German-speaking medical students on international electives: an analysis of popular elective destinations and disciplines

Abstract

Background 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 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. Results We 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. Conclusions We 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.

Medical students from German-speaking countries on abroad electives in Africa: destinations, motivations, trends and ethical dilemmas

“…We performed the analysis during the first three weeks of March 2021 and applied no time restriction. For interested readers, the general methodology is described elsewhere in detail [ 4 , 28 ].…”

“…These training opportunities give students the chance to discover a new clinical environment in which medicine is practiced, and learn the art of medicine from a variety of dedicated healthcare professionals. Despite high travel expenses, health and (occasionally) security risks, electives in Africa are traditionally popular [ 3 , 4 ], with the Republic of South Africa (RSA), Ghana, and Tanzania highly sought-after destinations [ 5 ].…”

Clinical electives in China: trends, experiences, barriers

“…The methods have been discussed elsewhere in great detail [ 12 ]. In brief, we reviewed 4 open-access databases for elective testimonies cataloguing reports written by German-speaking medical students for other students to share their elective experience [ 16 – 19 ].…”

“…Although the majority of international students come from low- and middle income countries in Asia and Africa [ 10 ], China’s rise also offers new opportunities for greater cooperation with European countries [ 11 ]. Both sides maintain tight economic ties [ 11 ], and China’s rise towards the world’s largest medical education system is also attracting more and more students for short-term medical electives from the German-speaking countries [ 12 ].…”

A study on perception of medical students regarding implementation of elective module in India

“…Also, electives affect the future choices of students regarding their clinical practice (Alkhaneen et al, 2018;Zuckerman et al, 2016;Dada et al, 2022;Rudasill et al, 2022;Alghamdi et al, 2022;Anand & Sankaran, 2019). Nowadays, medical students also prefer international electives (Hasebe et al, 2022;Storz et al, 2021).…”