title: Indian medical students in public and private sector medical schools: are motivations and career aspirations different? - studies from Madhya Pradesh, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In recent years, there has been a massive growth in the private medical education sector in South Asia. India's large private medical education sector reflects the market driven growth in private medical education. Admission criteria to public medical schools are based on qualifying examination scores, while admission into private institutions is often dependent on relative academic merit, but also very much on the ability of the student to afford the education. This paper from Madhya Pradesh province in India aims to study and compare between first year medical students in public and private sector medical schools (i) motives for choosing a medical education (ii) career aspirations on completion of a medical degree (iii) willingness to work in a rural area in the short and long terms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross sectional survey of 792 first year medical students in 5 public and 4 private medical schools in the province.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences in the background characteristics of students in public and private medical schools. Reasons for entering medical education included personal ambition (23%), parental desire (23%), prestigious/secure profession (25%) or a service motive (20%). Most students wished to pursue a specialization (91%) and work in urban areas (64%) of the country. A small proportion (7%) wished to work abroad. There were no differences in motives or career aspirations between students of public or private schools. 40% were willing to work in a rural area for 2 years after graduating; public school students were more willing to do so.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was little difference in background characteristics, motives for entering medicine or career aspirations between medical students in from public and private sector institutions.
authors.affiliation: R,D, Gardi Medical College, Agar Road, Ujjain, India. vishaldiwan@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Vishal
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Diwan
authors.forename: Christie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Minj
authors.forename: Neeraj
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chhari
authors.forename: Ayesha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Costa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002321:Career Choice; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D017149:Private Sector; D017150:Public Sector; D012577:Schools, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
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