Chinese Journal of Medical Education ›› 2026, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (3): 181-186.DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.cn115259-20240528-00536

• Education of Morals and Medical Ethics • Previous Articles     Next Articles

The influence of risk situations of doctor-patient disputes and professional identity on rural-oriented tuition-waived medical student's willingness for grassroots service

Liu Yiyang1, Shu Yanping2, Huang Shihua1   

  1. 1Department of College Students' Mental Health Education, Department of Applied Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China;
    2Department of Medical Psychology, College of Medical Humanities, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550025, China
  • Received:2024-05-28 Online:2026-03-01 Published:2026-02-28
  • Contact: Huang Shihua, Email: hshjg@gzucm.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    Youth Fund of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (71804031); Guangdong Provincial Philosophy and Social Sciences Planning 2023 Annual Academic Co-construction Project (GD23XLN28); Guangdong Provincial Federation of Social Sciences 2023 Support Provincial Social Science Social Organization to Carry out Research Projects (GD2023SKFC13)

Abstract: Objective To explore the influence of risk situations of doctor-patient dispute and professional identity on the willingness for grassroots service of rural-oriented tuition-waived medical students in a medical college in Guangzhou, so as to inform the cultivation of rural-oriented tuition-waived medical students. Methods This study was conducted experimental control method and questionnaire survey method. A total of 200 rural-oriented tuition-waived medical students majoring in five-year clinical medicine enrolled in 2020 were selected as research participants from a medical college in Guangzhou in May 2021 through cluster sampling, and 2×2 between-subject design was conducted, in which the situation (risk situations of doctor-patient dispute vs. neutral situations) and the level of professional identity (high vs. low) were the independent variables, and willingness for grassroots service was the dependent variable. Analysis of variance, t test and simple effect analysis were used for statistical analysis. Results A total of 193 rural-oriented tuition-waived medical students participated in this study. (1) The main effect of the situation was significant (η2=0.074,P=0.029). In the doctor-patient dispute risk situation, the willingness of rural-oriented tuition-waived medical students to serve at the primary level (6.37±1.63) was significantly lower than that in the neutral situation (7.62±2.14); (2) The main effect of professional identity was significant (η2=0.396,P<0.001). The intention of primary service of rural-oriented tuition-waived medical students with high professional identity (8.19±1.63) was significantly higher than that of rural-oriented tuition-waived medical students with low professional identity (5.67±1.54); (3) Doctor-patient dispute risk situation and occupational identity have a significant interactive effect on the willingness for grassroots service of rural-oriented tuition-waived medical students (η2=0.133,P<0.001). Among those with high professional identity significantly, the willingness for grassroots service decreased when the doctor-patient dispute risk situation was presented [(8.91±1.24) vs. (7.00±1.49), P<0.001], while no significant change was observed for those with low professional identity [(5.50±1.51) vs. (5.81±1.60), P=0.588]. Conclusions Rural-oriented tuition-waived medical students with high-level professional identity show a higher willingness for grassroots service, but it is easily affected by the risk of doctor-patient disputes. It is suggested that medical universities and colleges improve the willingness to serve at the grassroots by improving professional identity and guide rural-oriented tuition-waived medical students to analyze and look upon occupational risks rationally.

Key words: Questionnaires, Experimental control study, The risk of doctor-patient disputes, Rural-oriented tuition-waived medical students, Professional identity, Grassroots service willingness

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