Factors Influencing Medical Students in Career Choices

Factors Influencing Medical Students in Career Choices Study of Factors Influencing Medical Students in their Choice of Career Introduction What makes medicine such a sort-after field? Medicine today is a very highly regarded profession which is well compensated, provides excellent job security and has the opportunity to have a positive influence on the lives of many people1. Success in medicine requires hard work and application, both while learning and when entering practice2. However, it brings great rewards in terms of job satisfaction and the range of career opportunities within the profession3. Learning about and practicing medicine is also very pleasing, involving as it does a blend of human interactions and applied science2. The environment in which different types of medicine are practiced is rich and diverse and obviously continually changing, and doctors continue to learn throughout their working lives. That is why the students interested in medicine should have the capacity for, and interest in, a lifetime of learning about this fascinating subject. To get the most out of the course a student need to be a keen scientist, with a sound scientific understanding and determination and also an ability to cope up with the demands and pressures of early clinical training3. But are they actually aware of the high demands of this prestigious professional course Do they have a realistic understanding of what a career in medicine will involve? We often wonder, is it the genuine passion for the subject and the genuine interest to be of service to the mankind that make students do medicine or is it just their parents!!! This study gives us the opportunity to find out the factors that drove students to do medicine. If choosing the medical profession is not hard enough, medical students have an even bigger hurdle ahead of them, which is choosing their line of specialisation. Many factors affect the career choices of graduating medicalstudents. Influences such as strong mentors, formativeacademic and non-academic experiences, and career counselingcan all help aspiring physicians select their particular careers4.Similarly, market trends, self-perception of strengths and weaknesses,and anticipated lifestyle can also affect career choice5. It has often been questioned, is gender really an issue? Does money influence ones decisions? Or is it competition?! A large number of specialising fields and over 50 career options are available in medicine, assuring a medical graduate of finding a profession. But how many medical students are actually aware of these career options? As mentioned earlier, medical profession brings great rewards in terms of job satisfaction and a variety of career opportunities. However, like any job, there are parts of a doctors work that are frustrating, undesirable, and even repetitive or boring. Studies show that doctors work far more hours than the average U.S. professional and cope with large amounts of stress and pressure6. Managed care has made it more difficult for U.S doctors to practice as they see fit and limit the amount of time that they can spend with patients. In fact, for some doctors, the upsides of the profession arent worth the sacrifice and hassles of the modern health-care environment4. This has lead to doctors with long and potentially bright careers to hang up their stethoscopes and quit! But is this the case when it comes to medical students in India? What makes them leave medicine despite the fact that theres a shortage of doctors making a ratio of one doctor per 1,634 people in India which is considered to be extremely below the ideal standard of doctor-people ratio?7,8 Medical students attitude towards various clinical fields and post graduation has been a major focus of study in the U.S as well as in the United Kingdom, yet there have been very few studies and surveys done on the career choices of Indian medical students. Hence, little is known about career intentions or attitudes of medical students in India. This study aims to reporton the career intentions and attitudes of first and second year medical students. It gives us the opportunity to discover the factors that influence the medical students on their career choices. The study also shows how exposure to more clinically oriented medical professions will affect the choice of careers in medical students. Aims and Objectives The study aims to find out factors that influence the choice of career of medical students Objectives To find out the reasons for students to take up medicine as a course of further studies. To compare career intentions of 1st year medical students, early in their training, with 2nd year medical students of Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, in relation to various socio-demographic correlates. To