Although power-seeking and controlling behaviors on the part of physicians have been well documented, the source of these behaviors on the individual psychological level has not yet been identified. This study examined whether the individual personality characteristic of power motivation, one indicator of desires for power and control, increases during medical school and whether this process varies by race or sex. Transcripts of interviews with a diverse group of medical students at two time points were coded for power motivation. The results showed that White students' power motivation decreased, whereas minority students' levels remained the same, suggesting race-linked differences in the medical socialization experience.
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