Abstract
The ERASMUS program is one of the most popular student exchange projects, particularly among the students of Central and Eastern European countries. However, limited research is available with regard to its influence on the professional and personal development of its participants. The study aimed at investigating the experiences and impact of the ERASMUS program on different domains of the personal and professional life of medical students. A questionnaire containing closed and open-ended questions was distributed among 269 former participants of the ERASMUS program from the Poznan University of Medical Sciences to collect qualitative and quantitative data regarding the topic. The response rate was 41%. Mastering professional foreign language skills was the most frequently reported benefit of ERASMUS (94%), followed by a change of approach towards learning by exposure to innovative teaching techniques, character, professionalism and cultural competency development, impact on the migration decisions of the students, as well as the opportunity to compare healthcare and educational systems across countries. Additionally, 57% of respondents stated that ERASMUS impacted their career plans, and few indicated that it had affected their specialty choice. Approximately 28% of respondents have worked abroad in healthcare or research since graduating. Participation in the ERASMUS program proved to be a unique opportunity for professional and personal development.
Highlights
The ERASMUS (European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of UniversityStudents) program was founded in 1987 by the European Commission, and its purpose was to enable cooperation and unification of higher education across European countries (which comprise European Union (EU) members, countries applying for EU membership, as well as European Economic Area members)
The idea of the ERASMUS program is that a student of one European academic institution spends part of their study in the institution of a foreign European country for
Female), and current professional role
Summary
Students) program was founded in 1987 by the European Commission, and its purpose was to enable cooperation and unification of higher education across European countries (which comprise European Union (EU) members, countries applying for EU membership, as well as European Economic Area members). The goals of the program are achieved mainly by means of enabling and co-financing the international mobility of students and academic workers between European countries [1]. The Bologna Process was launched in 1999 to ensure comparability in the standards and quality of higher education qualifications, as well as to promote mobility and cooperation of the staff and students at a European level. Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), student exchange was facilitated due to the mutual recognition of academic achievements across different European higher education schools [1].
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