What happens to creative medical students?

A psychometric index of creative potential was devised by relating test scores to ratings of creativity in samples of architects, engineers, mathematicians, psychologists, and research scientists. A correlation of .45 was obtained between scores on this index and the criterion ratings in the total initial sample of 350 men. The tests used to compute scores on the index were also available for 284 first-year medical students being studied as physicians in a longitudinal inquiry on speciality choice and location of practice. The mean creativity score of the medical students was higher than that for any of the other samples. Within the array of means for medical specialty groups, psychiatrists ranked first and internists second. Students who failed to complete medical school also scored high, suggesting that dropping out is not just a matter of poor academic potential or unsuitability for a career in medicine.