ArticleBMC medical education2016
International medical students' expectations and worries at the beginning of their medical education: a qualitative focus group study.
Article in BMC medical education, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers.
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20 citing papers in PubMed, 49 citations in OpenAlex.
- Prevalence of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder among international medical students from conflict zones versus non-conflict areas: a cross-sectional study.The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association · 2026Article
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- Concerns of first-year medical students regarding their future profession: an international study.BMC medical education · 2025Article
- Medical education abroad: experience and perceived learning effects of German medical students in an international cardiology elective.Frontiers in medicine · 2025Article
- A national DREEM: exploring medical and dental students' perceptions on their learning environment across Hungary.BMC medical education · 2024Article
- International medical students' experiences of psychological safety in feedback episodes: a focused ethnographic study.BMC medical education · 2024Article
- "My Cross-Border PhD Journey": A Qualitative Study on the Educational and Life Challenges of Mainland Chinese PhD Students in Hong Kong.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Article
- International medical students' perspectives on factors affecting their academic success in China: a qualitative study.BMC medical education · 2022Article
- Administrative data analysis of student attrition in hungarian medical training.BMC medical education · 2022Article
- Examining the First Peer-to-Peer Mentorship Program (F1Doctors) for International Medical Students.Journal of interdisciplinary studies in education · 2022Article
- Rewarding journeys: exploring medical students' learning experiences in international electives.Medical education online · 2021Article
- When in Doubt … Career Indecision, Mental Wellbeing, and Consultation-Seeking Behaviour-A Qualitative Interview Study among Students and Counsellors.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- Teaching patient-centred communication skills during clinical procedural skill training - a preliminary pre-post study comparing international and local medical students.BMC medical education · 2021Article
- TESOT: a teaching modality targeting the learning obstacles in global medical education.Advances in physiology education · 2021Article
- 'A melting pot of cultures' -challenges in social adaptation and interactions amongst international medical students.BMC medical education · 2019Article
- A Comparison of Stress Perception in International and Local First Semester Medical Students Using Psychometric, Psychophysiological, and Humoral Methods.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2018Article
- Reducing Stress and Promoting Social Integration of International Medical Students through a Tandem Program: Results of a Prospective-Program Evaluation.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2018Article
- Welcome, Orientation, Language Training: a project at the Charité for new international medical students.GMS journal for medical education · 2018Article
- Same same but different - A qualitative study on the development and maintenance of personal networks among German and international medical students.GMS journal for medical education · 2018Article
- Interactive peer-guided examination preparation course for second-year international full-time medical students: quantitative and qualitative evaluation.GMS journal for medical education · 2018Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe number of international students has increased substantially within the last decade. Due to cultural barriers, this specific group faces diverse challenges. In comparison to German colleagues, international medical students perform significantly lower in clinical examinations and exceed the average duration of study; they suffer from personal distress as well as insufficient support. Within the present study, their individual perspectives, expectations, hopes and fears were examined.
methodsFour focus groups with first-year international medical students (N = 16) were conducted in October 2013. Each 60- to 90-min discussion was audiotaped, transcribed and analysed using qualitative methods.
resultsInternational medical students go abroad in search of good study-conditions. For the choice of place of study, affordability, social ties as well as an educational system following the achievement principle are decisive factors. While contact with German-students and other international students is seen as beneficial, international medical students are most concerned to encounter problems and social exclusion due to language deficits and intercultural differences.
conclusionsFacilitating the access to university places, the provision of financial aid and, moreover, social support, nurturing cultural integration, would greatly benefit international medical students. Hereby, the establishment of specific medical language courses as well as programs fostering intercultural-relations could prove to be valuable.
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