[The ideal physician: medical students' image of the profession]

To investigate the view medical students have of the medical profession.

Cross sectional study of year cohorts, Utrecht.

The attitudes of 445 medical students towards the 'ideal physician' were studied. It is often assumed that medical students' attitudes change to a less care-oriented direction as they proceed in their education. It is also assumed that female students' attitudes are more care-oriented than male students' attitudes. Traits of the ideal physician were described in a scale of 18 care-versus cure oriented items. Validity and reliability of the measuring instrument were sufficient. The scores of pre-clinical and clinical, male and female students were obtained.

Contrary to expectation, ideals of clinical students. In were more care-oriented than ideals of beginning students. In general, students' ideals were neutral to slightly care-oriented. As was expected, female students' ideals were more care-oriented than male students' ideals.

Medical students did not lose their slightly care-oriented ideals as they progressed. Female students held more care-oriented attitudes than their male colleagues.