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From Optimism to Prioritization: A Comparative Study of First- and Final-Year Medical Students' Interest in Physician
Sari Huikko-Tarvainen1, Timo Tuovinen1,2,3, Petri Kulmala1,3
1Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development
|February 16, 2026
Summary
Medical students
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Healthcare Leadership
- Physician Development
Background:
- Physician leadership is crucial for healthcare system improvement.
- Medical students' interest in leadership roles is not well understood.
- Understanding this interest is key to developing future leaders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and compare leadership interest between first- and final-year medical students.
- To identify factors influencing medical students' inclination towards leadership roles.
Main Methods:
- A mixed-methods approach using online questionnaires distributed in 2021.
- Inductive content analysis of free-text responses and quantitative analysis.
- Comparison between first-year (n=109) and final-year (n=95) medical students.
Main Results:
- First-year students showed higher optimism and interest in leadership roles (38.5% strong interest) compared to final-year students (30.5% strong interest).
- Final-year students displayed greater disinterest (37.9%) and prioritized clinical roles, influenced by identity formation and clinical demands.
- Conditional interest was higher in first-year students (30.3%) versus final-year students (24.2%).
Conclusions:
- Clinical responsibilities and physician identity formation impact leadership interest during medical training.
- Early, longitudinal leadership education integrated into clinical practice is recommended.
- This approach can sustain interest, support career decisions, and develop future physician leaders.
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