The strength of motivation for medical school: A three-year longitudinal study

Abstract

Based on longitudinal data collected in a sample of Chinese medical students, this study tested the measurement invariance of the strength of motivation for medical school framework and examined the growth trajectories of their motivation for medical school over time. Results revealed that the strength of motivation for medical school scale demonstrated longitudinal measurement invariance. Medical students in our sample showed an overall decline over time in all three types of motivation for medical school. Most of the drop occurred during the first year of medical study. Individual variability was observed in the initial levels and the growth rates of motivation for medical school. We advised medical educators to provide sustained support to help medical students (especially for those early in medical school) improve their learning experience.

Keywords:

• Medical students
• motivation
• medical school
• longitudinal measurement invariance
• latent growth modeling

Disclosure statement

All authors declare no conflict of interest in conducting this study.

Glossary

Motivation for Medical School: Students have reasons for studying medicine. The Strength of Motivation for Medical School-Revised (SMMS-R) questionnaire is designed to determine the strength of motivation for medical study among students who are in the beginning stages of medical school. It comprises 15 questions aimed at measuring three types of motivation for medical school: willingness to sacrifice – the will to sacrifice one’s personal and social life to meet the time and effort demands of the medical study; readiness to start – the resolution to enter medical study; and persistence – the determination to continue medical study even in the face of difficult circumstances.

Kusurkar R, Croiset G, Kruitwagen C, ten Cate O. 2011. Validity evidence for the measurement of the strength of motivation for medical school. Adv Health Sci Educ Theory Pract. 16(2):183–195

Additional information

Funding

Preparation of the manuscript was financially supported by a grant from China’s Ministry of Education (MOE), Research in Humantities and Social Science Fund [17YJC890001].

Notes on contributors

Min An

Min An, PhD, is an associate professor in School of Education at Linyi University.

Liping Li

Liping Li, PhD, is the dean of the School of Public Health at Shantou University and a professor at Shantou University Medical College.