compare findings from the 2nd year batch with those from a similar survey conducted on the same batch last year. Methodology   We conducted a survey in the study setting of KMC Mangalore with the total study population of 393 MBBS students, which consisted of 216 1st year and 177 2nd year students. It was a cross sectional study which lasted from the dates of March 7th to March 14th, 2008. Data was collected through a pilot studied semi-structured questionnaire. The outline of the questionnaire was designed after referring to questionnaires used in similar studies like ours. Certain changes such as clearing any non-specific questions and adding more questions which seemed relevant to our study were made. Permission was obtained from the Associate Dean Dr. M.V. Prabhu and respective teachers. Then questionnaires were given out to consenting students. Collected data was tabulated and analyzed by using SPSS version 10 software. Results obtained were presented on tables and graphs wherever appropriate. Lastly the test of significance was carried out using χ2 test on tables in which we thought there would be significant values. Results The total study sample was 393 students, comprising of 216 1st year students and 177 2nd year students. The response rate among the 1st and 2nd year students was 98.18% and 100% respectively. Gender 1st Year (n=216) 2nd Year (n=177) Total (n=393) Male 94 (43.5%) 103 (58.2%) 197 (50.1%) Female 117 (54.2%) 71 (40.1%) 188 (47.8%) Table 2: Baseline Characteristics 1st Year (n=216) 2nd Year (n=177) Total (n=393) Schooling: Abroad 30 (13.9%) 43 (24.3%) 73 (18.6%) In India 170 (78.7%) 121 (68.4%) 291 (74%) Both 16 (7.4%) 9 (5.1%) 25 (6.4%) Before MBBS: School 121 (56%) 95 (50.7%) 216 (55%) Degree 5 (2.3%) 4 (2.25%) 9 (2.3%) Dropped 68 (31.5%) 50 (28.2%) 118 (30%) Others 19 (8.8%) 25 (14.1%) 44 (11.2%) Majority of the participants have done their schooling solely in India (74%). 55% of the respondents joined directly after school, whereas 30% dropped a year or 2 before joining college. 2.3% of the students had completed a degree prior to joining college. Both 1st year and 2nd year students chose the medical profession because they had a passion for the medical field. It seems that very few 2nd year students were forced by their parents (3.4%) as compared to the 1st year students (4.6%). On the other hand, there are very few students in the 1st year that chose medicine for job security (1.9%) unlike the 2nd year students who had a higher percentage of 15.3%. Job security parents insistence were the most unlikely reasons for 1st year 2nd year students respectively (Table 3). When asked about their future line of plan, had it not been MBBS, more than 100 students who responded in the OTHERS category specified that they would join ONLY MBBS. As expected, most students (37.2%) felt that they would join engineering had they not been in MBBS. This may possibly be due to the fact that Mathematics is a compulsory subject during pre-university college. Paramedical/Allied Health Sciences were the least sought-after fields which were chosen by the 1st 2nd year students respectively (Table 4). Interestingly, ALL 1st year students wanted to pursue a PG degree while 4% of the 2nd year students DID NOT want to go in for post graduation perhaps due to the exposure to clinical postings? Both 1st and the 2nd year students seemed widely interested in doing an MD/MS (91.7% 86.4% respectively), with the next popular choice being MRCP/MRCS with only 7.4% 6.2% of 1st 2nd year students considering it . Even with the very little information they have, 86.6% of 1st year students wanted to go in for a clinical field 12.5% of the students could not decide about their choice of career, whereas 0.93% decided for a non-clinical field. Among the 2nd year students, 84.2% of the students decided for a clinical field, 7.9% having not decided yet 2.3% for a non-clinical field. This trend of more students opting for a clinical field may be due to the exposure to clinical postings during the 2nd year (Table 5). When asked about going in for super-specialization, 79.6% of 1st year students 64.4% of 2nd year students answered on the affirmative, 13.4% 25.4% answered against it while 6.9% 10.2% said they had not decided yet (Table 6). The general trend among 1st year students is to take up a career in surgery (40.7%) whereas for 2nd year students it is medicine (24.9%). The least sought after fields are Anaesthesiology for 1st year students ENT for 2nd year students (Table 7). Regarding non-clinical fields, Forensic Medicine is the most preferred non-clinical field among 1st years (5.1%) where as post-graduation research is more popular among 2nd years (2.8%) (Table 8). According to the data, there is no significant difference between male and female students choice of career with relation to choosing a clinical or a non-clinical field. 