Influence of Tutors' Overseas Experience on Doctoral Medical Students' Skill Development: A Comparative Study in China.

Background: Overseas study is believed to enhance health professionals' research capacity. This positive impact has been passed down through generations of medical students via their tutors. This study aims to quantify and compare the benefits of tutors' overseas study experience for basic and clinical medical students.

Methods: A structured questionnaire was administered to medical students in Harbin Medical University (HMU) and its affiliated hospitals, whose tutors have overseas study experience. The study included 263 basic students from HMU basic medicine (Group A) and 263 age-matched clinical students from the affiliated hospitals (Group B). Data were analyzed using SPSS software.

Results: Most students believed that their tutors' overseas study experience greatly enhanced their abilities. The total IF (Impact Factor) of articles published during their PhD study by Group A and Group B was, respectively, 4.639 and 3.791 (P < 0.05). The number of SCI papers during their PhD study and foreign language skills improvement scores by Group A and Group B was, respectively, 1.14 and 1.06 (P > 0.05). Significant differences were found between Group A and B in the mean scores for improvement in learning ability, idea renewal, research ability and international academic communication skills (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Our study revealed significant associations between tutors' overseas experience and medical students' outcomes. Basic students with overseas-experienced tutors demonstrated higher research achievements, while clinical students reported greater perceived improvements in overall abilities. Our findings suggest that study abroad policies for medical tutors may warrant consideration, given the observed associations with student outcomes.