A survey of junior medical student’s attitude toward medicine and its future

Introduction. Medical student's attitude toward their future profession can significantly affect the quality of education and their eagerness for learning and practical use of scientific principles. This study was conducted to research about the junior medical student’s attitudes toward medicine after their entrance to the university. Methods. 54 junior students entering the medical school in 2001, participated in this study. A questionnaire was designed including questions about their attitude towards medicine’s social status, financial aspect of this profession, its future etc. Results. The results revealed that 64.7% of the students have selected this major knowingly and 48.1%, i.e. about half of the students believed that this major would provide them with future welfare and convenience in life. As to the income, 33% of them stated that one of the advantages of this major was its high income. Out of interest was that in this study only 39.6% of medical students stated that they were willing to work in every part of the country after their graduation. The results and tables will be presented in the seminar. Conclusion. In general, it can be said that medical students are suspicious about social status and their comfort in this field even in the early years of their attendance in the university. Therefore, if ministry of health has increased number of students entering this major aiming at helping the people living in the underprivileged areas of the country, the evidence revealed that about two thirds of the medical students are not willing to work in such areas. It is hoped that our country reduces the admissions in medical fields so that the improvement in the quality of education is guaranteed.