Religious beliefs and motivation to study medicine at a public University

Abstract

Introduction: Religion ́s study in medical students has received poor attention, and none relating to the motivation for studying. Objective: to analyze religious beliefs and motivation to study medicine. Methods: Descriptive, in 147 trainees from first year Master's degree in medicine. The analysis was made through distribution of frequencies and association with absolute figures and percentages and graphics. We used the Ji2 to nominal variables, Spearman test range variables, and the Z test for comparison of percentages by using the SPSS v. 17.0 for Windows to relationship. Results: an age range 17 to 26 years old was found, medium 19±0.5 years and predominance of the female sex. A 51.7% were motivated to study medicine in the clinical interest and science; it was followed by the vocation of service (51%), and the reason to study medicine did for higher cultural level and personal accomplishment at 68.2%. In terms of religion, the majority were Catholic (85.03%). The correlation between religion and vocation, was low and positive (rho = 0.1110), while a low and negative correlation of religion was found with the clinical interest in science (rho = 0.1345). Conclusions: It is concluded that in the sample correlation of motivation with religion was different depending on the type of motivation, although this correlation was low. Cardozo-de A, Rosa A1; Sánchez, Daniel2; Romano, Alejandra3; Romano, Elizabeth4; Castillo, Milagros5 1Docente Investigador Titular. Doctor en Ciencias Médicas, área de concentración Psiquiatría, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Campus de Bárbula, Pabellón 8. Dpto. de Salud Pública, Universidad de Carabobo. Venezuela 2Docente Investigador Agregado. Maestria en Investigación Educativa, Universidad de Carabobo. Departamento de Salud Pública,Campus de Bárbula, Pabellón 8. Universidad de Carabobo. Venezuela 3Médico Investigador, Departamento de Salud Pública. Universidad de Carabobo 4Odontólogo Docente Investigador, Universidad de Barcelona, España 5Docente Investigador Agregado. Maestría en Investigación Educativa, Universidad de Carabobo. Departamento de Salud Pública, Campus de Bárbula, Pabellón 8. Universidad de Carabobo. Venezuela Enviado: 02-06-2019 Revisado: 30-06-2019 Aceptado: 04-07-2019