The influence of a vertically integrated curriculum on the transition to postgraduate training

Figures & data

Table

Practice points

Many curricula of medical schools recently have become more vertically integrated to facilitate the transition to postgraduate training. We found that graduates from a vertically integrated curriculum had made the definite career choice at an earlier stage and need less time and fewer applications to obtain a residency position in comparison with those who followed a traditional programme. Additional research, among a larger population, is required to determine which elements of the curriculum cause this effect and to specify under which conditions it occurs.

Figure 1. The traditional H-shaped medical curriculum is being replaced by a Z-shaped curriculum model.

Table 1.  Degree of certainty about career choice before the start of the final (6th) year and at the time of graduation (in retrospect)

		Cohort (%)
		1998 (N = 72)	1999 (N = 71)
Before the start of the final (6th) year of medical school	(Very) certain	57	65
	Not entirely certain	31	31
	(Very) uncertain	12	5
At the time of graduation	(Very) certain	74	84
	Not entirely certain	23	12
	(Very) uncertain	3	4

Table 2.  Period in which students make their definite career choice

		Cohort (%)
		1998 (N = 72)		1999 (N = 71)
Before entering medical school			3		6
During medical school	1st or 2nd year	1		3
	3rd, 4th or 5th year	35	6*	50	83*
	6th year	31		30
After graduation from medical school			30*		11*

*p < 0.05.

Table 3.  (Required) time between graduating and admittance to residency

	Cohort (%)
	1998 (N = 48)	1999 (N = 42)
Before 6 months after graduating	27	48
Between 6 and 12 months after graduating	31	17
More then 12 months after graduating	42	36

Table 4.  Number of applications to obtain a residency position

	Cohort (%)
	1998 (N = 48)	1999 (N = 42)
0 or 1 applications	71*	93*
2 or 3 applications	19	5
4 or more applications	10	2

*p < 0.05.