International mobility of students in the medical disciplines from a comparative perspective.

Objective: We analyze the extent to which students of human, veterinary and dental medicine complete study-related stays abroad (frequency, type and duration of stays abroad and countries visited). Furthermore, we investigate the possible correlations between completed stays abroad and the duration of studies, the completion of a doctorate and entering professional life. Methods: The data come from a written cross-sectional survey of 742 graduates of their respective study programs at Bavarian universities. The evaluation was carried out using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Results: Slightly more than half of the surveyed students completed study-associated stays abroad, with notable differences between the three study programs. The students most frequently completed internships abroad lasting an average of nine weeks. Switzerland was the most common country of destination for the stays abroad. Furthermore, there were no or only weak correlations between stays abroad, the duration of studies and progress towards a doctorate or the commencement of professional employment abroad. There were no correlations with the stress experienced as part of initial employment after graduation. Conclusion: The results clearly indicate that stays abroad are quite usual for students in the medical disciplines and are almost standard in the study of human medicine. The selection of the countries visited indicates that the primary goal of the students' stays abroad is to deepen their competence with a view to later employment in their home country.

Investigation on the acquisition of scientific competences during medical studies and the medical doctoral thesis.

Background: Not only the amount of research related contents in German medical studies are objects of criticism, but also the medical doctoral thesis. However, the question which research competences are truly acquired within medical school and the doctoral phase is empirically open, and is thus pursued in the following research study. Methods: We used data from the Bavarian Medical Graduate Panel Survey (MediBAP) (N=455), where respondents assessed their own research competences. To consolidate the data, we analysed qualitative interviews with doctoral medical graduates and students from the E-Prom study (N=14). Results: The quantitative analyses show that medical graduates evaluate the medical curriculum's research contents and their acquired competences as rather low. Doctoral graduates rate their competence of pursuing research independently higher than medical graduates who have not finished their doctorate. The qualitative analyses are in line with these results, as they point to the predominant development of competences during the doctoral phase. Despite this clearly positive trend, the majority of the respondents don't feel confident enough to undertake research independently also after attaining their doctoral degree. Conclusion: The results of this study emphasize the need for a more systematic and targeted mediation and review of research competences within the regular medical curriculum.