Effect of the Bologna bachelor degree on considerations of medical students to interrupt or terminate their medical training

Background: The bachelor-master system potentially enables medical students to stop or temporary interrupt their training after obtaining a bachelor degree. A survey at the time of introduction of this two-cycle model in Dutch medical education showed little interest among students in these possibilities. Aims: To investigate students' considerations to stop or pause now that this model is well established. Methods: Questionnaires were sent to 314 second year and 348 third year bachelor students and 256 first year master students at University Medical Center Utrecht. Results: Response rates were 33.4% for the second year and 42.0% for the third year bachelor students and 48.8% for the master students. Of all these students, one to three percent seriously considered a permanent stop. Of the bachelor students, about one quarter seriously considered a temporary stop after finishing the bachelor program. Of the master students, one in seven indicated that they did take a break at that opportunity. Conclusions: Awarding the bachelor degree does not particularly encourage students to discontinue their medical study. Our results are comparable to the results of the survey at the time of the introduction of the bachelor-master system, which supports our previous conclusion.