Nursing and general medical students’ satisfaction with their medical training

Background: Medical education aims to ensure objective knowledge and fine skills in students. In this respect useful data may come from students’ perceived satisfaction with their training. Purpose of the study: To compare general nursing and medical students’ satisfaction with their training. Methods: Nursing and medical students were asked to rate their satisfaction with the medical training and express preferences regarding their intended future career. Results: No differences were found between the two samples regarding satisfaction with lectures. Nursing students were more satisfied with the teaching staff and relied exclusively on professor provided information, while medical students attended more optional lectures and case presentations. They were also more involved in research and conference participation. Students’ intentions about future practice (hospital / ambulatory) and emigration were similar in both samples. Conclusions: Less satisfied by the teaching staff, medical students appear to be more involved in their theoretical and practical training. Both nurses (48.6%) and medical students (53.3%) consider leaving the country after graduating.