On the formation of professional self-determination of future doctors

The article discusses the features of professional self-determination of Medical University students of the 1st and 6th courses. A set of experimental psychological methods was used: the method of «Un-finished phrases» which reveals the attitude of medical students to their future profession; questionnaire aimed at assessing the importance of personal qualities in the doctor’s work (students’ opinion); diagnostic technique of value orientations in career «Career anchors». It is revealed that the freshmen have an idealized view of medical practice; graduates’ perception of the medical profession includes communication skills to interact with the patient, they are aware of the impact of their personal properties and needs for the professional activity. Learning process, observing elder colleagues’ interaction with patients and experience of working in health care facilities affect on the development of students’ professional self-determination. In the process of training and education of medical students it’s necessary, given the importance of career orientation «service», to complete its with realistic content, as it is one of the motivating factors for the development of professional competence and further self-determination of a doctor.

medical students at the university, professional self-determination, personal qualities of the physician, presentation of the sick students, career orientation