Potsdam, 6 September 2019
The Brandenburg state press conference in Potsdam was the setting for MHB officials in Potsdam today to present the university’s plans for future expansion. They underlined their intention to go on bearing responsibility for medical training in the state of Brandenburg. In view of a growing demand they stated their general approval of an additional location for medical training in Brandenburg and a will to provide support via shared expertise.
MHB president Prof. Dr. Edmund Neugebauer pointed to the great demand for prospective physicians in Brandenburg: “In consultation with the Brandenburg government, the MHB has already admitted an additional 24 medical students for the coming winter term, and has undertaken to raise the number of admissions by another 24, starting in 2020. This means MHB will admit 96 newcomers per year and thus double the number of places for medical students. Currently, more than 400 students are already enrolled in MHB programmes of medicine and psychology. Next year the first class will begin their practical year, and start their specialist training at one of our cooperating hospitals in Brandenburg in 2021. We are looking forward to these two further milestones in our development.”
Ralf Reinhardt, district administrator for Ostprignitz-Ruppin and chairman of the MHB board, recalled the Brandenburg government’s visit to Neuruppin last May when Prime Minister Woidke and the Minister of Science both described the MHB as a permanent partner in the joint endeavour to overcome the shortage of physicians in Brandenburg: “All parties involved are agreed that our research capacities need to be expanded, not least in view of evaluation by the Science Council. We have now underpinned the government’s assurance of financial support with a detailed budget plan of 12.98 million Euro (for instructors and scientific assistants, material resources and research infrastructure) which has been submitted to the responsible ministry as our contribution to the ongoing exploratory negotiations. Admission of additional students to the medical programme constitutes an advance performance on our part, and we obviously expect the Brandenburg government to keep its promise of financial support.”
Steffen Scheller, MHB board member and Mayor of Brandenburg an der Havel, added: “We at the MHB and the 33 partner hospitals plus numerous affiliated surgeries have always felt committed to the entire state of Brandenburg. This is why we wish to promote medical training at the planned site of Cottbus / Lausitz as well. Collaboration with the Carl Thiem clinic as a new MHB university hospital might be a good idea, in view of our existing partnership with the Niederlausitz hospital in Senftenberg and Lauchhammer. It is important to start medical training on site soonest possible. The expertise available at the MHB can help to successfully implement these plans in the near future.”
MHB board member and Neuruppin’s Mayor Jens-Peter Golde expressed pride in what has been achieved at the MHB so far: “Our communities have assumed responsibility for more than 400 students of medicine and psychology and offer a unique educational environment. We have made considerable efforts and can say that we profit from the stimulating influence of young people. We plan to attract as many prospective physicians as possible. The public rightly expects us to ensure a functioning system of health care supply, and we accept the challenge which is without alternative.”
You find links to the position paper and to a presentation on the origins and development of the MHB on the German website.
