The Impact of Role Models on Medical Students

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between exposure to clinical role models during medical school and the students' choice of clinical field for residency training, and to estimate the strength of this association. DESIGN: Cross-section study.PARTICIPANTS: Of the 146 graduating medical students in the class of 1995, 136 participated. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:Clinical field chosen by students for residency training and the students' assessment of their exposure to and interaction with physician role models were the main measurements. Ninety percent of graduating students had identified a role model or models during medical school. Personality, clinical skills and competence, and teaching ability were most important in the selection of a role model, while research achievements and academic position were least important. Odds ratios between interacting with "sufficient" role models in a given clinical field and choosing that same clinical field for residency were 12.8 for pediatrics, 5.1 for family medicine, 4.7 for internal medicine, and 3.6 for surgery. Most students (63%) received career counseling and advice from their role models.CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to role models in a particular clinical field is strongly associated with medical students' choice of clinical field for residency training. Knowing which characteristics students look for in their role models should help identify the physicians who may be most influential in medical students' career choice.KEY WORDS: medical students; role models; choice of career; choice of clinical field for residency training.

Medical students’ views on selecting paediatrics as a career choice

“…In addition, several studies have found that role modelling can have a significant impact on medical students' choice of career [13,18,21,29,33], whilst a lack of good role models can also be discouraging [28,30]. Role models apart from personality need to be clinically competent and have teaching ability [35].…”

“…Career information is available in various written and web-based forms [14]. In addition, some students will also turn to their role models [35], whilst careers fairs have recently been found to be highly valued opportunities for students to meet trainees and consultants on a one-to-one basis to see what working in that specialty is really like [15]. It is important that paediatricians do take part in such events especially when students do not encounter paediatrics until the final year and may not until this stage have considered paediatrics as a career option.…”

A Diverging View of Role Modeling in Medical Education

“…Unfortunately, most medical faculty members have little formal training in teaching methods (MacDougall & Drummond, 2005;Taylor, Tisdell, & Gusic, 2007). Thus, faculty members often emulate the professional behaviours of their own preceptors and refer to these actions as role modeling (Egnew & Wilson, 2011;Matthews, 2000;Wright, Wong, & Newill, 1997). Sociologist Robert Merton (1968) stated that "the concept of role model can be thought of as more restricted in scope denoting a more limited identification with an individual in only one or a selected few of his roles" (pp.…”

“…Research in the area of role modeling has primarily focused on the qualities and attributes of exceptional role models, and less attention has been given to the act of role modeling itself (Elzubeir & Rizk, 2001;Jochemsen-van der Leeuw, van Dijk, van Etten-Jamaludin, & Wieringade Waard, 2013;Wright, 1996;Wright, Wong, & Newill, 1997). The distinction between role models and role modeling is blurred, thus exposing a need for a precise definition of what role modeling entails.…”

“…Looking to the literature to better understand how role modeling is interpreted as teaching in medical education, the researchers found numerous studies investigating the attributes of role models, but little inquiry into what physicians are doing when they role model (Elzubeir & Rizk, 2001;Jochemsen-van der Leeuw, van Dijk, van Etten-Jamaludin, & Wieringade Waard, 2013;Wright, 1996;Wright, Wong, & Newill, 1997). The discussion is made more complex by the variety of definitions used to explain role modeling, such as "standard of excellence to be imitated" (Wright, 1996, p. 290) to how behaviours, values and attitudes "can be learned or weakened through exposure to significant others" (Matthews, 2000, p. 446).…”