Practical Year in Public Health: 10 Years of Experience at the Public Health Department in Frankfurt

Background Since the winter semester 2013/14, the Public Health Department in Frankfurt has been the first to offer an internship in public health to medical students in their practical year in Germany. In this study, we analyzed how students evaluated their practical experience and the logbook within clinical training at the Public Health Department. Methods A rotation procedure was set up and a logbook with subject-specific learning objectives was developed. After the internship, students participated in an evaluation using a standardized questionnaire. The results of the last 10 years were evaluated quantitatively. Results The evaluation results of 15 medical students of the last 10 years showed a very high level of internship satisfaction. There was a high acceptance of the logbook regarding structure, learning objectives and skills. Conclusion The internship at the Frankfurt Public Health Department provides the opportunity to be involved in daily activities of public health practice, gives an overview of learning objectives, and underlines good public health training.