Medical training in Greece: A crisis in progress

Objectives. We sought to evaluate the opinions of medical students and graduates regarding the quality of medical education in Greece. Methods. Two online questionnaires concerning the undergraduate medical education and specialty training respectively were distributed. Results. Regarding the quality of undergraduate medical education, 52.1% of participants replied favorably while clinical training was found satisfactory by 45.1. Dissatisfaction rates with research opportunities and support from tutors reached 88.4 and 83.3%, respectively. The majority (75.3%) supported the introduction of examinations for commencing specialty training. 52.3% of physicians were satisfied with the quality of specialty training. The most common complaint was the absence of a formal educational program. 67.2% of participants were dissatisfied with working conditions during their specialty training, with 70.1% working >60 h per week. Physicians practicing medical specialties were more satisfied with the quality of specialty training than those practicing surgical specialties (odds ratio: 1.43; 95% confidence limits: 1.09–1.87) and were less likely to work for >60 h per week (odds ratio: 0.66; 95% confidence limits: 0.48–0.9). Conclusion. Opinions expressed in this survey highlight the need for reforming medical education in Greece.