High school studentsʼ motivations for a career as a physician

Ask achievement-oriented high school students what they think of becoming a physician and they will respond that it is not their top career choice. Of the 180 high-achieving students surveyed by the authors in 1986, 93% of the white students and 82% of the black students aspired to graduate and professional degrees. "Physician" was listed as the second career choice by 30% of the white students and 17% of the black students. The two groups differed in some of the motivation factors stated for considering any career choice and in their perceptions of the values that are offered in a career as a physician.