90.9% of the males 88.5% of the females taking the survey thought it would be a clinical field they would like to pursue (Table 9). When asked if there was a chance that the respondents would not be able to pursue the career of their choice, most students felt that Competition remained the major hurdle ahead of them. 27.3% of 1st year students 29.4% of 2nd year students felt that the stiff competition they face would stop them from going in for the career of their choice (Table 10). Majority of the 1st 2nd year students prefer to practice medicine in their own countries, rather than in a foreign country. This may possibly be due to the fact that most relatives kin are in their own country also, due to the possibility of an already functional medical set-up in the family. 33.3% of 1st year 26% of 2nd year students prefer to practice abroad, 5 of 2nd year students said they would leave medicine, but still stay in the country (Tables 11a 11b). It is seen that among all the respondents, 205 resident Indians, forming 52.16% of the students prefer to practice in their own country, whereas 25 of them (6.36%) preferred to practice abroad. 70 students (17.81% of students) said they had not decided yet depended on various factors. Among the Malaysians, 18 students (4.58%) prefer their own country, 1 student (0.25%) prefers practising abroad 8 students had not decided yet. 7 non-resident Indians (1.78%) wanted to practise in their own country, 6 students (1.52%) abroad 14 students (3.56%) had not decided yet (Table 12). Most students in 1st year (16.7%) 2nd year (7.3%) feel that if they were to go abroad, it would be due to better prospects available. A better financial reward was the next most popular reason for going abroad, with 10.6% of 1st year 6.8% of 2nd year students feeling so (Table 13). The current trend seems to be favoring multi-specialty hospitals over government hospitals. 50% of 1st year students 49.2% of 2nd year students preferred multi-specialty hospitals over other options. The next most sought work setting was Government Hospitals for 1st year students whereas it was private practice among 2nd year students (Table 14). For most students in both 1st year (4.6%) 2nd year (7.9%), hectic schedules seem to be the main reason for leaving medicine. Family obligations seem to affect the decisions of 1st year students (3.7%) more than that compared to 2nd year students (1.7%). It also seems as though 2nd year MBBS students are much more concerned with the competition in medicine (2.8%) than the 1st year students, perhaps due to more exposure to clinical fields (Table 15). Interestingly, exposure to clinically oriented medical profession has DECREASED the students interest to pursue further studies as well as choose a clinical field! Whereas 98% of 1st year students wanted to pursue a post-graduation course, only 94.4% of 2nd year students chose to go in for a post-graduation. Also, while 89.9% of 1st year students wanted to go in for a clinical field, only 84.2% of 2nd year students wanted to go in for a career in a clinically oriented field a very interesting find! (Table 16). There seem to be a dynamic shift in the career choice of the 2nd year MBBS students of the 2006 batch after clinical exposure. About a quarter of the students presently in 2nd year are inclined towards general medicine, compared to just 15.6% of the same students before clinical exposure. On the other hand, figures for a career in surgery have come down from 33.2% to 21.5% after clinics. Interest in pediatrics has also increased almost two-fold after clinical exposure (Table 17). Table 3:What drove students to choose medicine?  Ã‚   1st year 2nd year Total Passion for Medical Science 96 (44.4%) 91 (51.4%) 187 (47.6%) Inspired by Family Members 40 (18.5%) 37 (20.9%) 77 (19.6%) To help the Community 48 (22.2%) 25 (14.1%) 73 (18.6%) Forced by Parents 10 (4.6%) 6 (3.4%) 16 (4.1%) Job Security 4 (1.9%) 27 (15.3%) 31 (7.9%) Prestigious Profession 36 (16.7%) 30 (16.9%) 66 (16.8%) Others 8 (3.7%) 13 (7.3%) 21 (5.3%) Table 4:If not MBBS? 1st Year (n=216) 2nd Year (n=177) Total (n=393) Dental 19 (8.8%) 21 (11.9%) 40 (10.2%) Paramedical/Allied Health Sciences 11 (5.1%) 7 (4%) 18 (4.6%) Engineering 84 (38.9%) 62 (35%) 146 (37.2%) Others 95 (44%) 77 (43.6%) 172 (43.8%) Table 5: Post-graduation 1st year MBBS 2nd year MBBS Total Post-graduation Yes 214 (99.1%) 167 (94.4%) 381 (96.9%) No 0 (0%) 7 (4%) 7 (1.8%) p=0.0034,highly significant Choice of degree MD/MS 198 (91.7%) 153 (86.4%) 351 (89.3%) Diploma 1 (0.46%) 1 (0.56%) 2 (0.51%) DNB 1 (0.46%) 5 (2.8%) 6 (1.5%) MRCP/MRCS 16 (7.4%) 11 (6.2%) 27 (6.9%) χ2=3.935, p=0.268 Table 6: Future career intentions 1st Year (n=216) 2nd Year (n=177) Total (n=393) Clinical Field 187 (86.6%) 149 (84.2%) 336 (85.5%) Non- Clinical Field 2 (0 .93%) 4 (2.3%) 6 (1.5%) Not Decided 27 (12.5%) 14 (7.9%) 33 (8.4%) χ2=.456, p=0.499, not significant Super specialization Yes 172 (79.6%) 114 (64.4%) 286 (72.8%) No 29 (13.4%) 4 (25.4%) 74 (18.8%) Not Decided 15 (6.9%) 18 (10.2%) 33 (8.4%) χ2= 13.489, p=0.0012, highly significant Table 7:Preference for a profession in a CLINICAL Field: 1st year MBBS 2nd year MBBS Total Radiology 27 (12.5%)

