Exam preparatory course for the 2nd part of the German medical examination in obstetrics and gynecology – a potential tool for the recruitment of new residents during the occupational decision process before the practical year?

Abstract

BackgroundThe “Second Stage of the Physician Exam” at the end of the 5th year of medical school in Germany is the final step before the “Practical Year.” An exam preparatory class can cover the complete content of Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN) in two days. We raise the question of whether such training might promote students’ interest in the given specialty during occupational decision making and whether it could even be used by hospitals as a recruitment tool. This investigation is even more important in the context of fierce competition among young professionals at clinics and in different specialties.MethodsWe conducted a multimodal course evaluation for four exam preparatory courses (each of which lasted two days and involved 8.5 h of teaching), including pre- and post-course tests with 20 multiple-choice questions to quantify the level of skill gain. Additionally, a standardized evaluation of course satisfaction was performed, followed by a post-exam questionnaire that dealt with studying activities and individual professional objectives.ResultsOverall, n = 197 students took part in four identical courses. Among them, n = 121 completed the pre−/post-course tests, n = 170 completed the evaluation, and n = 110 completed the post-exam questionnaire. An average improvement from 13.9 to 17.2 correct answers was observed (max. 20; pre−/post-difference 95%-CI: [2.77; 3.86], t-test: p < 0.0001). By trend, the students noted that course participation positively influenced their later choice of specialty training (m = 3.63; scale 1 = “strongly disagree,” 5 = “strongly agree”).ConclusionsIn addition to self-studying, condensed classroom training is effective and reasonable and might also increase the attractivity of OB/GYN among students and have a positive effect on recruitment.

Experiences with alternative online lectures in medical education in obstetrics and gynecology during the COVID-19 pandemic—possible efficient and student-orientated models for the future?

“…Learning efficacy and independence are important not only due to the expanding medical curriculum but also with regard to students’ motivation for their later specialty training independent of their gender [ 54 ]. Evoking interest in a specialty is crucial in a time with a growing shortage of physicians and an accelerating competition for graduate students [ 55 , 56 ].…”

The role of gender-specific factors in the choice of specialty training in obstetrics and gynecology: results from a survey among medical students in Germany

“…In general, positive experiences can be seen to be an important motivational factor for students when choosing to engage in a specialty in greater depth and eventually selecting it for later training [ 24 ]. As already demonstrated, extracurricular preparation courses for the state exam have a potentially positive impact on the decision of specialty training in OB/GYN [ 25 , 26 ].…”

The Role of Gender-Specific Factors in the Choice of Specialty Training in Obstetrics and Gynecology – Results from a Survey Among Medical Students in Germany

“…In general, positive experiences can be seen to be an important motivational factor for students when choosing to engage in a specialty in greater depth and eventually selecting it for later training [18]. As already demonstrated, extracurricular preparation courses for the state exam have a potentially positive impact on the decision of specialty training in OB/GYN [19,20].…”