Study orientations of graduate entry medical students

Abstract

Background: In order to meet the changing needs of health care, the University of Turku has introduced a graduate entry programme aimed at students with previous education and experience in health care professions.

Aims: In this study, we look at the study performance of students with different educational backgrounds with special emphasis on graduate entry students.

Methods: We surveyed the study orientations of 145 first-year medical students with different educational backgrounds in the Medical Faculty of the University of Turku, Finland. Special emphasis was placed on graduate entry students (n = 25) with previous education and work experience in health care professions. The students were characterized based on student records and the questionnaire Inventory of General Study Orientation (IGSO).

Results: Our results revealed that after the first year of medical studies the graduate entry students showed exceptionally strong theoretical and practical commitment to their studies with a strong work-life orientation which makes them a distinct group among medical students.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

P. Kronqvist

MD PAULIINA KRONQVIST is PhD, clinical teacher, specialist in Histopathology and member of Medical Education Research and Development Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.

J. Mäkinen

JARKKO MÄKINEN is PhD and researcher at the Centre for Lifelong Learning and Education, Faculty of Education, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.

S. Ranne

SATU RANNE is cand.med. at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.

P. Kääpä

MD PEKKA KÄÄPÄ is Professor of Pediatrics and head of the Medical Education Research and Development Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.

O. Vainio

MD OLLI VAINIO is Professor of Microbiology and member of the Medical Education Research and Development Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.