Emergence of Critical and Cultural Theories Essay

Culture : the learned behavior of members of a given social group. Cultural studies: Focus use of media to create forms of culture that structure everyday life. Political economy theories: Focus on social elites’ use of economic power to exploit media institutions. 2 There are microscopic interpretive theories that focus on how individuals and social groups use media to create and foster forms of culture that structure everyday life. These theories are referred to as cultural studies theories. There are macroscopic structural theories that focus on how social elites use their economic power to gain ontrol over and 3 Cultural Theory: Theories openly espousing certain values and using these values to evaluate and criticize the status quo providing alternate ways of interpreting the social role of mass media. Those who develop critical theories seek to initiate social change that will implement their values. Political economy theories are inherently critical but some cultural studies 4 Critical theories often provides complex explanations for this tendency of media to consistently do so. E. g: some critical theorists identify constraints on media practitioners that limit their ability to challenge established authority. They charge that few incentives exist to encourage media professionals to overcome these constraints and that media 5 Critical theory often analyzes specific social institutions, probing the extent to which valued objects are sought and achieved. Mass Media and the mass culture have been linked to a variety of social problems, they are criticized for aggravating or preventing problems from being identified or addressed. A common theme in critical theories of media is that content production is so constrained 6 Consider for example, the last time you read news about members of a social ovement that strongly challenged the status quo? Why were the college students who protested against the Communist Chinese government in Tiananmen Square â€Å"heroes of democracy’ and those in American anti-war â€Å"hippies† and â€Å"radicals? † Stories about movements imply problems with 7 – controntation. Movement leaders demand coverage ot their complaints and they stage demonstrations designed to draw public attention to their concerns. Elites seek to minimize coverage or to exercise â€Å"spin control† so that the coverage favors their position. How do Journalists handle this? How should they handle it? Existing research indicates that this coverage almost always degenerates movements and supports elites. 8 Critical theory: Strengths: 1. Is politically based, actionoriented. 2. Uses theory and research to plan change in the real world. 3. Asks big, important questions about media control and ownership. 9 Weaknesses: 3. When subjected to scientific verification, often employs innovative but controversial research methods. 0 Rise of Cultural Theories in Europe: Despite its long life in American Social Science, the Limited Effects Paradigm never enjoyed great popularity in europe. European social research has instead been characterized by what U. S. Observers regard as grand social theories. Grand Social Theory: Highly ambitious, 1 1 In Europe, the development of grand social theory remained a central concern i n the social sciences and humanities. Mass society theory gave way to a succession of alternate ideas. Some were limited to specific nations and others spread across many countries. Some of the most widely accepted have been based on the writings of Karl Marx. Marxist theory influenced even the theories that were created in reaction against it. Marxist ideas formed a foundation or touch stone for most postworld War II european social theory and research. 12 Cold War politics colored much of the U. S. Response to it. Ironically, in the 1970s and 1980s, at the very time that Marxist failed as a practical guide for politics and economics in Eastern Europe, grand social theories based on Marxist thought were gaining increasing acceptance in Western Europe. 3 MARXIST THEORY: Marxist Theory: Theory arguing that the hierarchical class system is at the root of all social problems and must be ended by a revolution of the proletariat. Karl Marx developed this theory in the latter part of the nineteenth century during one of the most volatile periods of social change in Europe. In some respects, his theory is yet another version ot mass society theory- – but witn se veral very important alterations and additions. 