Sustaining the Intrinsic Motivations of the "Good Physician": A Content Analysis of Medical Students' and Physicians' Responses from Two National Surveys. Issue 10 (October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kim, Jenny; Kim, Jae; Shen, Elizabeth; Yoon, John D.
• Is Part Of: Southern medical journal. Volume 115:Issue 10(2022)
• Page Start: 727
• Page End: 733
• Publication Date: 2022-10
• Subjects: intrinsic motivation -- Professional Journey Essay (PJE) -- reality shock -- reflective practice -- social forces; Medicine -- Periodicals; 610.5
• DOI: 10.14423/SMJ.0000000000001450
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0038-4348

Abstract

Abstract : The authors performed a preliminary investigation of the impact of social forces on the "meaning making" of physicians' professional identities and their intrinsic motivations for pursuing the medical profession. This study was a secondary data analysis of two national surveys (medical students and practicing physicians from various specialties) in which content analysis was performed on open-ended survey items that elicited students' and physicians' responses to meaningful experiences in medicine. Their findings suggest that the reality of social forces in medicine threaten the ability of practicing physicians to derive meaning from their work, although students and physicians still report intrinsic motivation from establishing meaningful relationships. Abstract: Objective: Physician motivation has been described as the reason, purpose, and force that drives people to pursue their work, and motivating factors include those that are intrinsic or extrinsic to the work. Social forces may contribute to motivational disparities between medical school and actual practice. Methods: A secondary data analysis of two national surveys (medical students and practicing physicians from various specialties) was conducted. Content analysis was performed on open-ended survey items that elicited students' and physicians' responses to meaningful experiences in medicine. Results: In the medical student sample, four themes were identified as factors intrinsic to medicine: role models, clinical experiences, patient interactions, and peer interactions. In total, intrinsic factors comprised 86.5% (193/208) of coded responses. In the practicing physician sample, five themes were identified as factors intrinsic to medicine: difficult patient interactions, conflict with colleagues or staff, meaningful patient interactions, involvement in medical education-research-academia, and medicine as a calling/mission. In total, intrinsic factors comprised 24.0% (140/582) of coded responses. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the reality of social forces in medicine threatens the ability of practicing physicians to derive meaning from their work, although students and physicians still report intrinsic motivation from establishing meaningful relationships. Further research is needed to explore what strategies enable physicians to wisely navigate the dynamic interactions of intrinsic and extrinsic motivators over various stages of their careers. These strategies could include encouraging reflective spaces in physicians' workplaces that have a specific focus on sustaining intrinsic motivation in medicine.