Calling, vocational development, and well being: A longitudinal study of medical students

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Abstract

The present study investigated the relation of calling to the vocational development and well-being of a sample of medical students. Students were surveyed at two time points: prior to beginning the first year of medical school and prior to beginning the third year of medical school. At each time point, calling moderately correlated with positive vocational development and life meaning. At Time 2, participants had higher levels of vocational development relative to Time 1 and lower levels of calling and life satisfaction relative to Time 1. Calling at Time 1 did not significantly predict vocational development or life meaning at Time 2. However, vocational development and life meaning at Time 1 each significantly predicted calling at Time 2. Students who were able to view their lives as more meaningful and advanced in their vocational development over time also endorsed higher levels of a career calling. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Research highlights

► Students were surveyed prior to their first year of medical school and prior to their third year of medical school. ► At each time point, calling moderately correlated with life meaning and vocational development. ► At Time 2, students endorsed greater vocational development and lower life meaning and calling relative to Time 1. ► Vocational development and life meaning at Time 1 each significantly predicted calling at Time 2.

Section snippets

Calling, vocational development, and well-being

Over the past 15 years, scholars have focused mainly on how calling relates to career and well being outcomes. College students endorsing higher levels of a calling display more positive work-related outcome expectations and greater career self-efficacy, intrinsic motivation, career decidedness, choice comfort, vocational self-clarity, and academic satisfaction (Dik et al., 2008, Duffy et al., 2011, Duffy and Sedlacek, 2007). Similar, positive links between calling and career outcomes have been

First 2 years of medical school

Given the prevalence of endorsing a calling among students seeking a medical degree (Duffy & Sedlacek, 2010), and dimensions of calling being integral to the medical profession (serving others, meaningful work; Hojat et al., 2009, Strobel, 2009, Roberts, 2010), we view medical students as an ideal population to study the calling construct. The first 2 years of medical school represent a critical time span in the overall careers of medical students. During this period, students are adjusting to

The present study

The present study has three main goals. First, we examined how calling related to well-being and vocational development within a population that has yet to be studied, medical students. Guided by findings from previous research with both student and adult populations (e.g.,Bunderson and Thompson, 2009, Duffy and Sedlacek, 2007), we hypothesized that calling would correlate positively with greater vocational development and well-being, as measured by life meaning and life satisfaction. Second,

Participants

Participants were 110 out of 159 possible first year medical students enrolled at a public university in the Midwest who began medical school in 2008. This group was comprised of 68 males, 38 females, and 4 who did not identify their gender. In 2010, approximately 2 years after the first round of data collection, 68 participants (62%) in the initial group completed the follow up survey. Of the 68 that completed the surveys twice, 41 were males, 25 were females, and 2 did not report their gender.

Procedure

Results

Prior to data analysis, all four variables at Time 1 and Time 2 were assessed for normality, and none of the variables had skew or kurtosis levels above one. As such, variables were kept in their original format. First, we examined mean differences in the four variables of interest over the first 2 years of medical school. As the Medical Career Development Inventory (MCDI), measuring vocational development, contained seven subscales, we explored if scores on these subscales differed from Time 1

Discussion

Partially supporting our hypotheses, students endorsing higher levels of a calling were moderately more likely to view their lives as meaningful and be advanced in their vocational development; calling and life satisfaction only significantly correlated at Time 1. These findings mirror previous research with undergraduate and adult populations (Bunderson and Thompson, 2009, Duffy and Sedlacek, 2007, Duffy and Sedlacek, 2010) and speak to the idea that a calling is tied to both career and

Limitations and future directions

The results and conclusions of the current study need to be considered in light of a number of limitations. First and foremost are limitations around this study's sample. Although this sample was chosen for its specificity to one work domain, the major downside is that the results are difficult to extend beyond the medical student population. Medical students and the medical school experience are unique, and more research will be needed to understand how calling changes over time in other

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