Differences in medical specialty choice and in personality factors among female and male medical students

UNLABELLED: This study was designed to investigate the connection between medical students' gender and their medical specialty preference, empathy and personal values. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sample of 199 students was obtained from Medical University of Łodz, 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.