Introduction:
The motives by which students were guided while choosing medical studies are of great importance, because they may exert a direct effect on the needs, thirst for knowledge, and associated with it quality and outcomes of education.

Objective:
The aim of the presented study was recognition of the incentives for undertaking a specified specialty of medical studies by students of the State Higher School of Computer Science and Entrepreneurship in Łomża, and the State Higher Vocational School in Suwałki.

Material and Methods:
The study covered 363 1 st and 2 nd year students of two State higher schools, studying the following medical specialties: nursing, emergency medical services, physiotherapy, dietetics, and cosmetology. The study was conducted during the academic year 2013/2014 using a questionnaire designed by the author.

Results:
The most frequently reported motivation for choosing a study specialty by students was an interest in the job. As the reason for undertaking the specialty, the students of nursing, emergency medical services, physiotherapy and dietetics, most often mentioned the willingness to provide health assistance for people, 56.3% of female cosmetology students indicated the desire for a pleasant and young personal appearance. Students of nursing, while selecting their studies, considered better possibilities of finding employment in Poland (54.8% of respondents) and abroad (45.2% of respondents). Students of cosmetology and dietetics were guided by the possibility to start their own business –51.7% and 40.8%, respectively.

Conclusions:
1. The character of pro-social motivation while choosing the occupation of a nurse, physiotherapist and dietician should contribute to the willingness to possess academic knowledge and high effects of education. 2. The altruistic approach while choosing a study specialty by the students of emergency medical services and own benefits by which students of cosmetology were guided, may result in low outcomes of education.