Medical teachers' attitudes towards science and motivational orientation for medical research

Cvek, Mario and Hren, Darko and Sambunjak, Dario and Planinc, Mislav and Mačković, Maja and Marušić, Ana and Marušić, Matko (2009) Medical teachers' attitudes towards science and motivational orientation for medical research. Wiener klinische Wochenschrift, 121 (7-8). pp. 256-261. ISSN 0043-5325

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Research is an important motivating factor for pursuing a career in academic medicine, but the relation between motivation and other factors involved in scientific research are not clear. ----- PURPOSE: To explore the motivational orientation for doing research and its relation with attitudes towards science and publication practice among members of faculty at a medical school. ----- METHODS: We used a Science Attitude Survey and the Work Preference Inventory (intrinsic and extrinsic motivational orientation using 4 Likert-type scales of motivation, possible range 1-5) to survey two groups of teachers at the Zagreb University School of Medicine (n = 327, 66% response rate): professors, elected to tenure-track positions (n = 150), and instructor/research fellows working on or just completing their thesis (n = 177). RESULTS: Overall, teachers scored highest on the Enjoyment subscale of intrinsic motivational orientation (mean score +/- standard deviation 4.3 +/- 0.42 for professors vs 4.1 +/- 0.42 for instructors/research fellows, P = 0.001, t-test). Professors also scored higher than instructors/research fellows on the Challenge subscale of intrinsic motivational orientation (3.8 +/- 0.55 vs. 3.5 +/- 0.64, P < 0.001, t-test), whereas instructors/research fellows scored higher on the Compensation subscale of extrinsic motivational orientation (3.5 +/- 0.74 vs. 3.1 +/- 0.71, P < 0.001, t-test). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the number of publications was positively associated with scores on the Science Attitude Survey and the Challenge subscale of intrinsic motivation, and negatively associated with scores on the Compensation subscale of extrinsic motivation. ----- CONCLUSIONS: Members of the medical faculty differ in motivational orientation for research depending on their academic status, and their motivation is associated more with requirements for academic advancement than with research. These findings have important implications for developing strategies for enhancing academic research production.

Item Type: Article
MeSH: Adult ; Aged ; Attitude of Health Personnel ; Career Choice ; Croatia ; Data Collection ; Faculty, Medical ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Motivation ; Publishing ; Questionnaires ; Research ; Schools, Medical ; Young Adult
Departments: Uredništvo časopisa Croatian Medical Journal
Depositing User: Marijan Šember
Status: Published
Creators:
CreatorsEmail
Cvek, MarioUNSPECIFIED
Hren, DarkoUNSPECIFIED
Sambunjak, DarioUNSPECIFIED
Planinc, MislavUNSPECIFIED
Mačković, MajaUNSPECIFIED
Marušić, AnaUNSPECIFIED
Marušić, MatkoUNSPECIFIED
Date: 2009
Date Deposited: 30 Sep 2009
Last Modified: 19 Mar 2020 11:09
Subjects: /
Related URLs:
URI: http://medlib.mef.hr/id/eprint/657

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