14 He identified industrialization and urbanization as problems but argued that these changes were not inherently bad. Instead, he blamed ruthless robber baron capitalists for exacerbating social problems because they maximized personal profits by exploiting workers. Marx argued that the hierarchical class system was the root of ll social problems and must be ended by a revolution of the workers or proletariat. He believed that elites dominated society primarily through their direct control over the means of production (i. e. , labor, factories, land) which he referred to as the base of society. 15 But elites also maintained themselves in power through their control over culture, or the superstructure of society. He saw culture as something that elites freely manipulated to mislead average people and encourage them to act against their own interest. He used the term ideology to refer to these forms of culture. To him, ideology operated much like a drug. Those who were under its influence fail to see how they are being exploited. In worst cases, they are so deceived, that they actually 16 – undermine their own interests and do things that increase the power of elites while making their own lives even worse. Marx concluded that the only hope for social change was a revolution in which the masses seized control of the base the means of production. Control over the superstructure -over ideology would naturally follow. He saw little possibility that reforms in the super structure could ead to social evolution, or if it could, that -that transformation would be very slow in coming. Elites would never willingly surrender POWER. Power must be taken from them. Little purpose would be served by making minor changes in ideology 17 – without first dominating the means of production. Neomarxist Theory: Contemporary incarnation of Marxist theory focusing attention on the super structure. The importance that Neomarxists attach to the super structure has created a fundamental division within Marxism. Many neomaxists assume that useful change can begin with peaceful, ideological reform rather than violent revolution in which he working class seizes control of the means of production. 18 Some neomarxists have developed critiques that call for radically transforming the superstructure while others call for modest reforms. Tensions have arisen among scholars who base their work on Marx’s ideas over the value of the work being done by 19 the various neomarxist schools. Textual Analysis and Literary Criticism: Modern european cultural studies theories have a second, very different source a tradition of humanist criticism of religious and literary texts that is referred to hermeneutics. Hermeneutics: the interpretation f texts to identify their actual or real meaning. 20 -humanists who worked to identify and preserve what came to be known as the â€Å"literary canon† a body of the great literature. The literary canon was part of what was referred to as high culture, a set of cultural artifacts including music, art, literature, and poetry that humanists Judged to have the highest value. 1 – the level of culture to enable even more people to become humane and civilized. Over the years, many different methods for analyzing written texts have emerged from hermeneutics. They share a common purpose: to criticize old and new cultural ractices so that those most deserving of attention can be identified and explained and the less deserving can b e dismissed. This task can be compared with that of movie critics who tell us which films are good or bad and assist us in appreciating or avoiding them. The primary difference is that movie critics are typically not committed to promoting higher 22 – cultural values; they only want to explain which movies we are likely to find entertaining. THE FRANKFURT SCHOOL One early prominent school of neo-marxist theory developed during the 1930s at the University of Frankfurt and became known as the Frankfurt School. 3 Two of the most prominent individuals associated with the school were Max Horkheimer, its long time head, and Theodor Adorno, a prolific and cogent theorist. Horheimer and Adorno were openly skeptical that high culture could or should be communicated through mass media. Adorno argued that radio broadcasts or records couldn’t begin to adequately reproduce the sound of a live symphony orchestra. He ridiculed the reproduction of great art in 24 – magazines or the reprinting of great novels in condensed, serialized form. He claimed that mass media reproductions of high culture were inferior and diverted eople from seeking out (and paying for) the â€Å"real thing† if bad substitutes for high culture were readily available, he believed too many people would settle for them and fail to support better forms of culture. The Frankfurt School has been criticized along with other forms of traditional humanism for being too elitist and paternalistic. By rejecting the possibility of using media to disseminate 25 – high culture, most ot the population was ettectively denied access to it Many ot the school’s criticisms of media paralleled those of mass society theory and had the same limitations. The Frankfurt School eventually had a direct impact on American social research because the rise of the Nazis forced its Jewish members into exile. 