• A Weber, E Lindner, D Weltle, and G Lehnert.
• Arbeitsgruppe Sozialmedizin des Instituts, Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg.
• Med Klin. 2000 Apr 15; 95 (4): 235-42.

BackgroundWith the changes in the structure of education and society, in recent years also the medical habilitation (German postdoctoral lecturing qualification) has been called into question as an academic qualification. With this in mind, the aim of our study was to discover the current opinion of those who had successfully completed a habilitation on the prerequisites for a habilitation, the habilitation procedure and the status of a habilitation, and to document potential wishes for reform. COLLECTIVE AND METHODS: The target group of our survey were the 616 persons (female: 77, male 539) who successfully completed their habilitation in 1997 at one of the 36 German medical faculties. The database was formed by an anonymous questionnaire (23 items), which included questions on sociodemographic factors and occupational history (general part), and subjective opinions (specific part). Recruitment of the participants in the survey and passing on of the questionnaire were carried out by the office of the medical dean of the various universities, as the names of those who had completed a habilitation were not available to the investigators for reasons of protecting the individual's rights and identity. Evaluation of the returned questionnaires was carried out using descriptive statistics. Subgroups were formed according to sex, age and subject groups.ResultsThe questionnaire was answered in a useable form by 389 persons (female: 46, male 343) from 35 medical faculties (return quota 63%). 95% of those who took part in the survey were registered doctors; 79% of these came from clinics, 16% from the field of theoretical medicine. 81% were specialist physicians. 5% had studied the natural sciences or humanities. The median age at the time of completing the habilitation was 38 years (minimum 30, maximum 54 years old). At present 93% were assistant professors, 5% were professors. The median interval between the doctoral thesis and habilitation was 10 years. 58% had carried out a period of research abroad. In 90% of cases the persons had written a postdoctoral thesis for their habilitation, 10% qualified cumulatively. 47% had improved their occupational rank within a period of 2 years after completing the habilitation, about 2/3 of these reached senior positions. Among the prerequisites for habilitation, "Humboldt's trias" (research, teaching and caring for patients) was accepted by the great majority. Other prerequisites regarded as important for habilitation were publications, holding talks, specialist status and experience abroad. Impact factors, however, should be regarded as important conditions for habilitation only in combination with other criteria. The value of a habilitation was not called into question; 89% would recommend completing one. 80% of those questioned, however, thought the procedure for completing a habilitation should be optimized. The general abolition of the medical habilitation was, however, not desired by the vast majority.ConclusionThe value of completing a medical habilitation is not a point for debate for most of those who successfully completed one. It remains the springboard for occupational advancement. The vast majority do not wish to see it abolished. Also the usual prerequisites for habilitation are accepted by the majority of persons. The procedure for completing a habilitation is, however, regarded as in need of improvement. There is a wide consensus of opinion regarding potential aims for reform.

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