Abstract
Background: Motivation is what drives an individual from within, spurring him to achievement.

Aim and Objectives: This study aims to measure the strength of motivation among undergraduate medical students at the entry and exit phases and compare the two, checking for the presence of any associated factors as well.

Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study at a private medical college in Chennai; 133 first-years and 100 final-years participated. Descriptive details of the participants were obtained through a questionnaire. Strength of motivation was measured using the Strength of Motivation for Medical School - Revised Questionnaire, consisting of 15 questions graded on a five-point Likert scale. Data were collected through Google Forms, entered into MS Excel, and analyzed using SPSS 21 software.

Results: We found motivation levels to be quite high in both categories and total motivation scores did not show a significant difference between the two. Not much of a difference was observed with respect to the three motivation subscales either – readiness, willingness, and persistence – although it was observed that the readiness level was slightly lower than the other two factors in both sets of students.

Conclusion: Motivation levels among MBBS students are high both at the entry and exit phases of the course. Educators would do well to harness this “resource” and use it to direct learners to greater academic achievement.

Key words: Motivation; Medical Education; Students