In 2002 a reform curriculum was implemented at Medical University of Vienna. At the end of each study-year students have to pass a summative integrative examination consisting of single choice questions. We examined the study success of 674 students (50.8% of the cohort) who were surveyed at the beginning of their studies. The questionnaire used consisted of 67 items concerning the main success factors taken from the literature. Success was most predicted by schoolmarks, study-motivation ("keen to acquire knowledge"), the importance of study success, self-confidence to reach this goal, not too specific ideas about future employment, high learning capacity, and low test anxiety. Some aspects having predictive power for the first-year exam (sex, German mother tongue) showed no more impact on study success. Other aspects described to be predictive in retrospective studies could not be verified in this prospective study.