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Abstract
Background: The bachelor–master (BaMa) structure was introduced in medical schools in The Netherlands since 2003 and in Utrecht University in 2006.
Aim: The aim of this study was to determine whether conferring a bachelor degree at the end of 3 years of medical school influences the career considerations of the students.
Methods: Two cohorts (BaMa and pre-BaMa) of medical students at Utrecht University were approached to fill out questionnaires in 2008 and 2009, about their career plans and whether a bachelor degree would affect these plans.
Results: In 2008, two-thirds of the students in both cohorts indicated that they considered a temporary stop. In 2009, the BaMa cohort showed substantially less interest in such a stop than the pre-BaMa cohort. Very few students considered a permanent stop. Comparison of third year pre-BaMa students (2008 cohort) with third year BaMa students (2009 cohort) revealed adjusted odds ratios of 2.34 (95% CI 1.34−4.09) for a temporary stop and 1.33 (95% CI 0.51–3.42) for a definitive stop.
Conclusion: Awarding a bachelor degree in the BaMa structure does not encourage students to interrupt or discontinue their medical study, to transfer to another master programme or to transfer to another medical school.