Why Study Medicine? Pre-meds not in it for the money, survey says
Posted on April 24, 2008
Filed Under Medical Students, Premedical Students, Medical (MD, DO)
by Charles Daniel and Michael O’Brien
SDN Staff Writers
For some, the answer to the question, “Why do you want to study medicine?” is a simple one: to make money. These individuals, however, are in a shrinking minority, a recent survey has found. Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions examined the responses of 914 students in its medical and law school preparatory courses to examine their motivations for professional study. It seems that even as the traditional financial windfalls associated with medicine continue to wane, students’ passion for medical study is as fiery as ever. In fact, less than half of pre-med respondents indicated their future earning potential “very much” or “somewhat” influenced their decision to study medicine. But what does this mean? Pre-professional students are notorious for their exaggerated claims of altruism while the true and ulterior motivation remains the big salary. …or at least that was the belief.
So, what’s the primary reason pre-meds gave for wanting to pursue medicine? “We wanted to get a better understanding of why our students chose medicine. We wanted to know what makes them tick,” said Matt Fidler, Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions’ Pre-Health director, “The biggest reason was the desire to help others and make a difference.” As verboten a response as it is during medical school interviews, Fidler’s survey suggests there may just be a hint of truth in it. Skeptics have long maintained that “helping others” and “making a difference” are merely lip service made by pre-professional students to get into school so they can earn the big bucks.
The survey by Kaplan found that while only 49% of pre-meds reported being primarily motivated by money, 71% of pre-law students indicated as much (based upon survey results of 453 Kaplan LSAT students in February 2008). Since law and medicine are both potentially lucrative fields, what could account for the difference? Of the over 400 pre-medical students surveyed, 89% listed either a desire to help others, a genuine interest in the sciences, or personal exposure to medicine as the impetus for their decision. “We think it’s great for them to pursue medicine with such passion,” Fidler said.
And passion they must have! While many individuals may report feeling squeamish at the mere mention of blood, these pre-meds are aware of and feel prepared for what they will face: a mere 12% say that the sight of blood makes them feel dizzy or faint, and only 11% are concerned about working with cadavers. The survey results further indicate that these iron-stomached students decided to pursue medicine as their career path in large part during adolescence, giving them ample time to prepare academically and emotionally for the road ahead. While the ability to earn a decent wage is a concern for students in all fields, perhaps it is not the critical factor for pre-meds it was believed to be.
These statistics are based on the responses of 461 Kaplan MCAT students in January 2008. To what extent these results are generalizable to pre-medical students as a group remains to be seen. This is the first time Kaplan has asked its students questions of this type, though it does survey its students on other important topics on a regular basis). Fidler indicates they plan to continue to do so in the future. “We just think students are interested in learning about their peers’ motivations to go to medical school,” he says. It will be very interesting indeed to see if this trend is observed in future Kaplan courses as well as outside the classroom!
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31 Responses to “Why Study Medicine? Pre-meds not in it for the money, survey says”
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“Pre-professional students are notorious for their exaggerated claims of altruism while the true and ulterior motivation remains the big salary. …or at least that was the belief.”
This survey does nothing to confirm altruism. What is the point of the article other than to confirm that medical students like to think they don’t need to earn a living?
This is certainly one of the weaknesses of surveys as a research instrument — everything is self-reported.
The article attempts to highlight the difference between the large percentage of pre-meds who self-reported altruistic motivations and the large percentage pre-law students who did not.
Both of these professions have the ability to yield staggering salaries so, all things being equal, why is there such a disparity? Are pre-law students just more honest?
Nowadays there are just so many more options out there for students who want to earn a high income and enjoy a better lifestyle. Let’s face it, becoming a physician is just about the hardest path in every way. It involves more time, more intense material, more debt and more of a lifestyle compromise than law, business, engineering, finance, etc. So I would think that many bright young students whose primary motivation is income/lifestyle would be attracted by, in this case, law than medicine. Leaving people who may not necessarily be altruistic but are at least motivated by other factors than money to pursue medicine.
If I were just looking for a higher paycheck, I could have gone to law school part time at night while still working full-time and be earning that high salary, with less debt, right around the time I can actually start med school (after finishing pre-reqs and applying).
So:
If 49% of the students are motivated by money, that actually probably means MOST students are! Assuming those 49% did not lie about going into medicine for the money (why would you lie and say you wanted the money instead of something else?). You can also assume part of the portion who said they are going into medicine to “help people” ARE lying! Adding up the 49% that admitted it and the xx% that lied, that is probably well over 60-70% of the students going into the profession for money.
