INTRODUCTION: extreme hazing of freshmen is confronted with the importance of this practice for the integration of the new student. Hazing is not only a joke but also a way of self-affirmation and establishment of a hierarchical order turning into a menace for the freshman's individual rights. OBJECTIVE: verify the existence of a socio-economic pattern and gender influences. METHODOLOGY: quantitative questionnaire, analysis of data with Excel and statistics analysis through Microstat software. POPULATION: first, second and third year students of 2006 and first year students of 2007, School of Medicine, PUC-Campinas. RESULTS: males receive worst hazing from males and females are more violent against other females. Male students incline more to agree with the integrating function of freshman hazing, considering the hazing practices "light" or "not heavy" while female students feel more embarrassed and consider this tradition "heavy" or "very heavy". CONCLUSION: there is a difference in the perception of hazing as initiation ritual for new students between gender but no relation was found between hazing and the student's family income.
Hazing; medicine; Adolescents; Violence; Gender identity
