Medical and Social Characteristics of Living Conditions, Lifestyle, and Motivation to Become a Doctor among Students and Residents of Medical University

Background. The Russian national project “Healthcare” is aimed at providing the healthcare system with qualified doctors. Higher education institutions have a leading role in accomplishing such crucial state mission. The training of future doctors by medical universities is complicated by numerous medical and social issues associated with objective living conditions and subjective lifestyle as well as with a low motivation to become a doctor among students and residents.

Purpose. To conduct a medical and social analysis of living conditions, lifestyle, and motivation to become a doctor among students and residents of medical university.

Materials and methods. The research was based on the data of a medical and sociological analysis carried out from 2020 to 2023. The authors used sociological, psychological, and statistical techniques that are relevant to the study purpose and enable to assess living conditions, lifestyle, and motivation to become a doctor.

The study subject was a representative sample (p<0.05) of 1007 students and residents at a medical university.

Results. The living conditions of students and residents are considered as ambiguous, but generally favorable for achieving specialized learning and career-related outcomes at medical university. The motivation to become a doctor is affected more by the families of students and residents and less by the objective living conditions and subjective perceptions of lifestyle. The motivation has a positive modality, pronounced intensity, and pragmatic orientation.

Conclusions. The professionalism of future doctors is usually developed depending on their motivation and in the context of their current living conditions at medical university. The shaping processes could be optimized by using suitable approaches to educational work and social support for students and residents.

1. National project “Healthcare”. Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated 05.07.2018 No. 204 “On national goals and strategic objectives of the development of the Russian Federation for the period until 2024.” URL: http://kremlin.ru (access date: 11.30.2023).

2. Kamynina N. N., Polishchuk N. S. Value-based healthcare: systematization of tools and methods (literature review) // Healthcare of the Russian Federation. 2022; 66(6); 444-450. (In Russ.)

3. Alekseenko S.N., Gaivoronskaya T.V., Drobot N.N. Analysis of the reasons for demotivation in choosing the profession of a doctor among medical university students // International Scientific Research Journal. 2021; 11(113); 15-20. (In Russ.)

4. Fomina A.V., Yesimkhanova A. Medical and social aspects of the formation of professional motivation of students in the process of studying at a medical university (literature review) // Bulletin of new medical technologies. 2021; 4; 59-67. (In Russ.)

5. Ponomareva E.Yu., Bogdalova L.R., Rebrov A.P. Factors of motivation of students and residents to study therapy and the possibility of their use in organizing the educational process // South Russian Journal of Therapeutic Practice. 2023; 4 (3); 124-128. (In Russ.)

6. Derbenev, D. P. Assessment of the formation of the priority orientation of the doctor’s personality in the implementation of professional goals / D. P. Derbenev, R. V. Mayorov // Health of the metropolis. – 2023. – T. 4, issue. 2. – P. 52-59. (In Russ.)

7. Sidenkov M.K., Litvinenko V.V., Sidenkova A.P. Comparative study of the structure of professional motivation of doctors and educational motivation of medical university students // Ural Medical Journal. 2020; 19 (4); 113-121. (In Russ.)

8. Surovtseva K.A., Andronova T.A., Bondar G.D. On the motivation for choosing the profession of a doctor// International Journal of Applied and Fundamental Research. 2019; 2; 53-56. (In Russ.)

9. Voronko E.V. and others. Psychological image of a medical worker as a component of the social level of image in healthcare // Psychiatry, psychotherapy and clinical psychology. 2020; 11(3); 457-464. (In Russ.)

10. Berghout M.A. et al. Discursively Framing Physicians as Leaders: Institutional Work to Reconfigure Medical Professionalism. Social Science & Medicine. 2018; 212; 68-75.

11. Marcotte L. M. et al. Professionalism as the Bedrock of High-Value Care. Academic Medicine. 2020; 95 (6); 864-867.