Botswana medical students education in Norway

Abstract

35 students have been participating in the program of educating Botswana medical students in Norway from 1995 until resent date. The purpose of this study has been to clarify the goal of the program and to find to what degree the program has been a success focusing on numbers of students having graduated, how many having returned home working as doctors, and the student’s experiences during their time of study. 11 of the Botswana medical students were participating in the study. It was done a brief effort of a qualitative analytical approach, and the narrative interviews were analysed having the phenomenological hermeneutical approach in mind. There was also cooperation with people in the universities connected to the program. 26 of the students have managed to graduate, but only 5 are proven to be back in Botswana. 8 students have quit and 1 is still studying. The students have met different difficulties during their time of study, like problems with language learning, integration and general cultural differences between the two countries. Periods with low life satisfaction are reported from most of the students, and 75 % of the students state that they wouldn’t have done it over again. Many students manage to finish their medical education in Norway, even though it has been challenging. The success of the program can turn out to be high, measured in numbers, if more students return in the years to come, but from a student perspective there have been too many barriers to climb for it to be categorized as successful.