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ARTICLE
Year : 2011  |  Volume : 9  |  Issue : 17  |  Page : 57-61

Comparison of dental and medical student's motivation towards career choice in India: A cross-sectional study Career choice


1 Department of Preventive & Community Dentistry, Panineeya Institute of Dental Sciences and Research Centre, Hyderabad-500060, India
2 Department of Preventive & Community Dentistry,Darshan Dental College and Hospital, Udaipur, Rajasthan 313001, India
3 Department of Preventive & Community Dentistry, Vishnu Dental College and Hospital, Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh, India

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Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None


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Aim: To investigate the study motives and career choices of dental and medical students in relation to their background factor. Materials and methods: A questionnaire was prepared on the basis of previous surveys investigating the motivations of dental and medical students towards career choice. Six dimensions were covered including: status and security; nature of the occupation; career opportunities; patient care and working with people; use of personal skills; and interest in science. In addition, students were asked about the role of work experience, parental force and unavailibity for desired career in either dentistry or medicine. Results: Results were analyzed using the Chi square test. For instance, dental students were significantly more likely to be motivated by factors relating to high income. By contrast, medical students were significantly more likely to be motivated by factors relating to care or help for people, use of personal skills that is mental and manual skill in science. Parental force was a strong motivating factor in case of dental students whereas medical students manifested a more professional attitude in which altruism and intellectual challenge constituted central motivating factors. By contrast, dental students demonstrated more of a commitment to financial gain. Conclusions: There is need for re-orientation lecture among dental students about the motivation and commitment to an ethical stance of public service compared to medical students.


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