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A Tinted Look at

Med. Ed.

Why Does One Choose to be

a Medical Student ?

PSU Medical Education Newsletter Vol. 1 No. 2 April - June 1994

This question probably has a depth of meaning in societies where medical
studentship is an honor; and the warning is that in Thailand this may result

in producing physicians who are less interested in the art of healing or in
being social healers than in being graduated medical students.
What factors are involved in Thai students applying to be undergrads
at a medical faculty? In general, what are the criteria used by students in
choosing the varied faculties? Do they really want a career in that field, do

they just follow their friends, do their grades happen to reach that level, or
do their parents dictate it? And so on and so forth. Once they have started
their courses, what proportion of the dissatisfied stay on and how do they
fare? Once graduated how many percent pursue a different career? Would you
like to reflect on the factors which dictated your choice of medical school,
and much later when you became heavily (or not so heavily) involved in
teaching? I was lucky. I chose medicine because I love it. I did not even

entertain a second choice. I sometimes wonder what I would have turned out
to be if I had had my secondary education in Thailand and had not achieved
the grades to enter a medical school. How long would I have persisted in
trying?

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