Medical Students' Religious Affiliation as Related to Values and Attitudes toward Patient Care

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Abstract
Medical students grouped on the basis of their religious affiliation are compared in terms of values, personality, and attitudes measured upon entering and graduating from medical school. Instruments used were the Allport-Vernon-Lindzey Study of Values, the Survey of Interpersonal Values, Rokeach Dogmatism Scale, and the Cancer Attitude Survey. Several fundamental dissimilarities among the groups are accounted for by three discriminant factors. A basic difference is reflected in subjects' religious values and their attitudes pertaining to immortality and death. Latter Day Saints, Catholics, and Protestants attach more importance to religion than Jewish and non-affiliated students, have higher religious values, and express stronger belief in personal immortality and preparation for death. During medical school training, differential changes occur. Protestants and Catholics change the most. At graduation significant variations are noted with respect to career and specialty choices and preferences for location of future practice. The findings are discussed in the context of the potential effect of the groups' differential characteristics upon the care they will give to their patients.