Demographics and motives of medical school applicants in Croatia

Abstract

Background: According to data regarding number of physicians per 100 000 inhabitants, Croatia is below the European average. Under those circumstances, more attention needs to be devoted to Croatian medical schools and their applicants.

Aims: This study sought to investigate admission trends of applicants to Croatian medical schools, analyse their demographics and motives for medical school enrollment.

Methods: We collected admissions data of applicants to Croatian medical schools from 1979 to 2006. Motives for and against medical school enrollment were assessed in a survey of 1146 applicants (response rate 84%, 966/1146) and 98 final-year medical students (response rate 82%, 80/98) during July 2006.

Results: The number of applicants to Croatian medical schools had been declining until 1995, it was lowest during the 1991–1995 war in Croatia and it has been rising from 1996 onwards. Majority of applicants in 2006/07 were women (69%). Most of the applicants attended general high schools. The applicants profess choosing a certain medical school for its quality and reputation, but we showed that they actually chose the closest school. The main motives for medical school enrollment were humanitarian and scientific, while main reasons against were perceived difficulty and financial burden. We showed that final-year medical students profess significantly lower interest in science and that they are less interested in altruistic aspects of medicine. Instead, great number of them would reconsider choosing medical studies again because of the corruption in medicine, fear of mistakes and uncertainty of employment.

Conclusions: Following the admission trends in medical schools on a national level gives insight into the prospects of health care. Analysis of motives for and against medical school enrollment can provide guidelines for their improvement. Unless Croatia and other countries in transition devote more attention to recruitment, education and retention of physicians, the prospects of our healthcare are poor.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Livia Puljak

LIVIA PULJAK, MD is a Researcher and Instructor at the Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, University of Split Medical School. She is a published author of multiple articles and has editorial experiences with electronic and print media. Her research interests include medical education and neuropathic pain.

Jasminka Brnjas Kraljevic

JASMINKA BRNJAS KRALJEVIC, BSC. Phys, PhD. Phys, is the Professor at the Department of Physics and Biophysics, University of Zagreb Medical School. She authored multiple textbooks and research articles. Her research interests include magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging, spectroscopy of human lipoproteins and medical education.

Vesna Barac Latas

VESNA BARAC LATAS, MD, PhD is the Assistant Professor at the Department of Physiology and Immunology, University of Rijeka School of Medicine. She is a Vice Dean for Education for the School and she authored multiple authors. Her research interests include central nervous system demyelination in multiple sclerosis and medical education.

Damir Sapunar

DAMIR SAPUNAR, MD, PhD is the Professor at the Department of Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, University of Split Medical School. He had been a Vice Dean for Education at the School. He authored many articles on medical education. His research interests include neuropathic pain and medical education.