Evolution of Universal Human Values Among Medical Students in India-A Cross-Sectional Study.

Objective: The purpose of higher education, particularly in the medical fields, is to serve humanity, and reflect on core values such as compassion, care, and empathy. This study examines how medical students uphold moral values as they progress through their education, addressing a research gap in the Indian context.

Methods: After obtaining Institutional Ethics Committee approval, a cross-sectional survey was conducted using a self-administered Google questionnaire. Content validity was ensured through consultations with 5 experts, and reliability was confirmed with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of .75. Data were collected from medical students in India using snowball sampling and analyzed using median, interquartile range, chi-squared test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis. The sample size was set at 518, taking into account the nonresponders.

Results: Of 1500 invites, 526 students responded, which corresponds to a response rate of 35.06%. Reliability analysis revealed a high internal consistency (α = .927), and the data were suitable for factor analysis (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin = 0.929). Principal component analysis identified three factors: Authority and Materialism, Enjoyment and Adventure, and Ethics and altruism, which explained 56% of the variance. Significant gender differences in Ethics and altruism were found. Correlation analysis revealed moderate positive relationships between authority and materialism and both enjoyment and adventure and ethics and altruism. Multiple regression showed that authority and materialism significantly impacts ethics and altruism (β = 0.684, p < .001), whereas enjoyment and adventure had a nonsignificant influence. Women performed better than men in ethics and altruism. This finding is discussed taking into account the unequal gender distribution.

Conclusion: The study shows that medical students prioritize ethics and altruism over authority and materialism, with enjoyment and adventure playing a balancing role. The significant influence of authority and materialism on ethics and altruism suggests that competitive and materialistic values influence ethical priorities. Understanding how different factors impact values and well-being can guide educators and policymakers in fostering ethical practices and supporting student resilience.