“…Riley (2009) has pointed out that the experiences of the Scottish medical schools are that most students are stratified according to underlying, as yet Research and self-directed learning Library project in medicine 1, 2, 3, GEM Student-directed special study module 1, 2, 3, GEM Medical research project 1, 2, 3, GEM Social research and survey methods 2 unspecified, motivational factors. In order to both assist us in designing SSC programmes and fully appreciate the relationship between knowledge and skills acquired during their undergraduate degree and subsequent career choice, it is important that individual motivational factors contributing to SSC selection are considered (Richardson 2009). Specifically, we need to know whether students are strategic in their selections or whether they are guided by short-term and less challenging criteria (Babad & Tayeb 2008).…”