In the run-up to the Brandenburg state elections, the Brandenburg Medical School (MHB) is increasingly in the center of attention. Sebastian Walter, top candidate of the party DIE LINKE, visited the MHB yesterday. He underlined the key role of the MHB in regional healthcare and addressed the financial challenges involved.  

Sebastian Walter was accompanied by Ronny Kretschmer, health policy spokesman of his parliamentary group. They met with several students for a two-hour discussion on MHB premises. Walter appears to feel passionately about the institution since he repeatedly promised his backing for the MHB in parliament.

A brief review of an interesting moment during the election campaign: In a debate on the medical and nursing sector on September 2, the SPD candidate Britta Kornmesser explicitly acknowledged Brandenburg’s long-term Mayor Dietlind Tiemann (CDU), also present, for her decisive initiative in establishing the Brandenburg Medical School: “The MHB has become a success story. At the time, I had strong concerns about the idea, believing costs might get out of hand.” Today the university is an integral part of the Brandenburg health system, producing 90 physicians per year of whom two thirds stay in the region.

Ever since it was founded ten years ago, the MHB has demonstrated that its basic concept works. It contributes significantly to securing skilled health personnel with 138 new medical students per year, in addition to psychotherapists and now also dentists.

Quote from a letter addressed to Sebastian Walter by MHB students: "Medical training at university level in Cottbus will not reach its full development with then 165 physicians per year before 2041. After federal funding expires, the State of Brandenburg plans to support the institution with annually 160 million Euro from the regional budget. In comparison, more than 1,500 physicians will by that time have graduated from the MHB which currently receives funding of 6.6 million Euro per year."

In  yesterday’s meeting, Sebastian Walter assured students that he advocates not only an increase of funding to 10 million Euro but also shareholdings in the MHB for Brandenburg. This, so Walter, would create a new legal basis for the MHB and mean more security for instructors and students.

More funding from the State of Brandenburg is of essential importance for the university itself and for the entire provision of healthcare in Brandenburg. Walter also underlined that a total of 3.7 billion Euro has been scheduled in the federal and the regional budget up to 2038 to build up the Medical University Lausitz – Carl Thiem. The Brandenburg Medical School is already in full swing and highly successful, so that an increase of funding makes sense: “A look at the budget shows that 10 million Euro would not be so very much, and 20 million or even more are a possibility.”  

In conclusion of the meeting, Walter had a word of strategic advice: Immediately after the regional elections, students should direct a letter to all newly elected parliamentary groups, to draw attention to the MHB and facilitate a continuation and expansion of its successful operations.

Original German text published at Portal Meeting Point Brandenburg on 13 September 2024; title: „MHB: Ein Erfolgsmodell unter finanziellem Druck“. Text and photos Antonia Wünschmann.

MHB-related excerpts from Brandenburg election platforms

SPD – government program 2024-2029
"We will continue financial support of the Brandenburg Medical School. It is already making an important contribution to securing the provision of health services in the region."

CDU – government program 2024
"Securing future support for the Brandenburg Medical School, increase of basic university budget by 5 million Euro per year"

B90/Grüne – program for regional elections
"The Brandenburg Medical School (MHB) as a non-profit university under municipal sponsorship has made a successful start in a pioneering role and already made significant contributions. The hoped-for effect that graduates would stay in the region where they are in urgent demand has become a reality. We note with pride that we supported the MHB right from the start and wish to continue financial support for the MHB. In addition, the training of medical students in Cottbus must begin soonest possible. We plan to see to it that Cottbus will profit from experience gained at the MHB and that both institutions will complement and support each other, specifically in the field of health systems ant outcomes research."

Die Linke – position statement
"The new university in Cottbus/Chóśebuz is going to train physicians. Apart from Cottbus, medical programs have been established for years at the MHB under municipal sponsorship, and the first graduates are already working in the region. We want intensive cooperation between both universities. We will therefore establish research funding of at least 5 million Euro for the MHB on a permanent basis and support joint research projects of IUC and MHB."

AfD – government program for Brandenburg
"Against the background of the already existing lack of physicians which is going to become far more urgent in coming years, we wish to provide reliable support to the MHB via institutional funding."

BVB/Freie Wähler – election program
No MHB-specific statement. "We demand reliable funding for universities, technical colleges and research institutions, chairs and pertinent scientific substructures. Expenditures for research and development need to be increased to at least 5 % of the Brandenburg budget in the medium and long term. We advocate the continuation of steadily increasing funds for universities to the order of 5 million Euro per year, to maintain and further improve the high standards of our institutions of tertiary education."

FDP – election program
No MHB-specific statement. "We call for greater consideration to be given to the research component as part of core funding at universities of applied sciences and technical colleges."

BSW Brandenburg branch – election program 2024
No MHB-specific statement. "The capacities of universities for education and innovation need to be strengthened via better financial and human resources, so that we can guarantee optimum conditions for student training and research."