Student Testimonials

The survey captured key information about my recent medical education experience, relevant information about my personal demographics and education prior to medical school and helped me reflect on my preparedness for internship. I liked that it captured information about future career planning and can see how that could be useful to gauge competitiveness of individual specialties while also being useful for workforce planning and recruitment. I found the survey really easy to complete, and very worth the small investment of time it took to provide future graduates with information to help understand their fellow doctors and help plan individual career trajectories.

I thought the survey was very helpful in providing information on the demographics of students and it was particularly interesting to read through the report as I was previously unaware of the outcomes or other universities. I thought the questions regarding preparation for internship was very valuable and potentially a good source of information for universities to reflect on. The survey was otherwise very easy to complete and had a good variety of questions, although didn’t take too much time.

I am writing this email to accept my prize from the MSOD that was awarded for last year at the end of medical school. I think medical school was a great and cherishing experience and the surveys conducted by MSOD are great feedback tools for the upcoming years as we can highlight things that were great or things that need some further attention. And as people who are going to be future practitioners using or conducting research I think it’s nice to be able to be a part of a research database that helps investigators just by filling out a quick survey!

Out of all the final year surveys we were asked to complete, I found the MSOD to be the most valuable and relevant. It gave me a chance to honestly reflect upon my medical school education which will hopefully continue to improve medical education for students in the future. I’m also hopeful that the collected demographics can help address the shortage of doctors in rural and remote locations which I am really passionate about.

It is great to know that surveys like these are available to us, which aim to inform future years of medical school training and much more. The insights it provides could help tailor our education and future employment opportunities to suit the trends identified. With this, I encourage final year students to take part in this simple yet impactful survey.

I think the survey is vital for understanding medical student perspectives on their journey to becoming a doctor. The survey allowed me to provide honest feedback about the course while appreciating the hard work put in by the Monash Medicine faculty in preparing us for internship.

I was interested in completing the survey as the data from previous years was something I found quite useful. It was nice to be able to give feedback on how well I felt prepared for the road ahead and also to see this kind of feedback in context when looking at the data from previous years. As a rural student, I also found it a good forum to be able to include feedback on my experience and compare this with how much time others spent rurally and where people want to work in the future. Overall, I feel this survey gives good insight into career trajectory and location data and is both useful and interesting.

I found the MSOD survey very easy to complete and truly believe it is a worthwhile experience for every final year medical student, seeing as it was an opportunity to reflect on our medical school journey. The data collected through the survey will not only contribute to the future of medical education nationwide, but will also help organisations better understand and meet the requirements of the healthcare field.

The survey was an interesting exercise in reflecting on my medical education and thinking about different ways my university prepared me for practice in the real world.

As someone who has come from a regional background, studied at a rural clinical school, and ended up practicing in a remote location (Alice Springs), I think the survey is a great tool for reinforcing the efforts made to promote and increase rural retention of medical students after graduation. Having the demographics, previous experiences and rural background of students and their jobs after graduation helps to inform policy and identify the types of people who are more likely to go out rural and practice in areas of need.

The survey itself was quite straightforward, and answering some of the questions helped me have a bit of perspective on the various backgrounds that people come from in the medical field.

The survey covered various aspects of the educational program, including teaching quality, curriculum effectiveness, support services, and overall satisfaction with the learning environment. It was a valuable opportunity to provide feedback on my experiences and suggest improvements for future cohorts all over Australia and New Zealand. Completing the survey allowed me to contribute to the enhancement of the medical school experience for myself and my peers. I’m eager to see how the feedback will be utilised to further enhance the educational experience at our institution.

I would strongly encourage all final year medical students to participate in the MSOD survey. Not only does it provide an opportunity for you to reflect on your own opportunities and experiences and how these shape your future career aspirations, but also provides invaluable data that will help shape the future of medical education in Australia.

The MSOD was very easy and straightforward to fill out, and gave me an opportunity to contribute to valuable data on future medical workforce planning and allowed me to reflect on my medical school journey and my intentions for the future. Honestly not a bad way to finish my final exam!

“I found the survey to be a good collection of questions, which covered all the interesting statistics that I would like to know about my cohort presently and in the future.”

“MSOD survey was a great organized opportunity for self-reflection but also an opportunity to think about how things could have been better, and a way to pay forward for the future graduate to have a better experience hopefully through changes implemented as a result of the collective feedback”

“The MSOD Survey offered an opportunity to reflect on my education and to express aspirations for my future. This survey was one of the few opportunities I had to contribute demographic, cultural and personal data – incredibly important in gaining a better understanding of the people and community heading into the medical workforce. I believe that this data will serve as a useful guide to ensure the current needs of upcoming doctors are being met. I hope the MSOD survey can continue to offer a strong assessment of how the expectations and composition of upcoming doctors are evolving with time. I would highly encourage other students to get involved!”

“I found the medical deans survey to be  comprehensive and easy to navigate. I really appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback on my medical education and see real changes enatced as a result.”

