Is a change in vocal loudness a first step towards becoming a medical doctor?
QUESTIONS UNDER STUDY: Some evidence suggests that a loud voice is a core characteristic of medical professionals. It is unknown whether medical students talk louder than their non-medical peers and, if so, whether they commence their studies with a loud voice, representing a characteristic of...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SMW supporting association (Trägerverein Swiss Medical Weekly SMW)
2012-02-01
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| Series: | Swiss Medical Weekly |
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| Online Access: | https://www.smw.ch/index.php/smw/article/view/1438 |
| _version_ | 1827045063426834432 |
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| author | Christiane Kiese-Himmel Wolfgang Himmel Martin Scherer |
| author_facet | Christiane Kiese-Himmel Wolfgang Himmel Martin Scherer |
| author_sort | Christiane Kiese-Himmel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
QUESTIONS UNDER STUDY: Some evidence suggests that a loud voice is a core characteristic of medical professionals. It is unknown whether medical students talk louder than their non-medical peers and, if so, whether they commence their studies with a loud voice, representing a characteristic of admission, or whether sound pressure level changes during education, reflecting model learning.
METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional observation study with 206 students (57% female), stratified in 4 groups (medical and non-medical students as freshmen and fifth-year students). Habitual loudness was defined as a student's sound pressure level, measured with a standardised sound level meter on basis of 2 vocal tasks. The hypothesis was tested in a 2-way analysis of variance, with year of study (first vs. fifth year) and field by study (medicine vs. non-medicine) as main factors.
RESULTS: The sound pressure level of freshmen in medicine was, on average, 64.4 dB (SD 3.0), that of fifth-year medical students was 66.3 dB (3.7). The respective scores of non-medical students were 65.3 (SD 2.7) for freshmen and 64.0 (3.4) for fifth-year students, resulting in a significant interaction between field of study and years of study (F = 12.7; p = 0.0005).
CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this preliminary study present some evidence that medical students, in contrast to their non-medical peers, learn to raise vocal loudness during their education in medical school. Habitual loudness of medical students, as a way to gain professional dominance and a possible risk for hoarseness in later life, deserves more attention.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T00:20:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-42763f3a072a4ff48dbdcd2ffe0144de |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-3997 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-02-18T09:57:59Z |
| publishDate | 2012-02-01 |
| publisher | SMW supporting association (Trägerverein Swiss Medical Weekly SMW) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Swiss Medical Weekly |
| spelling | doaj.art-42763f3a072a4ff48dbdcd2ffe0144de2024-11-02T08:54:54ZengSMW supporting association (Trägerverein Swiss Medical Weekly SMW)Swiss Medical Weekly1424-39972012-02-01142091010.4414/smw.2012.13534Is a change in vocal loudness a first step towards becoming a medical doctor?Christiane Kiese-HimmelWolfgang HimmelMartin Scherer QUESTIONS UNDER STUDY: Some evidence suggests that a loud voice is a core characteristic of medical professionals. It is unknown whether medical students talk louder than their non-medical peers and, if so, whether they commence their studies with a loud voice, representing a characteristic of admission, or whether sound pressure level changes during education, reflecting model learning. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional observation study with 206 students (57% female), stratified in 4 groups (medical and non-medical students as freshmen and fifth-year students). Habitual loudness was defined as a student's sound pressure level, measured with a standardised sound level meter on basis of 2 vocal tasks. The hypothesis was tested in a 2-way analysis of variance, with year of study (first vs. fifth year) and field by study (medicine vs. non-medicine) as main factors. RESULTS: The sound pressure level of freshmen in medicine was, on average, 64.4 dB (SD 3.0), that of fifth-year medical students was 66.3 dB (3.7). The respective scores of non-medical students were 65.3 (SD 2.7) for freshmen and 64.0 (3.4) for fifth-year students, resulting in a significant interaction between field of study and years of study (F = 12.7; p = 0.0005). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this preliminary study present some evidence that medical students, in contrast to their non-medical peers, learn to raise vocal loudness during their education in medical school. Habitual loudness of medical students, as a way to gain professional dominance and a possible risk for hoarseness in later life, deserves more attention. https://www.smw.ch/index.php/smw/article/view/1438loudness measurementmedical educationsocial dominancespeech loudnessvoice |
| spellingShingle | Christiane Kiese-Himmel Wolfgang Himmel Martin Scherer Is a change in vocal loudness a first step towards becoming a medical doctor? Swiss Medical Weekly loudness measurement medical education social dominance speech loudness voice |
| title | Is a change in vocal loudness a first step towards becoming a medical doctor? |
| title_full | Is a change in vocal loudness a first step towards becoming a medical doctor? |
| title_fullStr | Is a change in vocal loudness a first step towards becoming a medical doctor? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Is a change in vocal loudness a first step towards becoming a medical doctor? |
| title_short | Is a change in vocal loudness a first step towards becoming a medical doctor? |
| title_sort | is a change in vocal loudness a first step towards becoming a medical doctor |
| topic | loudness measurement medical education social dominance speech loudness voice |
| url | https://www.smw.ch/index.php/smw/article/view/1438 |
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