THE CORRELATION BETWEEN EXAM ANXIETY AND SPECIALTIES OF INTEREST IN MEDICAL STUDENTS

Život u modernom društvu je prožet situacijama evaluacije, koje kod većine ljudi uzrokuju stres. Visoka ispitna anksioznost, specifičan oblik anksioznosti, obilježena je smanjenom mogućnošću organizacije znanja i prisjećanja tijekom ispita, te otežanim održavanjem koncentracije, što utječe na učinkovitost i uspjeh na ispitima. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je utvrditi postoje li razlike u ispitnoj anksioznosti s obzirom na spol, godinu studija i dosadašnji uspjeh, te postoji li povezanost između ispitne anksioznosti i preferencije u odabiru stresnijih odnosno manje stresnih specijalizacija. Uzorak ispitanika sačinjen je od 331 studenta Medicinskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Rijeci raspoređenih kroz sve godine studija. Ispitna anksioznost procijenjena je Upitnikom ispitne anksioznosti izmijenjenim u cilju prilagodbe za primjenu na studentima. Podatak o stresnosti pojedinih specijalizacija dobiven je izračunom medijana rezultata upitnika o stresnosti pojedinih specijalizacija te se od ispitanika tražilo da upišu svoj trenutni prvi i drugi izbor specijalizacije. Rezultati istraživanja su pokazali da žene doživljavaju višu razinu ispitne anksioznosti od muškaraca, najviša razina ispitne anksioznosti prisutna je kod studenata druge i treće godine studija, razina ispitne anksioznosti viša je kod studenata s nižim dosadašnjim uspjehom tijekom studija. Studenti s višom razinom ispitne anksioznosti skloniji su birati specijalizacije manje razine stresnosti, dok su studenti s nižom razinom ispitne anksioznosti skloniji birati specijalizacije s visokom razinom stresnosti.
Evaluation is a common occurrence in the modern lifestyle and most people experience stress when being evaluated. Test anxiety, a specific form of anxiety, is characterized by a reduced ability to organize and recall previously acquired knowledge during an exam and difficulties in maintaining concentration, which can diminish effectiveness and success in exams. The aim of this study was to determine whether there are differences in test anxiety with respect to gender, year of study and past success, and whether there is a correlation between test anxiety and the preference to choose more or less stressful medical specialties. The sample included 331 medical students of all years of study at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka. Examination anxiety was evaluated by the Test Anxiety Inventory, which was modified and adapted for application on a college population. Data regarding the perceived stressfulness of various specialties was obtained by calculating the median results of the questionnaire on the stressfulness of medical specialties. The respondents were asked to enter their current first and second choice of specialty. The results have shown that women experience a higher level of test anxiety than men, that the highest level of test anxiety is present in the second and third year of study, that the level of test anxiety is higher in students with lower success rates during college education. Students with higher levels of test anxiety are more inclined to choose less stressful specialties, while students with lower levels of anxiety are more inclined to choose specialties with a high level of stress.