Criteria for the successful completion of medical dissertations - A multicenter study [Kriterien für den erfolgreichen Abschluss medizinischer Dissertationen – eine multizentrische Studie]

[english] Objective: In order to acquire the academic title “doctor” in Germany, it is essential to complete a dissertation. A high number of publications at German universities are based on medical dissertations. The reasons why some dissertations are successfully accomplished and why some are not completed – despite far-reaching consequences – have been barely investigated to date. Methods: 467 students in the ninth semester at five German universities participated in this study in 2003. A questionnaire (return rate 93.5%) was used, asking details about the circumstances of a current or completed dissertation (Group A), an abandoned doctoral project (Group B), or one which was never started (Group C). Results: Students in Group A referred significantly more often to their supervisor as being essential for choosing the topic of their dissertation project. Furthermore, students in Group A worked together with other students in self-organized support groups to debate methodological questions. They also discussed their project more frequently with a statistician. Students in Group C gave “interference with undergraduate studies” and “no time” as the most common reasons for not starting a dissertation. Conclusions: As the supervisor seems to play an important role for the successful completion of dissertations, universities should think about professional programs that would prepare supervisors for this educational task. Courses for doctoral candidates in scientific research methodology could also be a helpful tool toward successfully accomplishing a doctoral thesis or scientific projects in general. [german] Zielsetzung: Zum Erlangen des Titels Doktor“ ist in Deutschland die Durchführung einer Dissertationsarbeit erforderlich. Ein bedeutender Anteil der Publikationsleistungen deutscher Fakult ten rekrutiert sich aus Ergebnissen medizinischer Dissertationen. Die Gründe für den Abbruch einer Dissertation bzw. für ihre erfolgreiche Durchführung sind bisher trotz der weitreichenden Konsequenzen nur unzureichend untersucht. Methode: Mit Hilfe eines Fragebogens wurden 2003 insgesamt 467 Studierende im 9. Semester an fünf deutschen Universit ten untersucht (Rücklaufquote 93.5%). Untersuchte Inhalte betrafen eine aktuelle oder bereits fertig gestellte Doktorarbeit (Gruppe A), eine abgebrochene Doktorarbeit (Gruppe B) oder den Nicht-Beginn einer Doktorarbeit (Gruppe C). Ergebnisse: Im Gruppenvergleich gaben Studierende der Gruppe A signifikant h ufiger die Person des Betreuers“ als wesentlich für die Wahl des Themas der Doktorarbeit an. Au erdem arbeiteten Studie