Introduction

Demographic changes are leading to a rapid increase in the number of older adults, which poses new challenges for the healthcare system. The career choices made by medical students have a significant impact on this situation. Understanding the factors shaping student motivation is crucial for planning effective teaching strategies. The aim of the study was to assess the level and type of motivation among medical students to work with older adults.

Material and methods

The study was conducted using a diagnostic survey method, employing a proprietary questionnaire and the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS). Statistical analyses were performed using nonparametric tests. The study included 240 medical students from various universities in Poland; participation was voluntary and anonymous.

Results

Women constituted the majority of the sample (81.7%). The mean age of the respondents was 24.18 (SD ±4.00) years. The highest level of motivation was observed in the areas of external regulation (M = 5.36, SD = 1.10) and identification (M = 5.30, SD = 0.98), and the lowest for amotivation (M = 2.94, SD = 1.60). No significant differences were found based on gender or planned workplace. Differences were found between fields of study regarding selected types of motivation. Year of study was weakly positively correlated with identification (rho = 0.16, p = 0.012) and external regulation (rho = 0.14, p = 0.026). Individuals with experience caring for an elderly family member exhibited lower levels of amotivation (p = 0.023).

Conclusions

Motivation among medical students was moderately high, with a predominance of external regulation and identification and a low level of amotivation. Experience in caring for the elderly was associated with a lower level of amotivation. Data analysis revealed a gradual increase in the levels of identification and external regulation over the course of their studies.