[The Ulm trauma track : Trauma care and research as focal points for medical students]

As part of the expansion of the site-specific education profile of the medical curriculum MED@ULM of the University of Ulm, a new track "trauma care and trauma research" was established in the winter semester 2012/2013. The acceptance of the track was evaluated during the winter semester 2013/2014.

The 6-semester track extends the existing curriculum by offering subjects in trauma management and trauma research to students of human medicine. A central aim of the track is to promote medical professional competence, expertise in emergency care and competence in trauma-related scientific work and research. Central learning contents could be intensified in newly established emergency simulation training. Additionally, participating students have to perform a doctoral thesis on an obligatory trauma-related experimental subject. A first analysis study focusing on the learning style of the participating students (n = 17) and a control group consisting of members of the same semester (n = 20) was performed using the Kolb learning style inventory. In a validated evaluation in the winter semesters 2013/2014 and 2014/2015, the students were asked about their expectations and experience with the track, criticisms, suggestions and satisfaction with the study conditions. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

The analysis of the students' preferred learning styles revealed no differences between track students and the control group. Most of the students considered the track as a form of personal further education. The students had high expectations of practical skills with relevance to the clinical daily routine, learning scientific methods and preparing their thesis. The track students were more critical with regard to the study conditions than the control group students, although the track students of the third semester still judged their studies to be more interesting than the track students of the first semester and the control group.

With the introduction of the new trauma track into the curriculum of the medical curriculum MED@ULM of the University of Ulm, a further possibility for medical students to focus on their own individual options was established. At least half of the track students wanted to be later active in the triad of patient care, teaching and research. Further investigations are necessary to determine whether the establishment of the trauma track has a positive influence on the number of new recruits in trauma surgery and anesthesiology.