26 During the period of exile, however, Frankfurt School Theorists remained prodductive. They devoted considerable effort, for example, to the critical analysis of Nazi culture and the way it undermined and perverted high culture. In their view, Nazism grounded on a phony, artificially constructed folk culture that had been cynically created and manipulated by Hitler and his propagandists. 27 Nazism helped them envision the Germany they longed to see – a unified, proud ation with a long history of achievement and a glorious future. As they rose to power, the Nazis replaced high culture with their pseudofolk culture and discredited important forms of high culture, especially those created by Jews. 8 DEVELOPMENT OF NEOMARXIST THEORY IN BRITAIN: Dunng the 1960s and 1970s , two important schools of neomarxist theory emerged in Great Britain. British Cultural studies and political economy theory. British cultural studies combines neomarxist theory with ideas and research methods derived from diverse sources including literary criticism, linguistics, anthropology, and h istory. This theory has attempted to trace historic elite domination over culture, to criticize the 29 – social consequence of this domination and to demonstrate how it continues to be exercised over specific minority groups or subcultures. British cultural studies criticizes and contrasts elite notions of culture, including high culture, with popular, every day forms practiced by minorities. The superiority of all forms of elite culture including high culture is challenged and compared with useful, valuable forms of popular culture. Hermeneutic attention is shifted from the study of elite cultural rtifacts to the study of minority grouped â€Å"Lived culture. † 30 Graham Murdock(1989) traced the rise of British cultural studies during the 1950s and 1960s. Most important theorists came from the lower social classes that were the focus of the movies. The British cultural studies critique of high culture and ideology was an explicit rejection of what its proponents saw as alien forms of culture imposed on minorities. They defended indigenous forms of popular culture as legitimate expressions of minority groups/ A dominant early theorist was Raymond Williams, a literary scholar who achieved 31 Notoriety with his reappraisals of cultural development in England. William’s ideas were viewd with suspicion and skepticism by many of his colleagues at Cambridge University. Toward the end of 1960s and into the 1970s, Williams turned his attention to mass media. He was more broadly concerned with issues of cultural change and development as well as elite domination ot culture. 3 – repackaged as popular, mass media content. If there were to be genuine progress, he felt, it would have to come through significant reform of social institutions. The first important school of cultural studies theorists was formed at the University of Birmingham, during the 1960s and was led by Stuart Hall. Hall (1982) was especially influential in directing several analyses of mass media that directly challenge limited effects notions and in introducing innovative alternatives. Building on ideas developed by Jurgen Habermas(1971 , 1989) and Williams, Hall argued that mass media liberal -democracies can be best understood as a pluralistic public forum in which various forces struggle to shape popular notions about social reality. Pluralistic Public Forum: In critical theory, the idea that media provide a place where the power of dominant lite can be challenged. British Cultural Studies: Strengths: 1 . Asserts value of popular culture 2. Empowers â€Å"Common Man† 34 3. Empowers minorities and values their culture. 4. Stresses cultural pluralism and egalitarianism. Weaknesses: 1. Is too political; call to action is to subjective 2. Typically lacks scientific verification; is based on subjective observation. 3. When subjected to scientific verification, often employs innovative but controversial research methods. 35 Unlike traditional Marxists, Hall did not argue that elites can maintain complete control over this forum. In his view, elites don’t need that power to advance their interests. The culture expressed in this forum is not a mere superficial reflection of the superstructure but is instead a dynamic creation of opposing groups.

