Abstract
BackgroundInternational medical electives are a well-established part of the curriculum of many western medical schools. It is widely accepted that these electives contribute to improved clinical examination and communication skills. Overseas electives also exert a strong influence over future career decisions and often pave the way for later international work. Whilst the positive outcomes are known, little information exists regarding elective preferences and destinations overall, information that could help optimise a safe learning experience and maximise the potential for one of the highlights of medical education. In order to obtain analytical data that could assist medical elective framework development, we systematically reviewed the two largest German online databases cataloguing abroad elective testimonies.ResultsWe identified 856 overseas elective reports uploaded within the last five years. European destinations were the most sought-after choice among German-speaking medical students. Interest in abroad electives in the United States (U.S.), a traditionally popular destination, was much lower than expected. U.S. elective reports accounted for only 3 % of long-term electives. Electives in low- and middle-income countries were generally less popular than electives in high-income countries. General surgery was the most popular elective discipline, followed by Emergency Medicine and Gynaecology and Obstetrics.ConclusionsWe observed a large inhomogeneity in German-speaking medical students’ elective choices, potentially influenced by financial and organizational aspects as well as geopolitical developments. This highlights a crucial challenge for medical schools and other organizations involved in elective planning. In light of regional differences, our data suggest that a “one size fits all” preparation is not pertinent to optimize students’ elective experience. Country- or region-specific pre-departure trainings and more individualized elective frameworks might be necessary to address these differences and to ensure a safe learning experience for students.
Highlights
International medical electives are a well-established part of the curriculum of many western medical schools
As travelling abroad for international electives is traditionally popular among German medical students [18, 19], we reviewed two large German databases for elective reports to identify patterns that may be helpful to help maximise a safe student experience, for what is generally recognised one the highlights of medical school
Within the last five years (2016–2020), we identified 856 overseas elective reports. 246 short-term elective reports were uploaded to “Famulatur-ranking”; another 610 long-term elective reports were uploaded to “PJ-ranking“
Summary
International medical electives are a well-established part of the curriculum of many western medical schools. It is widely accepted that these electives contribute to improved clinical examination and communication skills. Overseas electives exert a strong influence over future career decisions and often pave the way for later international work. Medical electives are a popular and well-established part of the curriculum of many western medical schools [, 1, 2]. Many students have emphasized feeling more confident addressing immigrant and refugee health [8, 9], a (relatively) new feature of medical practice in the Western Hemisphere. Electives have been shown to contribute to (medical) professional identity formation [10] and exert a strong influence over future career decisions [11], often paving the way for later international work. Traveling to low- and middle income countries may be a lifechanging experience, as students are confronted with different types of healthcare systems that are often less well equipped and frequently suffer from (strict) rationing policies
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