Some social characteristics and background of first‐year dental students, University of Sydney, 1976–85

Abstract

This paper presents some information, derived by questionnaire, on the social characteristics and background of 1148 first-year dental students at the University of Sydney for the years 1976-1985. Student entry age was 19.4 years; 27 per cent were female; 36 per cent of fathers and 24 per cent of mothers were professionals and 37 per cent of fathers and 11 per cent of mothers had attended university; parents of female students had higher educational levels than parents of male students; 55 per cent had medicine as the course of first preference. Eighty-five per cent of students entered dentistry from high school with 78 per cent from Sydney. Characteristics of students showed little change over the period 1976-1985. Some changes noted were an increase in the number of female students with fewer living in their parents' home; increase in number of students from government schools; decrease in foreign students but an increase in students (Australian citizens, or residents) born overseas, and of different ethnic backgrounds.

Social profile of first‐year dentistry students at the University of Sydney

“…The two highest categories for mothers' occupations were as white-collar workers (totalling 37.5 per cent over the two years) and being 'not employed' (32.5 per cent), while the previous study showed 56 per cent of mothers in the category of 'domestic/not working/pensioner/not given,' and 16 per cent in the 'professional' category (13 per cent of whom were teachers, nurses, phy s i otherapists, and so forth: occupations that are included as 'white-collar wo r k e rs' in this lat e r study). 1 Compared with the current studies, where 46.4 per cent of fathers' occupations over both years were in the manager/professional categor y, the 1992 study revealed 36 per cent of fathers working as professionals and 22 per cent in large and small businesses. 1 The fact that a lower percentage of female students' fat h e rs has a unive rsity or professional education than those of male students' reverses the trend identified in the previous study, where the parents of the female students had a higher level of education than those of the males.…”

“…1 Compared with the current studies, where 46.4 per cent of fathers' occupations over both years were in the manager/professional categor y, the 1992 study revealed 36 per cent of fathers working as professionals and 22 per cent in large and small businesses. 1 The fact that a lower percentage of female students' fat h e rs has a unive rsity or professional education than those of male students' reverses the trend identified in the previous study, where the parents of the female students had a higher level of education than those of the males. 1 Sivaneswaran and Barnard 1 suggested that this trend may have been influential in inspiring daughters to take up dentistry.…”

“…1 However, the slight decrease in female enrolments in 1995 was not unique; 1979 saw a similar decrease after an overall rise in female enrolments. It will be interesting to see if female enrolments in 1996 mirror the sharp increase that took place immediately after the earlier fall in 1980.…”

“…The percentage of more mature students (aged 20 years and over, and therefore not school leavers) -40.2 per cent over both years -represents a great increase from the decade 1976-1985, when a mere 15 per cent were this age-group. 1 According to Waters and Crook, 4 it is possible to analyse differential class position in terms of the concept of cultural capital. Cultural capital comprises cultural artefacts like books, paintings, and so on, cultural practices like attending concerts, visiting museums, speaking and dressing in a particular way, having been to the 'right' school, or having a university degree.…”

“…The survey was based on and adapted from a similar survey conducted by Farnill, Hayes and B a rr e t t 2 for firs t -year medical students at the University of Sydney. The 1995 survey differed slightly from that of 1994, and incorporated certain of the features found in Sivaneswaran and Barnard's study, 1 to make comparison with previous student populations more viable.…”