INTRODUCTION: The goal of this study was to illuminate how a group of newly graduated medical doctors experienced their knowledge and resources in their work shortly after they had graduated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a prospective study of the students who started medical school in 1992. 252 students (79%) answered questionnaire 1, which was sent to them at the beginning of medical school in 1992. Questionnaire 4 was sent to the students at their graduation in 2002, and 57% answered. 80% (n = 143) of those who had graduated answered questionnaire 4. 111 of those who had graduated had been practising medicine for more than 1 year and were included in the study.

RESULTS: 72% of the medical doctors stated that the theoretical part of medical school had given them a solid foundation for clinical work but too little direction toward clinical work. They did not feel that they had developed a good foundation for collaborating with other professionals, did not have good role models or had not received good enough support for personal development. Only 55% felt that it was easy to talk about professional issues. At the start of medical school, many of the students reported having had psychological problems; this percentage fell during the course of medical school but was again high at graduation. 60% of the medical doctors stated that the clinical work had strengthened their self-esteem, but 41% felt that the clinical work had caused them personal problems. The study showed that conditions in the students' private life as well as at the university were important to the results. Women doctors had the most serious problems.

CONCLUSION: The medical doctors did not feel that they were well enough equipped for their clinical work. The study points out that it is important to make clinical education better and to give more personal support to the students during their time in medical school. Furthermore, focus is directed at the pattern of the gender roles, where women in particular are having problems.