Socioeconomic Characteristics and Motivations for Entering a Medical College – Differences between Graduate and Undergraduate Saudi Medical Students

Hamdan AL-Jahdali, Turki Alqarni, Sarah AL-Jahdali, Salim A Baharoon, Abdullah S AL-Harbi, Salih A Binsalih, Abdulah Alshimemeri and Abdullah A Al Sayyari

International Journal of Higher Education, 2014, vol. 3, issue 1, 23

Abstract: Objective- The aim of this study is to investigate the reasons for and the factors associated with deciding to enter a medical school in our graduate and undergraduate medical students and whether differ between the two groups.Method- This is a cross-sectional study. The survey we developed to investigate demographic and socioeconomic data and possible reasons for deciding to enter a medical school. The responses were scored using Likert scale 4-options.Results- A total of 244 of 275 male students responded (a response rate of 89%). Of the responders, 26% were graduate students and 74% were undergraduates. Thirty nine percent of the students attended private schools. Compared to graduate students, undergraduate students were younger (p=0.0001), more likely to have gone to a private high school (p= 0.001) to have a father who is a doctor (p= 0.001) or a university graduate (p= 0.001), to belong a household with a monthly income exceeding $5,333 (p= 0.001). Significantly more undergraduates than graduates reported d that they were influenced to entre medical school by family (p=0.036), having had high academic achievement at high school (p=0.001), prestige of the profession (p=0.007), guaranteed employment (p=0.013) and desire to help others (p=0.003).Conclusions- The graduate medical students had significantly different demographic factors which were more reflective of in the general population as well as different motivating when compared to the undergraduate medical students.

Date: 2014
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