title: [Postdoctoral qualification regulations of medical faculties in German universities. A comparison of 1998 and 2010].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Germany, Austria and Switzerland the "Habilitation" (postgraduate qualification) is currently the highest ranked university degree which qualifies candidates to perform high ranking autonomous research and teach the specific subject at university level. Although it is legally not an academic degree, the habilitation is a mandatory qualification for the later appointment and employment as a professor. The habilitation process is a complex assessment of diverse prerequisites which differ highly in terms of uniformity among the medical faculties in Germany.
  
  
  METHODS
  In order to re-evaluate these prerequisites and to find out if there might be more conformity for candidates all habilitation requirements were analyzed for 12 primary outcome measures according to Nagelschmidt and rated with a specific scoring system (Nagelschmidt score).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall scoring for habilitation requirements increased from 15.2±5.1 points in 1998 to 21.9±4.0 points in 2010 (95% confidence interval 20.6-23.3, p<0.001, mainly due to increased requirements in terms of publications, teaching and mandatory board certification. No correlation was found between the number of habilitation degrees per faculty and the overall Nagelschmidt score (y=-0.0545x+26.021, r(2)=0,00028).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The requirements for habilitation have substantially increased by 44% from 1998 to 2010 in Germany. This is mainly based on higher requirements in terms of publications, teaching and board certification.
authors: Klinik für Plastische, Hand- und Wiederherstellungschirurgie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Str.1, 30625, Hannover, Deutschland. knobloch.karsten@mh-hannover.de
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Knobloch
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Sorg
authors: P M
authors: PM
authors: Vogt
mesh_terms: D001317:Austria; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D003479:Curriculum / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000639:trends; D005180:Faculty, Medical / Q000592:standards; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D011643:Publishing / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D013044:Specialty Boards / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D013557:Switzerland