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The Relationship Between Gender and Postgraduate Aspirations Among First‐ and Fourth‐Year Students at Public Dental Schools: A Longitudinal Analysis
Author(s) -
Scarbecz Mark,
Ross Judith A.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of dental education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.53
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1930-7837
pISSN - 0022-0337
DOI - 10.1002/j.0022-0337.2007.71.6.tb04336.x
Subject(s) - graduation (instrument) , medical education , psychology , affect (linguistics) , dental education , endodontics , medicine , family medicine , dentistry , communication , geometry , mathematics
The purpose of this study was to examine gender differences and other predictors of postgraduate plans among U.S. dental students. A national sample of dental students was surveyed in their first and fourth years of dental school. Female first‐year students were less likely than male students to express interest in specialization in endodontics and oral surgery. Fourth‐year students who had a dental school mentor, a high GPA, and encouragement from significant others were more likely to apply for postgraduate training. Gender and first‐year interest in dental specialization did not affect the likelihood of applying for postgraduate training in the fourth year. Female fourth‐year students were more likely to predict that they would be an associate in a practice five years following graduation. The results suggest that mentoring and faculty encouragement are important influences on dental students’ plans for postgraduate education.