Influence of a student curriculum on the professional and scientific careers of physicians

Background: In view of the shortage of young trainees in orthopedic and trauma surgery, the question arises as to what influence the completion of a student curriculum has on the career choice and further clinical and scientific career of graduates; however, only a few findings shed light on the long-term influence of student extracurricular events on the further careers of physicians. Objective: The aim of the survey is to find out whether and how the AGA student curriculum has influenced the further professional and academic careers of graduates. Material and methods: Online survey by email with 28 questions on the topics of "medical activity/career", "research/science", "activity in medical societies" and "evaluation of the curriculum". Out of a total of 63 graduates of the curriculum 55 were contacted who had completed their studies at the time of the survey (October-December 2023). Results: Out of 55 graduates 27 answered the questionnaire (response rate of 49%). The majority of graduates were working in orthopedic and trauma surgery at the time of the survey (25/27) and were aiming to become a specialist in this field (24/26). The graduates saw the student part-time job and offers from medical societies as having the strongest positive influence on their career. Conclusion: Overall, the results of the survey highlight the importance of targeted student training programs, such as the AGA student curriculum, in promoting commitment to orthopedics and trauma surgery and the successful integration of scientific research into a medical career.