“Good reason to be proud”

Neuruppin/Brandenburg an der Havel, 5 February 2018

Christian Blei wins first prize at poster presentation. Medical student impressed reviewers with poster addressing the question “Does seamless aortic valve replacement reduce perioperative stress compared to conventional valve replacement?” A total of 46 MHB medical students presented first research findings as posters in conclusion of their research internship. The association of MHB sponsors honoured the best posters with attractive awards.

At the first student research congress to be organized on the Brandenburg campus on 2 February 2018, medical student Christian Blei won the first poster prize with his project addressing the question whether seamless aortic valve replacement reduces perioperative stress in comparison with conventional valve replacement. The winner declared himself to be relieved, happy, surprised and also proud, considering the many exciting and accomplished posters presented by fellow students.

A total of 46 6-semester medical students had submitted their posters to an expert jury in a non-public part of the event, with 5 minutes for each poster. Experts and audience were then invited to ask questions. The focus in the final evaluation was on clarity and plausibility of research questions, methods and findings, and whether posters were informative and attractive and generated attention. Oral presentation was also assessed.

Poster prizes were then awarded in a public ceremony on campus. Speaking on behalf of the jury, MHB professor Christian Butter (internal medicine and cardiology) praised the quality of research projects and posters in general. Christian Blei won an iPad (ca. € 400). Clara Danzer, Max Schmidt and Justus Ziegler as the next three in the ranking received book tokens, all donated by the association of MHB sponsors. Posters were subsequently presented to an interested public.

According to Prof. Dr. René Mantke, MHB Vice Dean for Research and Academic Affairs, medicine and health of the ageing as the key research interest at MHB with a focus on health services research were addressed in the student projects and posters. The range of topics to be explored also comprised clinical and basic research, including retrospective data analyses, studies on outcomes research and prospective randomized studies which students performed and evaluated autonomously.

He pointed out that the Brandenburg medical model curriculum is characterized by interdisciplinary concepts and practice orientation, but also by a sound scientific basis and monitoring scheme. An essential aim of the curriculum, so Mantke, is to convey not only subject knowledge and competences required in physicians but also the scientific fundamentals of university medicine: “We at the MHB want to ensure high quality in future health care and see it as our mission to train young physicians and scientists and in doing so to establish standards of good scientific practice.”

The research internship where 6-semester medical students can explore research topics of their own choice in collaboration with clinics, teaching surgeries and research facilities for eight weeks plays an import role in this concept. Seminars on methods of scientific work prepare students for the experience from the very first semester. Immediately prior to the internship, they attend modules on health services and biometry as well as seminars on advanced scientific methodology. MHB instructors act as mentors during the internship. The objective of the format is to teach students how to plan scientific projects, set out theses and publish findings. What they learn here, so Mantke, may be useful for a later doctorate, for example.  

Mantke summed up the event as follows: “A research internship as an integral part of the medical curriculum is unique in Germany and sets new standards. This fact, taken together with the posters presented by our students, are certainly reasons to be proud.”