Epic fail Kaplan
Wylde, I think your argument is specious. 49% is not a majority and thus not “most”. Sure, there may be people who falsely reported altruistic motives (see my comment above about the limitations of survey research), but there is nothing that automatically makes the 49% any more honest.
You say that “…probably well over 60-70%” of the surveyed students were in fact motivated by money. Your assumption that 21-31% of students lied has no statistical basis; to wit, neither of us is in a position to make that determination.
Lets be honest now. 100% of us took into consideration the aspect of financial gain and to say otherwise you are either a liar or completely ignorant and probably dont belong in medicine. I will say however, that many of us found medicine to be an altruistic career and that is what attracted us but there are plenty of careers that allow for altruistic motives to be achieved. The real issue behind this is that doctors are percieved as altruistic and lawyers are seen as “money hungry sue whatever breathes or moves” types. Thus, it only makes sense for medical students to state their altruistic motives because they believe thats what interviewers want them to say. Lets be honest, we’re not lawyers but then again we’re not ignorant either about the financial possibilities of medicine
To say that the financial renumeration never enters into the equation is almost universally a lie. Considering the amount of time, money, and suffering spent to become a doctor, I think it’s an incredibly rare person who is going to be willing to do that for $40, $50, $60, or even $100k.
D. Smith, you’re absolutely right. Even a cursory glance of the article reveals that nowhere does it say that money is not a factor whatsoever. The results show that it is not a *primary*, deciding factor. As Liz eloquently put it, medicine is an extremely long and difficult path to choose, especially in today’s climate of escalating debt and diminishing financial reward.
As for what interviewers want medical students to say, I don’t believe you are correct. Pre-meds are advised again and again *not* to discuss “wanting to help people” as their motivation for becoming a physician. Are you implying that pre-law students are encouraged to put “I want to be money-hungry and sue whatever moves or breathes”? I don’t think so.
The important thing to take away from this article is that it revealed an interesting trend among a limited number of students. That trend deserves further investigation.
KHE, see my comment to D. Smith.
yeah and I guess if they did a follow on on ppl applying for residency, ppl don’t want Derm just cuz of the money and lifestyle
Anon, that’s a valid question. Maybe someone should do that research and try to see how attitudes change through medical school.
This is a good article. Why are people so negative?
There should be a study to see how people who report money as their top reason for going into medicine do in patient care. It would be hilariously ironic if those who go into medicine for the money get sued more often because patients aren’t their primary concern.
Or maybe those who desire money due a much better job because there is something that keeps them going after the new hat feeling of “helping people” has worn off. That would be funny. Don’t you think?
49% “said” they went into it for primarily money concerns? Just think about how many just didn’t admit it. I think the title of this article is terrible–it’s really misleading. When I read the title…I was expecting a number like 25% or less.
“This is a good article. Why are people so negative?”
It isn’t a good article. It reports survey results and implies pre-med students are more altruistic than others based upon those results. There is a statement calling a “desire to help others and make a difference” “verboten”, which is not backed up with evidence, and likely bad advice. Furthermore, it directly reports that there is a “shrinking minority” of medical students concerned about money, but fails to back that claim up with any evidence. Finally it claims that medical students are “iron-stomached” since only 11-12% are squeemish about blood or cadavers, which is not contrasted with data on the general population. This is more like a blog posting than an article.
“Let’s face it, becoming a physician is just about the hardest path in every way. It involves more time, more intense material, more debt and more of a lifestyle compromise than law, business, engineering, finance, etc”
News to the ignorent:
Med school isn’t more academically intense than engineering….Medicine is much easier by a long shot….My engineering degree is the hardest thing I’ve ever done!
John Doe, PhD,PE,MD
I’d also wonder how how personal and intellectual challenge, and social approval fit into the mix. medicine isn’t the only career that has the potential to earn a good amount and help people, but it has some of the highest respect and social cache of the health professions.
And what about personal challenge, too? Not to say that doctors aren’t in it for the helping others, but especially when you break it down into specialties, many have a certain personality type, certain kinds of intellectual and physical stimulation they enjoy, and medicine is exciting and interesting in a way that other fields may be not.
Ultimately, it’s just a survey and it’s hard to see how factors that clearly covary have been acknowledged or teased apart. Does the social approval, financial $, and make it easier to say you’re going into it to help people? Likely!
Anonymous (4/25): You make some wonderful points, and we appreciate your feedback. That said, however, the some of the claims with which you take issue stem from popular beliefs about pre-meds. This survey — and that’s all it is: a survey — has found that at over 50% of a sample of pre-meds were not primarily swayed by the prospect of money. Was it a true scientific experiment? No, but very few surveys can be. Implying that some premeds are more altruistic that others does not a bad article make — this assertion is likely empirically true.
