gms | German Medical Science

To measure up to the increasing involvement of students in the education of their fellow students the prize for "teaching students" for excellence in medical education was awarded for the first time on the annual conference of the GMA. The student award was created according to the “Award for Young Teachers“ by the executive board of the GMA in cooperation with the GMA-committee for young teachers. The first tender in March this year attracted enormous interest, so that 22 received applications were recorded.

For the review of the considerable number of applications, eleven students and eleven lecturers were selected to evaluate in each case ten applications with regard to the stated criteria . In addition to those criteria [1], which have been already used in the price for „young teachers“ [2], five additional student-specific sub-items were applied, including the "contribution of student ideas" and "autonomous work". 0-2 points for each criterion were given. In addition one, two or three so-called „favorite points“ were distributed by the reviewers to the best - at their own option - three projects, resulting in a total score of 29 points.

Concerning the evaluations by the students and the lecturers, no significant differences could be found.

These with this method determined five best candidates were presented and discussed at the GMA executive board meeting. It decided unanimously to honor this year three candidates with the first place, since differences that would justify a differentiated position were not evident.

The following working groups were equally awarded with the first price (see figure 1 [Fig. 1]):

• The working group of Anja Görlitz (Anja Görlitz, Iwona Pelczar, Inga Hege, Lisa Kühne-Eversmann, Andrea Höger, Güler Sevilmis, Stefan Kääb, Manuel Carranza, Jörg Schelling, Matthias Holzer, Daniel Bauer, Ralf Schmidmaier) with the project "MeCuM ECG online“ for the innovative concept to combine peer-teaching and e-learning with each other.
• The working group of Hannes Hudalla (Hannes Hudalla, Julia Lübbert, Rastislav Pjontek, Patrick Riedmaier, Florian Scheibe) with the project "HORST - Heidelberger OSCE Relevant Skills Trainer" . Here, above all, the competent and interdisciplinary approach of the students was prominent just as much as the great practical relevance and the exemplary media integration.
• The working group of Kerstin Zwirner (Mark Bauder, Kerstin Ditthard, Ulrika Lischner, Sonja Schuerger, Kerstin Zwirner) with their project "sound instead of smoke - to be in the know of ultrasound“, which was characterized by an excellent scientific back up, an outstanding peer-teacher-training as well as good transferability.

As finalists have been awarded (see figure 1 [Fig. 1]):

• The “Arbeitskreis Notfallmedizin“ of Aachen (Alf Schmidt, Cordt Beißner, Sebastian Knott, Philipp Föhr, Matthias Irrgang, Sophie Nikolay) with the project "rescue service training for medical students".
• The working group of Leandra Koletzko (Viktor Speidel, Jennifer Schlundt, Elisabeth Weil, Nadine Wunder, Anne-Katrin Mueller, Leandra Koletzko, Andreas Kattner, Saskia Barnick, Lisette Hayer, Lisa Willms, Norbert Hambach) with the Projekt “anamnesis groups as student-led pre-clinic elective“.

Special thanks goes to the 22 reviewers who have each read and evaluated ten applications, and contributed interesting and useful suggestions for the implementation of the award:

• Teresa Henke, cand. med; Sandra Zeuner, cand. med; Thomas Schlabs, cand. med; Emma Kortekangas, cand. med; Dominique Ouart, cand. med; Claudia Witte, cand. med; Isabell Woest, cand. med; Robert Lauch, cand. med; Elisabeth Achilles, cand. med; Anke Busse, cand. med; Daniela Kampmeyer, cand. med
• Dr. med. Sören Huwendiek; Dr. med. Kai Schnabel; Dr. Stefan Becker; Prof. Stefan Herzig; Dr. Jan Ehlers; Dr. Anne Simmenroth-Nayda; Prof. Jerome Rotgans; Dr. rer. nat. Katrin Schüttpelz-Brauns; Prof. Martin Fischer; Dr. Christoph Stosch; Dr. Claudia Kiessling

The enormous number of applications submitted reflects on the one hand the numerous activities of students in medical schools teaching. On the other hand, it also shows the need for a bonus for the predominant volunteer work of students. The awarding of this prize opens the possibility of spreading successful student' projects now even interuniversitarily, so that other faculties can benefit from the ideas and innovations.

The award will be tendered again in 2011.