Physicians with and without "Dr. med". Personal value of the medical degree in Germany

Citation
M. Weihrauch et al., Physicians with and without "Dr. med". Personal value of the medical degree in Germany, MED KLIN, 95(10), 2000, pp. 545-547
Citations number
11
Categorie Soggetti
General & Internal Medicine
Journal title
MEDIZINISCHE KLINIK
ISSN journal
07235003 → ACNP
Volume
95
Issue
10
Year of publication
2000
Pages
545 - 547
Database
ISI
SICI code
0723-5003(20001015)95:10<545:PWAW"M>2.0.ZU;2-9
Abstract
Background: The actual value of medical dissertations is under current disc ussion. Studies concerning medical dissertation focused on successful candi dates only. Therefore, data about physicians without "MD" are still lacking . Persons and Methods: We therefore performed a representative study of both, physicians with and without the "dr. med." degree. Using an anonymous ques tionnaire we asked for reasons to perform a doctoral thesis. Results: A total of 321 questionnaires could be evaluated (successful candi dates n = 181; unsuccessful candidates n = 140). Nearly 96% have attempted to perform a medical dissertation at the beginning of their studies. Only 4 % never had this intention. However, 67% answered that writing a medical di ssertation has no relevance in clinical practice. For 80% of the successful physicians, it was the first attempted dissertation, they judged the super vision as very good or good. Physicians who did not write a medical dissert ation stated that deficits in planning and supervising were the main reason for prematurely breaking off. 90% of the successful dissertationists thoug ht that it had been personally meaningful and recommended the procedure to younger physicians. However, two-thirds of the practicing physicians withou t "MD" still intend to write a thesis. Conclusion: We conclude that the medical dissertation is highly rated in te rms of personal and scientific value and should therefore remain a part of medical studies and science.