Record numbers when studying medicine: Carinthian candidates fight for places!

The situation has prompted Beate Prettner to request an expansion of the study places. In order to counteract the bottlenecks in the health sector, the new federal government also relies on a needs for the design of future courses. The quota-controlled distribution of the places shows that 75 % of the study places for Austrian applicants and 20 % are reserved for EU citizens, while only 5 % are available for applicants from non-EU countries. This regulation is intended to secure medical care in Austria in the long term, but is also discussed in the professional world to improve the access to the access.

preparatory courses and support

In Carinthia, interested parties can fall back on extensive preparatory courses. Such courses that record record participation this year have been offered since 2013. Around 400 interested parties took part in the preparatory course in February, followed by 170 participants in a test simulation in April. Prettner emphasizes the need for such offers to offer applicants the best possible opportunities for the medat. Registrations are possible until the start of the course and the participants can at the same time show their interest in a dedicated study place.

For the academic year 2024/25, four dedicated study places are planned in Carinthia, in which the students undertake to work in a KABEG hospital after their studies. These places are in demand because over 60 young Carinthians have already expressed their interest in it. The students with a dedicated place will receive a monthly scholarship from the first day of study and can start practical training without waiting times during internships.

Medday 2025 and lectures

Another highlight for medical students and interested is the Medday 2025, which takes place on July 18, 2025 in the Carinthia.Museum. The program includes further training lectures and presentations of the Carinthian health facilities. Among other things, virologist Florian Krammer will speak on topics such as "viruses, pandemics and vaccines", while Eva-Maria Trapp will talk about outpatient care in childhood and adolescence. At the same time, the Young Physician Festival of the Carinthian Medical Association takes place, which promotes exchange among young doctors.

The challenges in the training of medical students should not be underestimated. The discussion about waiting times in postgraduate training and in specialist training shows that enough graduates not only need, but they also have to be kept in the country. The management approaches of the MedUni Vienna ensure that the study places are efficiently assigned, but further measures seem necessary to increase the attractiveness of medical studies in Austria.

The situation around the medical study places remains tense, but with targeted preparatory measures and a possible increase in the study places, the participants hope to meet the increasing need for medical staff.