Gender-associated differences in matriculating and graduating medical students

Abstract

Data from the 1993 Matriculating Student Questionnaire (MSQ) and the 1994 Medical School Graduation Questionnaire (GQ) of the Association of American Medical Colleges were investigated for differences in responses between men and women. Notable differences were discovered, particularly with regard to career plans and experiences during medical school. Findings from the GQ include that a higher proportion of women rated curricular coverage of numerous subjects inadequate and that women students more frequently reported mistreatment during medical school. Women were also more likely than men to work in clinics serving the indigent and to complete a primary care clerkship. Over 30% of the 1994 women seniors, compared with 18% of the men, planned to pursue generalist careers. The authors discuss the gender-associated differences, with reference to previous studies, and conclude that medical educators should ensure that women have access to the same skill-development opportunities that men do and to a humane learning environment. Moreover, educators should examine what adaptations can encourage students of both genders to develop an ethic of "social responsibility."

Ethics teaching in a medical education environment: preferences for diversity of learning and assessment methods

“…As to whether there are inherent differences in female perceptions as suggested in prior surveys of medical students [9,24,34] we found that despite similar curricular exposure, more women believed that the level of ethics training they received was moderate compared to men (mean male 6.04, mean female 4.88). Our observations are consistent with Bickel and Ruffin, who documented that more female medical students reported inadequate curricular coverage of many subjects compared with males [14]. Similarly, Roberts et al have reported women’s desire for more education regarding ethical dilemmas compared with their male counterparts [17].…”

“…Similarly, Roberts et al have reported women’s desire for more education regarding ethical dilemmas compared with their male counterparts [17]. This could reflect the fact that females are looking for greater exposure to ethical issues and hence value this subject more than their male counterparts [14]. Also despite the expectation that in an outcomes-based curriculum, formal ethics education would be comparable for male and female students, it is plausible that personal experiences and the clinical exposure might be different.…”

“…Hence, medical students are tutored and supervised by physicians from diverse cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds. Although, a few studies have been conducted elsewhere exploring medical trainees’ attitudes towards the subject of ethics generally [7–9,14–18], to the best of our knowledge, there is no published report from the Middle East exploring students view on professionalism. Little is known about the ethical dilemmas that medical students believe they encounter while working in these environs, or indeed their attitudes and perspectives on goals, learning, and assessment methods for the subject of medical ethics.…”

Medical Students’ Attitudes Toward Underserved Patients: A Longitudinal Comparison of Problem-Based and Traditional Medical Curricula

“…Female medical students and physicians often have different attitudes than their male colleagues, and may be more inclined toward the ethic of social responsibility (Bickel and Ruffin, 1995;Crandall et al, 1993;Crandall et al, 1997;Xu et al, 1995). Upon entry into medical school, attitudes of female students toward caring for indigent patients were more favorable, and remained so throughout medical school (Crandall et al, 1993;Crandall et al, 1997).…”

Becoming a Good Doctor: Perceived Need for Ethics Training Focused on Practical and Professional Development Topics

“…Based on our prior work and the existing empirical literature suggesting that ethics education is underdeveloped in many if not most medical schools, especially during the clinical training years (11,21), that women health professionals and trainees are particularly positive in endorsing the importance of ethics education and that psychiatry residents have a strong interest in ethics (22)(23)(24)(25). We generated four hypotheses: 1) medical students and residents will identify the need for greater curricular attention for most or all topics presented; 2) women respondents will express greater need than their male colleagues; 3) more advanced trainees, i.e., clinical medical students and residents, will express greater need than their preclinical student colleagues; and 4) psychiatry residents will express greater need than primary care program or other specialty program residents.…”