Incoming – Studies at the MHB

Teaching formats at the MHB denote a fresh, innovative and well thought out approach to medical issues. Our didactic concept enables students to perceive and understand medicine in new ways. Course contents are addressed repeatedly in the sense of a learning spiral, i.e. in increasing detail and complexity corresponding to progressive levels of training. Small groups facilitate intensive exchange to share acquired knowledge and clarify open questions. They are the ideal context to practise scientific methods of problem solving and train students in life-long learning. The focus of instruction is on not only practical but also communicative and psychosocial skills.

For a more detailed description of the teaching formats we use, see the following list with short explanations:

Problem oriented learning (POL)

Students meet twice per week in small groups with a maximum of eight participants, supervised by specially trained instructors.

These groups tackle one medical issue respectively, possibly related to module topics. Students address the resulting learning objectives either in self-study or in seminars, practical exercises, internships or lectures. In this manner they broaden and supplement acquired knowledge. In the second group meeting participants present and discuss the results of their work.

Seminars

Interdisciplinary seminars on clinical-theoretical basics serve to deepen knowledge, convey correlations across subjects and disciplines, and create references between theoretical and practical subject matter. Seminars are interactive and may include keynote presentations.

Seminars in Human and Health Sciences take the form of seminar courses during the lecture period on:

• Guiding principles of medical ethics and practice,

• Health Sciences and

• Methods of scientific work.

Seminars focus primarily on scientific, social, philosophical, ethical, historical and methodological aspects of medicine.

Lectures

Additional to the seminars, lectures are presented to convey complex subject matter or to give overviews of comprehensive fields of expertise.

Tutorials

Tutorials in Diagnostics and Therapy convey practical medical skills in the fields of diagnostics and therapy (e.g. blood sampling, physical examination, sonography, suture course). These practical exercises are organised with the same participants as the POL groups.

Bedside teaching is organised in small groups. For live demonstrations involving patients the group size is limited to six students, and to three students for examinations of patients. In this format students may examine patients under supervision.

Tutorials on teamwork, reflection, interaction and communication (TRIK) convey skills of professional communication in the context of medical activities, in some instances with simulation patients. The independent curriculum underlying the TRIK concept is taught in small term-overlapping groups.

Internships

Practical training includes instruction in institutions of medical and psychosocial primary, secondary and tertiary care as well as research facilities. Internships serve to train skills and competences in teams and to test acquired knowledge in practice.

Groups of up to 16 students acquire and train practical skills and competences in internships. Among the topics addressed are the anatomical and scientific fundamentals of medicine, and clinical disciplines as well as fields of clinical and medical theory, such as medical ethics, medical law, biochemistry, pharmacology and microbiology.

Practice Days (for practical training in general medicine and outpatient care) are mainly organised as two-week periods for 2nd-to 5th-semester students in general medical practices of outpatient care. Students attend medical consultations in an observing and possibly assisting capacity and may also be involved in the examination, advising and treatment of patients at the physician’s discretion and depending on a student’s level of training.

The course Introduction to careers in medicine (1st to 5th semester) gives insights into various occupational areas (such as public health service, sickness funds, nursing homes, hospices, occupational medicine, pharmaceutical industry, research institutions).

Hospital ward internships constitute the primary integrative teaching and learning formats in the hospital (equivalent to block training, § 2 ÄApprO). This is where medical students are trained in the differential diagnostics and therapy of the main diseases under conditions of daily clinical practice. The focus is on bedside teaching and students’ increasing responsibilities in patient care. The internships are combined with theoretical instruction units to ensure close integration of theory and practice and, where applicable, complemented by interdisciplinary theory sessions (foundation courses). The module scheme for the hospital ward internship is as follows:

• Gynaecology and obstetrics

• Paediatrics

• Neurology

• Psychiatry

• Internal medicine

• Geriatrics

• Surgery

• Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care

• Elective subjects, so called small subjects (e.g. ophthalmology, dermatology, ENT, urology)

The Research Internship gives insights into methods of academic work with a focus on students’ individual interests. 6th-semester students complete this period in a facility of inpatient or outpatient care, an institute or research institution to gain an impression of this organisation and/or a specific subject area. They are required to formulate and address a topic with a clearly defined research question or work assignment. As part elements of the internship, research workshops and colloquia are organised during the second stage of the programme to broaden the knowledge acquired in the first stage and continue ongoing research activities (scientific portfolio).

Case presentation

Case presentations in the second stage are the context where students present authentic patient histories including findings and therapies. Instructors and students jointly develop proposals for further clinical action and discuss diagnostic and therapeutic options, guidelines and main symptoms. The number of participants corresponds to that of seminars.

