Using a medical volunteer program to motivate medical freshmen.

Purpose: A task force identified 4 core properties of motivation-related improvement and developed a medical volunteer program for 63 medical freshmen in 2012. Three overarching topics were examined: What were the contents of the program? Did students' motivation improve? Were the students satisfied with the course? Pretest and posttest motivation levels and program evaluation forms were analyzed.

Methods: We organized a series of committee meetings and identified 4 core factors of motivation. The program was conducted for 63 medical freshmen in March 2012. The program evaluation form was analyzed using SPSS 17.0.

Results: The core factors of motivation were interest in medical studies, volunteer-mindedness, medical humanities, and self-management. The program was composed of lectures, medical volunteer hours, and program evaluation and feedback sessions. Students' motivation differed significantly with regard to interest in medical studies (t=-2.40, p=0.020) and volunteer-mindedness (t=-3.45, p=0.001). Ninety percent of students were satisfied with the program, 67.8% of students were satisfied with the medical volunteer activity, and the feedback session of the program was meaningful (66.1%).

Conclusion: The medical volunteer program, held in the first month of the medical education year, was meaningful, but the reasons for dissatisfaction with the program should be examined. We should also develop a system that has lasting beneficial effects on academic achievement and career selection.