The specific features of educational motivation of first-year students studying medicine and economics

It is noted that the high motivation of students to study is one of the leading prerequisites for their successful mastery of professional competencies. The results of a comparative study of the motives for teaching fi rst-year students receiving an economic education at Smolensk State University and medical at the Smolensk State Medical University are presented. The research methodology and the data obtained are characterized. It is shown that the motivation of students of two universities is diff erent. Students of a medical university have scores on almost all scales of motivation higher than students receiving an economic education. The diff erence between professional and educational-cognitive motives in favor of students of a medical university is especially noticeable. Freshmen in the fi rst place are professional motives for learning. Social and communicative motives of learning are more important for students of the economic areas of training, they are higher than the motives of educational and cognitive activity.