Aims: (a) To compare career choice motivations between medical and dental students from the same institution and (b) To compare career choice motivations between male and female students at the institution.

Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study where 304 students answered a questionnaire regarding career choice motivations. Responses consisted of 6 dimensions and 18 items. SPSS 23 was used for data analysis. 

Results: Both medical and dental students gave similar responses to career choice motivators with only one item showing a significant difference, diverse career opportunities, favoured more by medical students (p=.032). Both groups were more motivated by professional status and opportunity to care for people, less by working hours and high income. Genders showed significant differences in the dimensions of status and security (p=.004),  and nature of occupation (p=.0001), with males scoring higher. From individual items, professional status was the highest motivator (92% males, 84.5% females). The lowest motivators for males was high income and regular working hours (both 60%) and regular working hours for females (31.1%) followed by high income (42.7%). Significant differences were seen in secure career (p=.004), regular working hours, (p=.0001), opportunity for self-employment (p=.013), use of manual skills (p=.012), general interest in science (p=.043), and high income (p=.0001), all  favoured more by males.  

Conclusion: Both medical and dental students selected their careers for mainly professional and altruistic considerations rather than monetary gain, however, males were more highly motivated by status, security and income compared to females. 

Keywords: Career choice, dental students, gender, medical students, motivation.