Changes in background and characteristics in freshmen in one graduate medical school from 2009 to 2011

We examined the changes in background and characteristics in freshmen in graduate medical school from 2009 to 2011.

We analyzed the responses to a self-questionnaire which were about sex, age, graduation, major, religion and etc. The data were analyzed by t-test, chi-square test.

The freshman population in 2009 and 2011 year was 44% and 58.4% male, and 56% and 41.6% female; had a mean age of 27.3 and 27.4; 41.6% and 32.0% Christian, 33.6% and 47.2% atheist, 76.0% and 68.8% graduates; and 48.0% and 50.4% in the capital region, respectively. With regard to future career, 43.2% and 43.2% of freshmen responded clinical professor, 29.6% and 27.2% private clinics, 8.0% and 13.6% medical researcher, 8.8% and 6.4% public officer, 6.4% and 3.2% basic science faculty, and 4.0% and 6.4% others. With regard to future majors, 20.0% and 20.0% answered internal medicine, 11.2% and 8.0% psychiatrics, 8.8% and 8.8% general surgery, 8.0% and 8.8% pediatrics, 4.8% and 4.8% chest surgery, 33.6% and 36.0% others, and 13.6% and 13.6% undecided, respectively.

The populations of males, atheists, graduation candidate, and medical researchers increased, those of females, Christian, and those born in Gwangju and Jeonnam decreased, and those of mean age, future careers and majors, birth place in the capital region were unchanged.