(123rf)

One in 5 elementary and middle school students have expressed a desire to attend medical school, a survey showed Tuesday.

According to a poll of 1,344 students conducted by MegaStudy Education, an online-based education platform, 21.6 percent of respondents chose medical science as their preferred major in university. The second most popular choice was natural science with 18.7 percent, followed by engineering, and humanities and social science, with 15.5 percent and 10.3 percent, respectively.

The survey also revealed that around 21 percent of students were unsure about what major they wanted to pursue in university.

The percentage of elementary school students who chose medical science as their preferred major stood at 23.9 percent, slightly higher than that of middle school students, which came at 20.2 percent.

When asked why they made this choice, 41.1 percent of students answered that they believed the medical profession might suit them well, while 27.3 percent said they were pursuing their dream. About 9 percent picked it for the high-paying jobs, and 5.8 percent cited a desire to make a contribution to society and the nation.

The study surveyed 502 elementary school students and 842 middle school students on April 10-24.