Scientific output of Dutch medical students

Abstract

Background: In medical curricula, considerable effort is put into scientific education and research training. The output of these efforts, however, is not known.

Aim: To assess the number of students who published at least one scientific paper during the course of their medical studies.

Methods: Names and initials of all students who received their medical degree in 2006 or 2007 in one of the six participating university medical centers in the Netherlands were searched in the Web of Science database using a well-validated algorithm.

Results: Of the 2973 students, 14.5% had published at least one scientific paper during the last 3 years of their medical studies. These papers were of good quality, as the average number of citations per paper is above the average for papers published in their field.

Conclusion: Based on the results of our survey, we conclude that medical students in the Netherlands are productively involved in research during their studies. Due to publication delay, the true number of papers is likely to be higher than we counted, but the bibliometric index chosen gives a robust estimate of the effect on the output of the scientific climate of a medical school. Using such an index on a larger scale may stimulate medical faculties to recognize and cultivate academic talent among their students.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Huub J. van Eyk

HUUB J. VAN EYK is a third year medical student at the Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands.

Michiel H. W. Hooiveld

MICHIEL H. W. HOOIVELD, Ing. PhD, is a coördinator of the Junior Scientific Masterclass at the University Medical Center of Groningen, the Netherlands.

Thed N. Van Leeuwen

THED N. VAN LEEUWEN, PhD. is a senior staff member of the Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS), the Netherlands.

Bert L. J. Van der wurff

BERT L. J. VAN DER WURFF is an analyst at the Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS), the Netherlands, and performed the analysis.

Anton J. M. De Craen

ANTON J. M. DE CRAEN is an associate professor in Geriatry at the Leiden University Medical Center.

Friedo W. Dekker

FRIEDO W. DEKKER is an associate professor at the Department of Clinical Epidemiology and head of the Center for Innovation in Medical Education at the Leiden University Medical Center.

FRIEDO W. DEKKER is an associate professor at the Department of Clinical Epidemiology and head of the Center for Innovation in Medical Education at the Leiden University Medical Center.