Özet:

Background: The present study aims to develop a scale to determine medical students’ attitudes towards medical profession. Methods: The reserarchers examined the literature related with medical profession and attitude scales. Initially, the 63 items supposed to take place at the scale were written. After being eliminated, Likert styled 50-items was planned. An half of the items were positive. This scale draft was reviewed by six experts for content validity. Based on these experts’ opinions, 14 items were eliminated and a 36-item test form was answered by 491 students who registered at Ege University Medical Faculty in the 2005-2006 academic year. The study group consisted of 390 students who responded to all the items of the scale. To test the structure validity of the scale and find out its sub-dimensions, the explanatory factor analysis was performed. The five items were eliminated firstly from the scree plot and eigenvalues. Then the seven items were eliminated with the varimax rotated factor analysis and three sub-dimensions were found. Three experts’ opinions were taken for the subdimensions’ names and they were designated respectively willingness, helping and dedication to profession. Finally, the confirmatory factor analysis was done for testing the model of the three sub-dimensions. The fit indexes of the scale were confirmed the model of related three subdimensions. The reliability (Cronbach alpha) of the Medical Profession Attitude Scale (MPAS) was found 0.95. The MPAS was included 12 positive and 12 negative items. Findings: According to exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis 26 items eliminated from 50 item scale for validity of MPAS. Coefficient alfa value for the scale were 0,95. Conclusion: Findings indicated that, the MPAS is a valid and reliable measuring tool for medical students.

Anahtar Kelimeler: