Neuruppin, 1 November 2024
Medical studies at the MHB place severe demands, but suitable preparation helps to master even great challenges. Simon Stiehl and Madelein Hoffmann, both medical students at the MHB, have initiated an innovative tutorial named First Aid to provide support to newcomers. In the following interview they describe how this unique concept helps new students to optimize learning strategies, improve time management and settle in quickly in the unfamiliar environment in order to make full use of their time at the Brandenburg Medical School.
Madeleine and Simon, what was your own first week like when you started?
Madeleine: The start was exciting and thrilling, so many new people and impressions. I believe it was the same for both of us: MHB students will never forget the hustle and the many activities of the very first week, like the traditional city rally along the lake and in the old part of town, the semester start party on Friday, the POL introduction and the welcome barbeque.
Simon: Some other activities have been added since then, for example a flunky ball tournament and the pub quiz. The friendly, familial and very personal atmosphere at the MHB is helpful to become attuned to the new setting. During these first days we were kept busy with the move to new lodgings or installing a kitchen in the shared flat. Students in advanced semesters – of medicine or psychology – made it easy for us to get settled in Neuruppin and at the MHB.
What were your reasons to develop First Aid?
Simon: The first ideas for a tutorial on learning concepts came to me in 2021, i.e. at the height of the Corona pandemic. I had just completed the first semester and the pertinent exams and in that context had taken a closer look at my personal learning strategies and structures. My previous dual training had involved a different kind of learning, so I had to get used to individual teaching/learning formats. The MHB curriculum is multifaceted and based on a holistic concept of practice-oriented learning and understanding. What I missed was some medium of exchange on various learning and teaching strategies and approaches. In spring 2021 I discussed conceptual ideas with fellow student and co-initiator Josephine Steinborn, and we came up with “First Aid” as a means to acquaint first-semester students with MHB teaching and learning formats which still stands today. 7th-semester student Madeleine Hoffmann joined the team in the winter term 23/24 and contributed lots of further ideas and perspectives. The current tutor team is always looking for support from fellow students of medicine and now also dental medicine to expand our dynamic concepts on a continuous basis.
How detailed are your descriptions of MHB teaching formats?
Simon: Our primary objective is to provide a comprehensive overview and a wide range of potential teaching approaches in the tutorial. We present various methods of learning such as the Pomodoro technique, the Anki® card file system and approaches of efficient time management for the oncoming semester. In addition, we aim to respond to students’ individual requirements and where necessary offer further counseling on learning progress throughout the semester. The idea is not so much to describe approaches to the last detail but more to give new students orientation with the options they have a) in individual learning processes and b) at the MHB in general to build up comprehensive subject knowledge in medicine and at the same time to grow as a person.
Madeleine: An overview – first of all, to make the beginning of studies easier and convey methods of acquiring subject knowledge specifically at the MHB. Starting out in a new town, an unfamiliar environment, with a new and challenging course of studies may turn out to be just too much for some. First Aid is meant to alleviate such worries, to overcome initial problems and put the newcomers on the right track. We were faced with the same situation and the same obstacles when we started, and we want to give something back; we know how valuable tips and suggestions from advanced semesters are.
Do you also give tips on time management and ways to deal with stress?
Madeleine: Yes, we do. Time management and stress strategies are important issues and relevant to every student sooner or later. You must allow yourself breaks and find ways to compensate for learning and study routines. People tend to overdo it with the amount of workload in the first semester and are stressed out as a consequence. Efficient time management has helped me to structure and organize my schedule of work and compensation or rest periods, and to define more precisely which subject matter I wanted to acquire up to which deadline. Leisure activities and private life should not be neglected in the context of stress management. It can be extremely refreshing to reward yourself with nice things and pleasant activities, and it clears your head for new challenges.
What are your five most important First Aids for beginners?
Simon: We have identified the following TOP 5 take-home messages in our First Aid tutorial, and can therefore give a short and concise reply:
- Scrutinize your learning strategy, is it sensible and effective?
- Set your own pace for learning!
- Structure your routines and your learning and weekly schedule efficiently. Define the topic of the week!
- See to sufficient compensation and breaks to recharge your batteries.
- Be mindful and take care of yourself and your health!
In conclusion, what are your next steps or plans for your tutorial?
Madeleine: We are happy to report that First Aid has become an integral and essential element of the introductory phase in the first semester of medical studies and regularly gets excellent feedback. In the summer term 2024 we convinced the persons in charge of the new model curriculum in dental medicine BMZ to officially add our tutorial to the curriculum, and we are pleased with the confidence placed in us. A further specific objective of our First Aid workgroup is to recruit dental students for a First Aid tutorial of their own within the BMZ. The entire concept relies on personal experience gained by students, and we plan to implement it for the field of dental medicine as well.
Contact:
Simon Stiehl
simon.stiehl@mhb-fontane.de
Madeleine Hoffmann
madeleine.hoffman@mhb-fontane.de
