Contribution of medical student research to the Medline™ indexed publications of a German medical faculty

Medical students in Germany have to write a research thesis to acquire the title of medical doctor. This study evaluates the contribution of student research to the Medline(TM)-indexed publications of a German medical faculty. A 1993-1995 Medline(TM)-publication list, on which medical students among authors should be marked, was sent to medical faculty staff of the University of Wurzburg, Germany (n = 238). Faculty members responded (106, 45%), 66 were working at a clinic, 26 at a clinic-associated institute and 14 at a basic science institute. Between 1993 and 1995, 1128 Medline(TM)-indexed papers were published by these faculty members, who on average supervised 4.5 medical students (n = 477). Medical students were among the authors of 316 (28%) and were the first authors of 88 papers (7.8%). For 66% of medical students their research resulted in a Medline(TM)-indexed publication. Medical student research activity can significantly influence the published output of a medical faculty.