{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]],"date-time":"2026-09-23T05:53:21Z","timestamp":1790142801060,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,12]],"date-time":"2026-01-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1768176000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"\u201cFONDO SEMILLA\u201d of the Autonomous University of Guadalajara"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Behavioral Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Medical students experience fluctuations in their motivation, influenced by various factors, including curricular rigor, mental health, and institutional factors. Based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and the Four Pillars of Academic Engagement (HPEE), this study, conducted at a private Mexican university, examined motivational variation according to academic year, curricular impact, gender differences, and its relationship with mental health. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted using qualitative tools for contextualization (n = 1326). Mann\u2013Whitney U tests, Kruskal\u2013Wallis tests, logistic regression, and psychological network analysis were performed. Results: Motivation showed cross-sectional variation: high in preclinical years 1 and 2, decreasing in clinical years 3 and 4 (p &lt; 0.001), and rebounding in year 6. The reformed curriculum (elective subjects, student-centered active learning) resulted in greater motivation (OR = 10.68, p &lt; 0.001). Women tended to have slightly higher motivation (p = 0.050), higher grade point averages (p &lt; 0.001), but also greater stress (p &lt; 0.001). Network analysis revealed that intrinsic achievement (centrality = 1.11) and curiosity about knowledge (predictability = 84.5%) are the main drivers, while demotivation was linked to the later years. The qualitative part of the study showed altruism\/curiosity as the main motivators; mistreatment\/workload (demotivators). Conclusions: Motivation is context-sensitive, peaks in the preclinical stage, and recovers with autonomy but is vulnerable during clinical immersion. Autonomy in course selection, active student-centered pedagogies, and gender-sensitive support foster sustained participation. The centrality of intrinsic factors in the network highlights that achievement motivation and knowledge are general and independent motivators. Qualitative data reveal systemic barriers. Stage-specific interventions, such as mentoring, student support programs, and reporting mistreatment, can be crucial for strengthening resilience and performance. Longitudinal and multi-institutional studies are needed to validate the causality and generalizability of this study.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/bs16010097","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,12]],"date-time":"2026-01-12T10:25:23Z","timestamp":1768213523000},"page":"97","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Analysis of Medical Students\u2019 Motivation: Insights into the Development of Future Health Professionals"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Karina Iveth","family":"Orozco-Jim\u00e9nez","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Unidad Acad\u00e9mica de Medicina, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Guadalajara, Av Patria 1201, Zapopan 45129, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6121-0675","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mar\u00eda Alejandra","family":"Samudio-Cruz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitaci\u00f3n Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra, Mexico City 14389, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2604-7822","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jonatan","family":"Ba\u00f1os-Chaparro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Programa Acad\u00e9mico de Psicolog\u00eda, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Privada Norbert Wiener, Lima 15046, Peru"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eleonora","family":"Ocampo-Coronado","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unidad Acad\u00e9mica de Medicina, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Guadalajara, Av Patria 1201, Zapopan 45129, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-4013-0167","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ileana","family":"Ch\u00e1vez-Maisterra","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unidad Acad\u00e9mica de Medicina, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Guadalajara, Av Patria 1201, Zapopan 45129, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marcela Mar\u00eda Jos\u00e9","family":"Rodr\u00edguez-Baeza","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unidad Acad\u00e9mica de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Guadalajara, Av. Patria 1201, Zapopan 45129, Mexico"},{"name":"Departamento de Biolog\u00eda Celular y Molecular, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biol\u00f3gicas y Agropecuarias (CUCBA), Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan 44100, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2509-4923","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Benjam\u00edn","family":"G\u00f3mez-D\u00edaz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitaci\u00f3n Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra, Mexico City 14389, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mar\u00eda Valentina","family":"Toral-Murillo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unidad Acad\u00e9mica de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Guadalajara, Av. Patria 1201, Zapopan 45129, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9258-8486","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Elvira","family":"Rodr\u00edguez-Flores","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unidad Acad\u00e9mica de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Guadalajara, Av. Patria 1201, Zapopan 45129, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-4080-958X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Melissa","family":"Fern\u00e1ndez-Torres","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unidad Acad\u00e9mica de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Guadalajara, Av. Patria 1201, Zapopan 45129, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ana Cecilia","family":"Corona-Pantoja","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unidad Acad\u00e9mica de Medicina, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Guadalajara, Av Patria 1201, Zapopan 45129, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mariana Selene de","family":"Alba-Torres","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unidad Acad\u00e9mica de Medicina, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Guadalajara, Av Patria 1201, Zapopan 45129, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3912-6754","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Luz Berenice","family":"L\u00f3pez-Hern\u00e1ndez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unidad Acad\u00e9mica de Medicina, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Guadalajara, Av Patria 1201, Zapopan 45129, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"364","article-title":"Validation of academic motivation scale among medical students using factor analysis and structural equation modeling: Middle Eastern perspective","volume":"10","author":"Kumar","year":"2021","journal-title":"Journal of Education and Health Promotion"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"76","DOI":"10.1007\/S40037-012-0012-5","article-title":"Academic self-efficacy: From educational theory to instructional practice","volume":"1","author":"Artino","year":"2012","journal-title":"Perspectives on Medical Education"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Atreya, A., Gnawali, L., Menezes, R. 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