Motivation for Choosing Medicine as a Career, among Students of Baghdad Medical College Al-Johar Zuhair A.1,*, Ridha Aya Ahmed2, Zidan Donia Saad2, Salih Dalya Mahir2 1Lecturer and specialist of Neurology [FIBMS (Neurology)], Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq; Orcid 2Students of College of Medicine, University of Baghdad *Corresponding Author: Dr. Zuhair A. Al-Johar, Department of Medicine, University of Baghdad, College of Medicine, Bab Almuadham, Medical City, Medical Box office, 61059, Baghdad-Iraq e-mail: zaljohar@comed.uobaghdad.edu.iq Telephone: +964-781-699-1964
Online published on 23 December, 2019. Abstract Purpose To determine the type of motivation for medicine, its gender-difference, and the relative impact of motivational factors. Method An observational cross sectional survey study where182 students were taken from College of Medicine/University of Baghdad “CM\UB”from both genders and all six grades, from the 10thof April, 2017 to the 1st of June, 2017. Self-administered structured questionnaire surveys were given, which included specific motivational factors and participants were asked to rank them according to priority in motivating them. Results A total of 180 students responded to the survey; of those: for first priority motivation: 96 (53%) chose a controlled factor, while 84 (47%) chosean autonomousfactor of all 82 males: 51(62%) chose a controlled factor, while 31(38%) chose an autonomousfactor of all 98 females: 45(46%) chose a controlled factor, while 53 (54%) chose an autonomousfactor. High school scores, helping others, passion in medicine, and family pressure had the highest motivational influence at overall and first priority levels. Conclusion Controlled motivation was found to be the main type of motivation, with males being influenced by it more than females. High school scores, helping others, passion in medicine, and family pressure had the highest motivational influence. Top Keywords Motivation, Medicine, students. Top |