“The reason I decided to complete the survey is because I believe it is important to understand the background of people studying medicine – even if those people are not in the majority. I do not fit the typical demographic. I am over 40, a single parent, and the first in my family on either side to ever attend university. Accordingly, no-one in my family has a medical background. This made navigating certain aspects of studying medicine difficult as, despite some allowances, the program is still very much suited to a particular demographic. My situation led me to consider how others who do not fit the typical profile also encounter unnecessary challenges during medical school (e.g. program structure and communication protocol). There is so much that can be done to assist people from diverse backgrounds and this assistance would result in a more diverse population of doctors which will better serve our ever growing community. This all begins with asking about the background of people studying medicine, which is what your survey does. Thank you for inviting me to complete the survey.”

“I found the Medical Students Outcomes Database survey very straightforward and easy to complete. I think it’s important data to contribute to, especially for the regional and rural health services where the results can help inform workforce decisions and really make a difference.”

“I found the MSOD survey very well designed, simple and easy to fill out. I am sure the data it collected will go on to be of great use in organizing Australia’s medical schools and medical workforces, and I am happy to have been a participant.”

“This was one of the surveys I was given at the end of my time at medical school. However, the MSOD survey provides pivotal data that can identify needs and gaps within medical education given the shifting environment within the medical workforce in Australia. This is particularly important for individuals like myself who are placed rurally and the information collected can go a long way towards addressing the gaps that currently exist within areas of need.”

“The MSOD survey gave me a chance to reflect on the experiences that I had during medical school and how those experiences had shaped my aspirations for the future. It felt great to contribute to data that informs decisions about the future of medical education.”

“I found the survey was an excellent chance to reflect on the last four years, and consider how it had prepared me for life as a doctor. It provided the opportunity to contribute to the continued growth of medical education and medical workforce planning, an opportunity that I’d encourage other students not to pass up!”

“I thoroughly enjoyed completing the survey. It was a wonderful chance for me to reflect on my time in medical school, the experiences I have had, and contemplate my exciting career opportunities. I was also grateful to be able to contribute and help influence the future of medical education.”

“I found the MSOD survey during my final week of medical school after hearing about the survey from our Medical Dean (Prof Michelle Leech). The MSOD survey is a comprehensive survey that covers everything from demographics and medical school experiences to career intentions and practice preferences. This is a valuable tool for the medical education and medical workforce sectors to give insight into our early medical careers to help influence future health/education policy and guide future planning.”

“I think it is so useful to be able to collect data like the one collected in the MSOD, because everything in medicine is governed by good quality evidence. It just makes sense that we base our future workforce needs on good quality data. It helps ensure our workforce is staffed appropriately, which helps us better manage our workload and provide good patient care.”

“The MSOD survey was a quick, yet comprehensive way to put your thoughts on paper and reflect on your opportunities, privileges and challenges in the hope to better inform medical education in the future. For a few minutes, you can generate a big return for future cohorts and help pay it forward.”

“I would encourage all medical graduates to complete the MSOD survey. It’s a comprehensive and simple way to provide invaluable feedback and information about graduating medical students. This data will contribute to the future of medical education in Australia and workforce planning.”

“I was told about the survey through the administration at my university, they sent an email out at the end of last year. I think surveys like this are incredibly important for understanding the trends in the industry and to identify areas requiring attention.”

“The MSOD survey was a comprehensive questionnaire about medical students’ experiences during university, including background, placements and future career preferences. As a graduating medical student, I found it worthwhile to help contribute to the ongoing delivery of medical education and assist with future workforce planning. I’d encourage all graduates to complete the survey when they have the opportunity to do so.”

“The MSOD survey was comprehensive but straightforward, enquiring about our background, medical school experience and future career preferences. It was worth while contributing to a database that is used to guide medical education and health workforce planning.”

“The MSOD survey was a valuable way for me to provide my contribution on a National level with regards to my experiences with various specialties, exposure to rural and metropolitan medicine, and how these have impacted my future career aspirations. Being the only survey that collects such data on a National level, it is vital that we share our experiences and exposure to assist in the Governments’ ability to plan and support the ever changing medical landscape, as well as assist in directing where changes should be made in medical education, and reward and acknowledge when education is done efficiently and effectively. ”

“The MSOD survey 2017 was a user friendly and direct means of gathering accurate information from graduating medical students about their backgrounds, medical education and career intentions. In an evolving medical environment this data is essential for the government, colleges and universities to accurately plan for and meet the requirements of the future medical workforce.“

“I encourage all medical students and graduates to participate in the surveys administered by the MSOD Project. The data collected through these surveys provides an invaluable evidence base both for forward planning, and for evaluation of past decisions and initiatives. The data collected will give particular insight into the medical workforce, particularly in the areas of internship and the early training years, as well as strategies to increase participation in Australia’s rural workforce.”

I found that the survey itself was easy to navigate and the questions were broad in nature. I really appreciate how we had been given the opportunity to share our voice, in the form of feedback and detailing experiences during medical school, in order to support the development of an improved curriculum and to facilitate medical workforce planning, altogether helping future medical practitioners to better meet the health needs of the wider community.