No one called a “desire to help others” verboten. Replying during a medical school interviewer’s question, “Why do you want to become a doctor?” is verboten because it is cliché and lacks depth and appropriate reflection, even if it *is* true.
Your criticism of the “iron-stomached” pre-meds is well-received. At the time of publication, no data was available for inclusion. We’ll consider this for future articles.
John Doe: Congratulations on your dual degrees! It must have taken a lot of blood, sweat, & tears. But “ignorant” is spelled with an “a”.
lola: Thank you for your comments. Indeed it is difficult to make a generalization about a short survey such as this one, and there are indeed likely many other factors at play. It would also be interesting to see what percentage of those reporting altruistic motives are paying entirely for their medical education on their own!
I think this article has some truth to it. Lets face it: just like every other person in the world, medical students have to earn a living. Yes becoming a physician can be highly lucrative. However, like the article says many start to consider this carrer as adolescents, a time when money is not as much a concern.
I think there is a time in almost everyone’s life that they start to beleive that they should be doing more in society. Whether it comes by way of volunteering, teaching, or treating patients is up to the individual. The field of medicine just so happens to be one of a few fields that people can fulfill their personal interests in medicine along with making contributions to their surrounding communities.
The article has a point. All of us need some amount of money in order too survive. But we just don’t want to go into medicine for the money. It’s just too bad that Kaplan was involved. (Their focus is definitely on money, in my opinion.)
I love this blogs. You are looking in a mirror.
If money was so importatn for us why are people doing peds, family, infectious disease, etc.
Goverment employees get more than them.
Yes, money is importan. I have never heard anyone say, God I want to be poor when I grow-up or flip burguers.
But doing all those years to earn minimum wage, I don’t think so either.
Let’s also consider that this survey only includes students who took the Kaplan MCAT course, meaning that the sample consists entirely of students who are willing and able to pay a couple grand for a prep class. My assumption would be that this sub-group of all pre-med students is probably coming from a higher-income background than their counterparts who don’t take the Kaplan course. I would think that this would make a difference in their views of the importance of money (although I could see the difference being in either direction).
good point nb. Probably a more money-conscious group. Wonder if the non-Kaplan people are as interested in money…I would assume there would be a small difference, at least. Anyway…it’s interesting in a way because the information you get out of a study is only as good as what you put in. And this is a broad generalization, at best.
i got a thought, maybe pre-meds are lying to themselves? Mommy and daddy has supported them for most of their lives, they don’t have to pay back debt yet, buy a house, pay their own bills. Its easy to be altruistic when one doesnt have to face the realities of the real world. As to the person who asked why people go into FP, IM or Peds, the answer is simple, the # of derm spots is quite limited.
i got a thought, maybe pre-meds are lying to themselves? Mommy and daddy has supported them for most of their lives, they don’t have to pay back debt yet, buy a house, pay their own bills. Its easy to be altruistic when one doesnt have to face the realities of the real world. As to the person who asked why people go into FP, IM or Peds, the answer is simple, the # of derm spots is quite limited.
My “primary” motivation for going into medicine was simple: I thought I could be really good at it. There are FAR easier ways to help people and make a difference, and there are much more lucrative ways to make big bucks, as evidenced by all my college peers who are now driving european cars while I continue to put the miles on my Saturn.
Fact is, I do want to help people, I do want to live comfortably, and I do like science. Medicine is a great fit.
Also, for the record, I always wanted to do peds, and I never ever ever wanted a dermatology spot. Hardly anybody goes into FP or IM or Peds after failing to get a Derm spot; that was a ridiculous comment.
For me, joining the medical school was a relatively parent-influenced decision, to an extent of say 30%.
For the part (70%) that made it my decision, my reasons were (in order):
I thought I’d make a good doctor
I’d help the sick
Make some money & enjoy my title.
Pre-meds don’t count. I think all med school applicants should have to do 1-2 months of residency like experience.
No one understands medicine until they are residents. Residents should be asked the same questions. Debt and disrespect from failures a.k.a a lot of patients these days change people’s motives. Radiology, anesthesiology anyone?
Also, engineers don’t count. I can’t stand when people even try to compare other degrees to medicine. FYI: engineers and others can test and reset. That doesn’t really apply to people.
Dr. Doe: Uh, not “ignorent” at all. My undergrad was a double-major in mathematics and chemical engineering. Med school is kicking my ass in comparison.
Am 2ND year medical student makerere university, uganda.The views have been an eye opener.I want to be a doctor because i want to help my people and make adifferece in someone,s life not necessarily because of money. It is patient first then money later.
that 49% should try working at a PCP’s office for a while, in fact lets throw in a PCP office that works for an HMO. Then lets see if they still want to go into medicine for the money.