Case discussions

Case discussions take place within the modules that involve hospital ward internships. Unlike case presentations, each participating students presents an authentic patient history for debate in a small group monitored by instructors.

Clinical traineeship

The four-month activity as a clinical trainee follows after the 5th semester in the lecture-free period after successful completion of exams and performance checks stipulated for the first five semesters. The idea is to acquaint students with daily medical work in hospitals and outpatient care. The clinical traineeship needs to be completed up to the second part of medical examinations, and to be documented according to the template in appendix 6 of medical licensing regulations upon registration for the second part of medical examinations.
The clinical traineeship is to be arranged as follows: two months in a hospital or inpatient rehabilitation facility, one month in an outpatient care facility under medical supervision or a suitable doctor’s practice, and one further month in a facility of GP care.

Practical Year

In the third section of the programme (48 weeks) students have to complete continuous practical work pursuant to § 3(3) of medical licensing regulations in the following medical subjects:

• Internal medicine,

• Surgery,

• General medicine, or one of the further clinical-practical disciplines other than the two mentioned above.

Pursuant to § 3(1a) ÄApprO the university draws up a training plan (logbook) to be adhered to in the training of medical students. For more information on the Practical Year see here.

Studium Fundamentale

Teaching events in the context of Studium Fundamentale address topics outside the field of medicine, such as humanities or arts.

Natural science tutorial

The tutorial in natural sciences in the first section of medical studies serves to expand knowledge of basic subjects such as physics, chemistry and biology.

The standard period of study in the Bachelor degree programme Psychology is six semesters. Having successfully completed the Bachelor examination, graduates are awarded the academic degree “Bachelor of Science” (B.Sc.) in Psychology.

Module
Psychology as an academic discipline is concerned with human thinking, experience, feeling and behaviour and the underlying causes and conditions. The curriculum of the MHB Bachelor programme comprises basic and application subjects of psychology. Compulsory modules:

• Introduction to psychology

• General psychology A and B

• Development psychology A and B

• Social psychology

• Differential and personality psychology

• Psychological diagnostics and test theory

• Biological psychology A and B

• Clinical psychology / Psychotherapy 1: Foundations

• Clinical psychology / Psychotherapy 2: Behavioural therapy approaches

• Clinical psychology / Psychotherapy 3: Psychodynamic approaches

• Health psychology

• Clinic Day and TRIK

• Statistics 1 and 2

• Qualitative methods

• Empirical – experimental internship

• Studium fundamentale

• Internship

• Bachelor thesis

Optional compulsory modules:

• Work and organisational psychology

• Child and adolescent psychology

• Neuropsychology

For more details see the course catalogue.

In the German system of medical education, the Practical Year (11th and 12th semesters) constitutes the third and last part of medical studies. Pursuant to licensing regulations for medical doctors governing education in the Practical Year (§ 3 ÄApprO), students complete three internships of sixteen weeks respectively during that period. Medical studies conclude with the third part of the medical examination pursuant to licensing regulations for medical doctors.

We are pleased to learn that you intend to spend your entire Practical Year or an equivalent part of your training at the MHB.

For an overview of training placements in MHB clinics and institutions see here. For more information on the Practical Year at the MHB see here.

Application

BPlease note that in Germany internship places are assigned via a Web portal. You are therefore requested to send your application documents to pj@mhb-fontane.de. Bear in mind that the working language in the MHB partner clinics is German.

Application documents

Please submit the following application documents:

• application form

• curriculum vitae without photo

• copy of current certificate of enrolment issued by home university

• proof of German language skills

• proof of overseas health insurance

• copy of passport (for non-EU nationals)

• evidence of vaccination status

• copy of certificate attesting successful completion of second part of medical examination / or equivalent

• copy of last occupational health examination (not older than 4 months at time of application). Please do not include findings!

Please send your complete application documents to international@mhb-fontane.de.

The Department of Medicine of the TECHNION Haifa and the MHB signed cooperation agreements in 2018. On this basis medical students can spend 4-week internships in all MHB institutions and facilities.

Application

Applications are possible any time but should be submitted at least one year prior to the planned internship. Here you find an overview of all MHB institutions.  

Upon receipt of your application documents we will see whether an internship according to your preferences is possible and will get back to you.

Application documents

Please submit the following application documents:

• application form

• letter of recommendation

• curriculum vitae without photo

• proof of overseas health insurance

• copy of passport

• evidence of vaccination status

• letter of motivation (2 pages max.)

Please send your complete application documents to international@mhb-fontane.de.