TY - JOUR A1 - Kulkarni, Suhas A1 - Sibdewal, Harish A1 - Kumar, Santhosh A1 - Shah, Mansi A1 - Prabu, D T1 - Comparison of dental and medical student's motivation towards career choice in India: A cross-sectional study Career choice Y1 - 2011/7/1 JF - Journal of Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry JO - J Indian Assoc Public Health Dent SP - 57 EP - 61 VL - 9 IS - 17 UR - https://journals.lww.com/aphd/pages/default.aspx/article.asp?issn=2319-5932;year=2011;volume=9;issue=17;spage=57;epage=61;aulast=Kulkarni N2 - 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. ER -