Education instead of exploitation: Finally a #fairPJ in medical studies!

Future doctors need adequate training conditions, sufficient payment for their time and effort, and teaching that qualifies them. This is the only way to ensure an efficient health care system in the face of increasing challenges, such as the existing relative shortage of physicians, and to prevent the overwork and exploitation of students even before they start their careers.

The separation of sick days and absence days: Students are currently entitled to 30 absence days in the practical year, which include vacation days, sick days, child sick days and learning days [3]. 

This has serious consequences: Currently, medical students do not have the option to call in sick without using sick days for this purpose. Specifically, the current regulations result in students showing up sick for their PJ, potentially endangering their own health, that of their patients, and that of their colleagues. Therefore, we call for crediting of additional absences amounting to at least 10% of the total training time if there was an own illness, illness of the own child or of relatives [4].

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a similar exemption was found that must be applied not only to COVID-19, but also to other communicable infectious diseases in the future.

Create and implement standards for teaching during the internship year: 

After 10 semesters of predominantly theoretical studies, the PJ aims to prepare future physicians for the practical day-to-day work and the necessary medical skills. Teaching is therefore the essential aspect of a fair PJ and one of the most important adjusting screws of a sustainable healthcare system. 

To this end, it is particularly important to establish a widespread mentoring system, the training of students by medical specialists, and the continuous care of the students' own patients under supervision. Furthermore, a structured introduction of students to ward procedures is an equally important quality criterion, as are regular feedback meetings and discussions of training objectives based on the logbook prepared by the universities. Furthermore, additional night and weekend duties must be voluntary and the use of students to fill medical staff gaps must be prohibited.

Nationwide minimum expense compensation in the amount of the BAföG maximum rate:  

Many PJ students cannot even pay their rent from full-time hospital work. It is essential that students are granted an expense allowance sufficient for basic needs. Good preparation for the professional world should not be a privilege or require a part-time job in addition to a 40-hour week at the hospital. Nearly 30% of participants in a survey conducted by the Marburger Bund in 2023 stated that they depended on a side job to finance their living expenses. In addition, 77% reported being dependent on family support to afford the practical year [5].

Minimum interval between the end of the practical year and the third state examination: 

We call for a minimum interval between the end of the practical year and the third state exam of four weeks to ensure all students have sufficient time to prepare for the final medical school exam. The current gap of sometimes one week is insufficient to prepare for the final medical school exam.

For more background on the petition, more detailed explanations, as well as a comprehensive compilation of suggestions for improving the practical year [6], visit us at rettedeinpj2023.de 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at pr@bvmd.de.

Many thanks at this point also to @lin.a.tari for creating the petition picture.

Inital supporters:

• Hartmannbund-Verband der Ärztinnen und Ärzte Deutschlands e.V.
• Marburger Bund- Verband der angestellten und beamteten Ärztinnen und Ärzte Deutschlands e.V.
• Spitzenverband Fachärzte Deutschlands e.V. (SpiFa)
• Die Chirurginnen e.V.
• Bundesärztekammer - Arbeitsgemeinschaft der deutschen Ärztekammern
• Aktionsbündnis Patientensicherheit e.V.