Interns'' evaluation of their preparation for general practice: a comparison between the University of Tromsø and the University of Bergen

A total of 168 interns who have graduated from the Medical Schools of Bergen and Tromsø were asked about various aspects of the medical curriculum. In Bergen the curriculum has a traditional structure with a pre-clinical and a clinical part, but in Tromsø the pre-clinical and clinical subjects are integrated. In addition, the students in Tromsø spend long periods in municipal hospitals and in the primary health care service. We were interested in how the interns from the two universities evaluated their respective curricula and how prepared they felt for their current work. There was a response rate of 86% to the questionnaire. The results showed that the interns from Tromsø are more satisfied with their education and feel more confident in their practical skills than the interns from Bergen. They are also more motivated for future work in general practice. In our opinion the main reason for these results is the difference in curricula in the two medical schools. Other possible reasons are also discussed.