[Differences in medical specialty choice and in personality factors among female and male medical students].
This study was designed to investigate the connection between medical students' gender and their medical specialty preference, empathy and personal values.


METHODS
The sample of 199 students was obtained from Medical University of Łódz, 124 were female and 75 were male. Distribution by class was 45.23% fifth year and 54.77% sixth year. The mean age of the students was 24.07 years (SD = 0.92). They had demographic survey and reliable tests performed. Empathy was examined with Empathy Questionnaire by A. Weglinski and personal values by Allport-Vernon-Lindzey Study of Values and Scheler's Personal Values Scale by P. Brzozowski.


RESULTS
In the research medical students' gender was associated with medical students' specialty preference (p < 0.001). Men favoured surgery whereas women preferred gynaecology and internal medicine. In this study female students scored higher in empathy (p < 0.001) and in the Religious Values (p < 0.01). Male students scored higher in the Economic Values (p < 0.05). There was no significant association between medical students' gender and other personal values.


CONCLUSIONS
There is the connection between medical students' gender and their medical specialty preference. Medical students gender is associated with their empathy, religious values and economic values.
Pawełczyk
Agnieszka
A
Poradnia Zdrowia Psychicznego, ZOZ dla Szkół Wyzszych PLMA w Łodzi. agnieszka.pawelczyk@wp.pl
Pawełczyk
Tomasz
T
Bielecki
Jan
J
D000328:Adult; D002321:Career Choice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008511:Medicine; D010551:Personality; D012737:Sex Factors; D013038:Specialization; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*