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Table 3 Motives of Yes- and No-groups for applying for medical school

From: Factors important in the choice of a medical career: a Finnish national study

 

YES (Would start studying medicine again)

NO (Would not start studying medicine again)

Differences between groups

 

1998

2008

Sig.

1998

2008

Sig.

1998

2008

n

1,281-1,286

980-987

 

437-441

196-198

   
 

%

%

p

%

%

p

%-units

%-units

Vocation

47

45

 

27

26

 

20**

19**

Wide range of professional opportunities

64

47

**

53

31

**

11**

16**

Interest in people

84

83

 

73

71

 

11**

12**

Prestigious profession

64

60

*

59

58

 

5

2

A physician in family or among close relatives

15

17

 

13

14

 

2

3

Good salary

44

41

 

48

41

*

−4

0

Own or close relative’s illness

6

6

 

8

6

 

−2

0

Career guidance

3

2

 

5

2

 

−2

0

Shortage of physicians

4

1

**

9

3

**

−5**

−2*

Achievements at school

56

39

**

56

44

**

0

−5

Interest in research

17

14

*

17

21

 

0

−7*

  1. Motives for applying for medical school (answers “Quite a lot” and “Very much” to the question “To what extent did the following factors influence your desicion to apply for a medical school?”) of those who answered “Yes” or “No” to the question “If you were starting your studies now, would you start studying medicine?” in the Physician 1998 and Physician 2008 studies. The items are sorted by the difference in 2008. Note **p < 0.01, *p < 0.05. The question was not asked in the Junior Physician 1988 study