More Applications for Dedicated Medical Study Places
As a measure against the shortage of doctors in hospitals, health insurance practices, the army, or the police, 85 of the 1,900 places for medical studies in Austria have been dedicated to "tasks in the public interest" since last year. Applicants commit to working in these areas after completing their training and receive a scholarship and test admission facilitation in return. Interest in the model has increased significantly this year.
Nearly 900 Applications for Dedicated Medical Study Places
While there were around 600 applications for dedicated study places last year, this year there were already almost 900, according to a survey by APA at the three medical universities in Vienna, Graz, and Innsbruck, and the medical faculty of the University of Linz. Specifically, interested parties commit to staying 17 or 20 years with the partner institution (the respective federal state, the Austrian Health Insurance Fund, the Ministry of the Interior, or the Federal Army).
For this, they only need to rank among the top 25 percent in the admission test. Those who terminate their studies or service prematurely must repay the scholarship. Well over half of the applications this year were submitted to the federal states, and about a quarter to the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK).
At the Medical University of Vienna, which accounts for almost half of the registrations for the dedicated study places, there are also 46 people this year interested in one of the Federal Army's places. In contrast, there was virtually no demand for the Ministry of the Interior's places.
Question Marks Present
However, it is not certain whether all the dedicated study places will actually be filled this time, and thus whether additional doctors will be secured for hospitals, health insurance practices, or the army. Last year, despite 600 applications, only 49 of the 85 places for "tasks in the public interest" could be allocated. Numerous applicants either performed too poorly to secure a dedicated study place or achieved such good results that they received a regular study place without obligation. Only Vienna and the Federal Army were able to fill all the dedicated places at that time. The unfilled places then reverted to the "general" pool for the best applicants based on their scores.
(APA/Red)
This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.