Calling situated: a survey among medical students supplemented by a qualitative study and a comparison with a surveyed sample of physicians

Abstract

Background Calling within the medical context receives growing academic attention and empirical research has started to demonstrate its beneficial effects. The purpose of this study is to investigate what motivates students to enter medical school and what role calling may play (i), to evaluate if calling influences the way in which they experience their studies (ii), and to compare medical students’ experience of calling with those of physicians. Methods A questionnaire survey was distributed among medical students (N = 1048; response rate above 60%) of the University of Lausanne in Switzerland. It was supplemented by a group discussion between bachelor medical students (N = 8) and senior physicians (N = 4), focusing on different facets of calling. An existing data set of a survey among physicians, addressing calling with the same questionnaire, was used to compare students’ and physicians’ attitudes towards calling. Survey data were analyzed with the habitual statistical procedures for categorical and continuous variables. The group discussion was analyzed with thematic analysis. Results The survey showed that experiencing calling is a motivational factor for study choice and influences positively choice consistency. Students experiencing calling differed from those who did not: they attributed different definitions to calling, indicated more often prosocial motivational factors for entering medical school and perceived the learning context as less burdensome. The analysis of the group discussion revealed that the concept of calling has a fluid definition. It was conceived as having the characteristics of a double-edged sword and as originating from within or outside or from a dialectic interplay between the inner and outer world. Finally, calling is experienced less often by physicians than by medical students, with a decreasing prevalence as the immersion in the clinical years of the study of medicine progresses. Conclusions Calling plays an important role in study choice and consistency of medical students. Given its relevance for medical students and its ramifications with the learning context, calling should become a topic of the reflexive parts of the medical curriculum. We critically discuss the role played by calling for medical students and provide some perspectives on how calling could be integrated in the reflection and teaching on physicianhood.

Promotion of self-directed learning abilities among Chinese medical students through preparing for career calling and enhancing teaching competencies in medical education: a cross-sectional study

“…Moreover, a high level of career calling is related to positive emotions [ 25 ], and this active feeling can lead to proactive behaviors [ 26 ]. In essence, career calling can maintain the passion of medical students for learning, encouraging them to actively plan and conduct their studies [ 27 ]. Can it be extrapolated that the higher the career calling of a Chinese medical student, the better their SDL ability?…”

Moderating Role of Peer Pressure and Positive Learning Environment Between Career Calling and Academic Procrastination in Chinese Medical Students During Controlled COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

“… 25 Moreover, career calling can maintain motivation and passion for studying and drive medical students to become medical professionals. 26 Bonvin believed that career calling should be added to the medical education curriculum to improve the quality of education and stimulate students’ active learning. 26 Career calling may serve as a protective factor against academic procrastination among medical students.…”

“… 26 Bonvin believed that career calling should be added to the medical education curriculum to improve the quality of education and stimulate students’ active learning. 26 Career calling may serve as a protective factor against academic procrastination among medical students. However, there is a lack of evidence on the relationship between career calling and academic procrastination among Chinese medical students.…”