Becoming the Best Mom or the Best Doctor? Gender Inequality and Medical Students’ Specialty Choice

<p>In anticipation of an expected national shortage of primary care physicians, 24 medical students from the East Tennessee State University Quillen College of Medicine were selected through a snowball sample and participated in in-depth interviews. A major aim of the study was to explore the social and economic factors influencing students’ specialty choice and career interests. Students’ perceptions of “rural” environments, student debt, professional obligations, specialties, and preceptorship experiences were analyzed. Students’ gender heavily influenced their feelings about choosing a medical specialty, as did their stereotypes of physicians in particular medical fields. The thesis concludes with recommendations for challenging negative stereotypes about primary care professions and addressing patterns of inequality within the medical profession.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

MA (Master of Arts)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis - unrestricted

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Sociology

Year dc:date.issued

2013

Author dc:creator

• Lawson, Casey L

• Family Medicine
• Primary Care
• Medical Students
• Specialty Choice
• Gender
• Physician Stereotypes
• Medicine and Health Sciences
• Sociology

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright by the authors.

Repository record dc:identifier

https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/2265

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dc.etsu.edu:etd-3377