24 May 2023

More time for studies, for specific research projects during university years or just for other important things in life such as family or volunteer work – a gift for 59 students enrolled at the MHB who received scholarships at a recent ceremony. The location was the Neuruppin head office of the local savings bank Ostprignitz-Ruppin, one of the university’s associates.

In his welcome address CEO Markus Rück recollected the time of about ten years ago, the “excellent idea” and initiative of physicians, three hospitals, the local public utility company and his savings bank to jointly tackle the shortage of physicians in Brandenburg. The scholarship recipients, so Rück, help to fill this vision with life through respectable performance and the responsibility they assume for others and their still young university: “My bank feels committed to the people of the region, just as the bank’s foundation has always supported education as the basis for success, and has played an active role in the MHB grants scheme right from the start.” He presented MHB scholarships co-funded by the foundation of the savings bank Ostprignitz-Ruppin to eleven grateful students. These specific grants primarily aim to support individuals who coped or are still coping with various obstacles in their careers. 45 further scholarships form part of the Deutschlandstipendium scheme which honours students for outstanding commitment.

With the increased intake of 69 medical students – compared to 48 in former years – for the summer term of 2023, the MHB now has more than 760 students. Nadine Shalala, in charge of fundraising at the MHB and strategic partnerships, points to a growing need for financial aid. She welcomes the new record number of scholarships awarded and the wider range of sponsors with more variety in the type of grants as a result. Established donors are the above-mentioned foundation of the local savings bank, the MHB sponsors’ association, the HOSPA (society for hospice and palliative care) and the hospice association Prignitz-Ruppin. One of the newly added sponsors is the East German association of savings banks; its acting president Ludger Weskamp equated the strong focus of his association on the human being with the attitude expected of physicians, which is to place patients in the center of their efforts. Other new sponsors are the Thiemann Foundation and the DPH (German Parkinson society), the latter founded and chaired by Stephan Goericke whose father suffered from the disease and who wants to support affected persons. His organization additionally provides information for the general public and funding for students who demonstrate outstanding interest in the field or make neurology/Parkinson’s disease a priority in their training. The DPH and the Thiemann Foundation jointly award a total of five scholarships on this subject.

Recipients report that the scholarships are extremely valuable in helping to pay the rent or making a part-time job unnecessary.