Presentation Schedule
Trials of Becoming a Doctor: Male Students’ Learning Strategies and Gender/Class Experiences (104488)
Saturday, 9 May 2026 15:45
Session: Poster Session
Room: Hall B5 Foyer
Presentation Type: Poster Presentation
In Taiwan, physicians have long enjoyed high social prestige and socioeconomic status. Shaped by historical contexts and traditional gender norms, medical education has functioned as a male-dominated domain. Admission is highly competitive, with many students entering the field to fulfill familial expectations, particularly within medical dynasties. Drawing on the hidden curriculum and gender perspectives, this qualitative study explores how male medical students "become" doctors. The study employed semi-structured in-depth interviews with 22 male medical students (Years 2–6) at a single university. Using thematic analysis, the research examines their learning strategies, peer culture, and the negotiation of professional, gender, and class values. The findings reveal that the medical training pathway serves as a "testing ground" where curriculum demands construct a hierarchical student culture. Contrary to common assumptions, male students do not exclusively enjoy gendered advantages; they also encounter discrimination and pressures within specific contexts. Through the hidden curriculum, students internalize gendered and classed values associated with the "good physician" to refine their professional identities. These experiences—often rooted in institutional norms and masculine expectations—dictate learning strategies and resource access. Ultimately, these findings offer critical insights into the institutional culture of medical elite production, providing a foundation for reform to address structural inequalities.
Authors:
Hsing-Chen Yang, Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan
About the Presenter(s)
Professor Hsing-Chen Yang is a University Professor/Principal Lecturer at Kaohsiung Medical University in Taiwan
See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule
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