Publication: Influential factors in students’ decision making to enter dental profession at Mahidol University.
Accepted Date
2014-07-22
Issued Date
2014-09
Resource Type
Language
eng
ISSN
0125-5614 (printed)
Rights
Mahidol University
Rights Holder(s)
Faculty of Dentistry Mahidol University
Bibliographic Citation
Yimfungfieng N, Srisatjaluk R, Koohawayrojanapakorn S. Influential factors in students decision making to enter dental profession at Mahidol University. M Dent J. 2014; 34(3): 330-7.
Suggested Citation
Nannapat Yimfungfieng, Ratchapin Srisatjaluk, รัชชพิน ศรีสัจจะลักษณ์, Somkiat Koohawayrojanapakorn Influential factors in students’ decision making to enter dental profession at Mahidol University.. Yimfungfieng N, Srisatjaluk R, Koohawayrojanapakorn S. Influential factors in students decision making to enter dental profession at Mahidol University. M Dent J. 2014; 34(3): 330-7.. Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/1071
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Thesis
Title
Influential factors in students’ decision making to enter dental profession at Mahidol University.
Corresponding Author(s)
Abstract
Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the influential factors on a
student’s decision to choose dentistry as a career and to enroll in dental
program at the Faculty of Dentistry, Mahidol University.
Materials and methods: The questionnaire was used to collect data from
first-year dental students at Mahidol University in the academic year of 2013.
It was formulated into 2 parts; 1) personal information and 2) factors
influencing the decision to choose dentistry and enroll in the university. To
study the influential factors on choosing dentistry, two major areas; personal
reasons and vocational reasons were evaluated. The institutional factors
were investigated to determine the reasons to enroll in Mahidol University.
The students were asked to rate the importance of each item based on a
5-point Likert scale of 1 (not important) to 5 (very important).
Results: Out of 110 students, 99 participated in this study. Results from the
personal reasoning on choosing dentistry showed that ‘guidance and support
from parents’ had higher influence than ‘good high school performance’.
Regarding the vocational reason, ‘job security’ seems to be the predominant
reason, followed by ‘desire to help other people’, and ‘work independently’.
The institution factors were ranked from the highest to the lowest mean score
as faculty facilities, reputation, alumni, and scholarship availability.
Sociodemographic factors that showed statistically significant effects on each
influential factor were the GPAX and admission system in the mean scores of
‘good high school performance’, and the domicile in those of ‘work
independently’(p <0.05).
Conclusions: Our results indicated that first-year Mahidol dental students is
attracted to dentistry due to a positive perception of the work assurance,
followed by the altruistic motivations of helping other people, and the ability
to work independently. Additionally, the guidance and support from parents
were among the important factors in the decision making.