Schools Background 

In recent years the discussion about the quality of teaching at German medical faculties has been greatly influenced by a debate over perceived high numbers of students.

There is a lack of data relating the number of students to other relevant structural parameters.

Methods 

For the years 1981 to 1997 the number of medical students at four medical schools in Baden-Württemberg (Germany) was related to the number of medical faculties with teaching tasks.

Data was drawn from publicly available sources.

Results 

At all four universities the number of medical students increased until the end of the eighties and then decreased continually by 10 to 20%. In the same period of time, the number of medical teachers increased from 46 to 92%. The numerical student/teacher ratio at medical schools decreased dramatically and is much lower now than anytime since 1981.

Conclusions 

The calculation of a student-teacher-ratios produces consistent results under comparable legal and economic conditions.

The hypothesis that teachers at medical schools have to teach ever more students is disproved.