (27.27) 08 (17.02)
administration
Pharmaceutical
08 (18.18) 08 (17.02)
Business
08 (18.18) 03 (6.38)
Bank
04 (9.09)
02 (4.26)
Education
01 (2.27)
02 (4.26)
Not disclosed
01 (2.27)
01 (2.13)
Girls (%)
02 (4.25)
41 (87.23)
0 (0.00)
04 (8.51)
0 (0.00)
42 (89.36)
02 (4.25)
03 (6.38)
Girls (%)
43 (91.49)
02 (4.26)
02 (4.26)
07 (14.89)
13 (27.66)
12 (25.53)
02 (4.26)
12 (27.66)
03 (6.38)
02 (4.26)
07 (14.89)
10 (21.28)
13 (27.65)
12 (25.53)
0 (0.00)
04 (8.51)
02 (4.26)
0 (0.00)
0 (0.00)
41 (87.23)
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369
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DISCUSSION
Our study indicates that amongst the total students
admitted for MBBS course at Pravara Institute of
Medical Sciences Deemed University (PIMS-DU)
the number of girl students admitted had
outnumbered the boy students. This trend of statistics
even extends to the number of attempts at the
entrance exam whether at PIMS-DU or at other
university entrance exam. Thus it appears that the girl
students are found to maintain their perseverance
regarding their career choice even when selecting
their course of study.
The medical profession faces a changing gender
composition with larger number of girls opting for
medicine as their career choice. Our study findings
are in unison with this fact. A study in the United
Kingdom showed an increase in feminization of the
medical profession [11].
The choice of a particular career is largely influenced
by certain factors; such as peer group influence and
parental influence. Family influence is an important
factor in career choice of the students [12].
Adolescents have young minds therefore develop
many attitudes about occupation and career as a
resultant effect of interactions with their families.
Family background according to our study provides
the basis from which their career plans and decision
making evolves.
Our study indicates that parents and other members in
the family have significant influence on career
choice. Teachers and friends contribute equally to the
decision of choosing MBBS as course of study.
Parents, family members of medical students
probably recognized their wards ability at an early
age and guided them into academically suitable
careers [13]. A study by Penick and Jepsen reported
that parental influence surpasses that of peer
influence [14].This fact bears resemblance to findings
of our study. But this is a variable factor since it is
pertaining to the students rapport with their parents
and peers. Our study also indicates that inner voice of
students can also influence and can be a guiding
factor regarding career choice. A study by Csinady et
al found that altruistic motivations were the most
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CONCLUSION
The study is a subjective evaluation of the prior
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