The Impact of ERASMUS Exchanges on the Professional and Personal Development of Medical Students

Paweł Żebryk, Piotr Przymuszała, Jan Krzysztof Nowak, Magdalena Cerbin-Koczorowska, Ryszard Marciniak and Helen Cameron
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Paweł Żebryk: Department of Medical Education, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-806 Poznan, Poland
Piotr Przymuszała: Department of Medical Education, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-806 Poznan, Poland
Jan Krzysztof Nowak: Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology and Metabolic Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-572 Poznan, Poland
Magdalena Cerbin-Koczorowska: Department of Medical Education, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-806 Poznan, Poland
Ryszard Marciniak: Department of Medical Education, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-806 Poznan, Poland
Helen Cameron: Aston Medical School, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 24, 1-20

Abstract: The ERASMUS program is one of the most popular student exchange projects, particularly among the students of Central and Eastern European countries. However, limited research is available with regard to its influence on the professional and personal development of its participants. The study aimed at investigating the experiences and impact of the ERASMUS program on different domains of the personal and professional life of medical students. A questionnaire containing closed and open-ended questions was distributed among 269 former participants of the ERASMUS program from the Poznan University of Medical Sciences to collect qualitative and quantitative data regarding the topic. The response rate was 41%. Mastering professional foreign language skills was the most frequently reported benefit of ERASMUS (94%), followed by a change of approach towards learning by exposure to innovative teaching techniques, character, professionalism and cultural competency development, impact on the migration decisions of the students, as well as the opportunity to compare healthcare and educational systems across countries. Additionally, 57% of respondents stated that ERASMUS impacted their career plans, and few indicated that it had affected their specialty choice. Approximately 28% of respondents have worked abroad in healthcare or research since graduating. Participation in the ERASMUS program proved to be a unique opportunity for professional and personal development.

Keywords: ERASMUS program; student exchange program; medical students; professional development; medical curriculum; medical education (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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