Ernie Davis Essay

A three-time All-American halfback and 1961 Heisman Trophy winner, Ernie Davis would go on to win MVP title in both the Cotton Bowl and the Liberty Bowl, and was inducted into the College Football Hall Of Fame in 1979. He was the first African American man to win the Heisman Trophy, and to be picked 1st overall in the NFL draft. His career was cut short when he was diagnosed with cancer in 1962. Athlete. American Football player. Ernie Davis was born on December 14, 1939 in New Salem, Pennsylvania, USA. He is the first African American man to win the Heisman Trophy and the first black athlete to be chosen 1st overall in the NFL Draft. A three-time All-American halfback and 1961 Heisman Trophy winner, Davis set yardage and scoring records at Syracuse University. He would go on to win MVP title in both the 1960 Cotton Bowl and the 1961 Liberty Bowl, and would be inducted into the College Football Hall Of Fame in 1979. His honors and accomplishments on the gridiron were matched only by his adversity off the field; As a black athlete playing many games in the south, he was the victim of racism on several occasions. The most publicized incident occurred when he was selected as the Cotton Bowl MVP in 1960. Davis was told by organizers that he would be allowed to accept his award at the post game banquet, and would immediately have to leave the segregated facility. Ernie refused to receive the award, and his entire team agreed to boycott the banquet. A man of firsts, Ernie Davis was the first African American man to win the Heisman Trophy, the first to join the prestigious Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity (a nationally recognized Jewish fraternity) and, in 1962, became the first African American player to be picked 1st overall in the NFL draft. Tragic Death Although the details are somewhat disputed, Davis’ contract was considered to be the most lucrative ever offered to an NFL rookie. His teammates and supporters looked forward to seeing Ernie sharing the backfield with the great Jim Brown, breaking countless records and leading the Cleveland Browns to a decade of victorious seasons. Those seasons would never come, however, as Ernie was diagnosed with acute monocytic leukemia during preparations for the 1962 College All Star Game. Although treatment had begun immediately, the disease would prove incurable and Ernie died on May 18, 1963 – Having never played a professional football game. Both the House and the Senate eulogized him, and his wake was in The Neighborhood House in Elmira, New York, where more than 10,000 mourners paid their respects. Accolades from JFK His character and his athletic accomplishments caught the eye of John F. Kennedy, who had followed Ernie’s college career and made several attempts to meet the star. In 1963, when he heard Ernie would be honored by his high school with a school holiday, the president sent a telegram reading: â€Å"Seldom has an athlete been more deserving of such a tribute. Your high standards of performance on the field and off the field, reflect the finest qualities of competition, sportsmanship and citizenship. The nation has bestowed upon you its highest awards for your athletic achievements. It’s a privilege for me to address you tonight as an outstanding American, and as a worthy example of our youth. I salute you.† Ernie Davis was the subject of the 2008 Universal Pictures film â€Å"The Express,† based on the non-fiction book Ernie Davis: The Elmira Express, by Robert C. Gallagher.

A Progress Bar Example Program