Objective: To identify factors associated with dropout in students of the College of Human Medicine in a Peruvian university during the period 2010 – 2013. Methods: Anon-experimental, analytical design was used in the study - Cases and controls. The sample size was obtained from an antecedent considering the proportion of cases and controls exposed as vocation; it was 46 people in both groups; which were selected from a simple random probabilistic sampling without replacement. Instruments that assess the socioeconomic status and measures the strength of motivation for medical school (SMMS), and a survey with closed and open questions to explore individual and academics aspects were used. Results: In both groups, the strength of motivation was often “very low”; also, most reported having at least one course disapproved during the first years of the career; being the most frequent disapproved courses “Medical Chemistry, “Philosophy” and “Basic Human Embryology and Genetics”. the female students were the most frequent in dropout. Conclusions: The age at onset of study, disapproval of the subjects of philosophy, the subjects of biostatistics, study hours per week and strength of motivation score are factors associated with medical student dropout.