Degree Name
MA (Master of Arts)
Program
Sociology
Date of Award
12-2013
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Martha Copp
Committee Members
Joseph Baker, Leslie McCallister
Abstract
In anticipation of an expected national shortage of primary care physicians, 24 medical students from the East Tennessee State University Quillen College of Medicine were selected through a snowball sample and participated in in-depth interviews. A major aim of the study was to explore the social and economic factors influencing students’ specialty choice and career interests. Students’ perceptions of “rural” environments, student debt, professional obligations, specialties, and preceptorship experiences were analyzed. Students’ gender heavily influenced their feelings about choosing a medical specialty, as did their stereotypes of physicians in particular medical fields. The thesis concludes with recommendations for challenging negative stereotypes about primary care professions and addressing patterns of inequality within the medical profession.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Lawson, Casey L., "Becoming the Best Mom or the Best Doctor? Gender Inequality and Medical Students’ Specialty Choice" (2013). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 2265. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/2265
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.