gms | German Medical Science

17. Grazer Konferenz – Qualität der Lehre 2013: Teaching Medical Skills

4. - 6. April 2013, Wien, Österreich

Interdisciplinary teaching and small group lessons within the special study module – "Connective tissue diseases, diagnosis and treatment" of the curriculum of medicine at the Medical University of Graz

Poster

  • corresponding author presenting/speaker Dieter Franz Rabensteiner - Medical University of Graz, Department of Ophthalmology, Graz, Austria
  • author Jasmin Wagner - Medical University of Graz, Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Division of Pulmonology, Graz, Austria
  • author Andreas Borkenstein - Medical University of Graz, Department of Ophthalmology, Graz, Austria
  • author Jutta Horwath-Winter - Medical University of Graz, Department of Ophthalmology, Graz, Austria
  • author Martin Weger - Medical University of Graz, Department of Ophthalmology, Graz, Austria
  • author Andrea Heidinger - Medical University of Graz, Department of Ophthalmology, Graz, Austria
  • author Eduard Paschke - Medical University of Graz, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Graz, Austria
  • author Joachim Greilberger - Medical University of Graz, Institute of Physiological Chemistry, Graz, Austria
  • author Barbara Obermayer-Pietsch - Medical University of Graz, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Graz, Austria
  • author Tatjana Stojakovic - Medical University of Graz, Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Graz, Austria
  • author Elisabeth Aberer - Medical University of Graz, Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Division of Enviornmental Dermatology and Venereology, Graz, Austria
  • Otto Schmut - Medical University of Graz, Department of Ophthalmology, Graz, Austria
  • author Josef Smolle - Medical University of Graz, Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Doicumentation, Graz, Austria

17. Grazer Konferenz – Qualität der Lehre 2013: Teaching medical skills. Wien, Österreich, 04.-06.04.2013. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2013. DocP16

doi: 10.3205/13grako30, urn:nbn:de:0183-13grako300

Veröffentlicht: 29. November 2013

© 2013 Rabensteiner et al.
Dieser Artikel ist ein Open Access-Artikel und steht unter den Creative Commons Lizenzbedingungen (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.de). Er darf vervielfältigt, verbreitet und öffentlich zugänglich gemacht werden, vorausgesetzt dass Autor und Quelle genannt werden.


Gliederung

Poster

Background: During the 2nd stage of the curriculum of medicine at the Medical University of Graz the completion of five special study modules (SSM) is mandatory. The students can choose almost freely from a diverse range of thematically different SSM according to their interests. Experiences from the SSM - "Connective tissue diseases, diagnosis and treatment." are presented.

Methods: The SSM - “Connective tissue diseases, diagnosis and treatment.” explains the structure, biosynthesis and degradation of the connective tissue components: cells, fibers (collagen, elastin) and the ground substance (proteoglycans, glycosaminoglycans).

Experts in different areas teach lessons that emphasize the importance of the connective tissue for the human body. Main attention is paid to the pathology of the connective tissue. The pathology of the skin, the structure of the blood vessels, atherosclerosis and thrombosis, osteogenesis and osteoporosis, connective tissue of the eye, rheumatology, the effect of oxidative stress on the connective tissue, as well as genetic diseases of the connective tissue are discussed. Visits to outpatient departments and research units allow the students the direct contact with the patients concerned. Information about diagnostic procedures and current treatment options is given. Parts of the lessons are performed virtually in the form of an eLecture (including multimedia content), held as Web Based Training (WBT) or completed by the composition of an essay. As a consequence, less physical presence of the students is required and the independent elaboration of learning content is promoted. The experience and evaluation results of the last 6 years of this SSM were evaluated.

Results: In all evaluations carried out, the versatility of the areas taught and the interdisciplinary appraisal of the individual topics were positively highlighted. The virtual lessons represent an extremely welcome addition to the lessons requiring physical presence.

Each semester the SSM is limited to a maximum number of 12 students. Lessons are held partly for the entire group, but partly also in small groups of 2-4 students. This small group lessons, especially in the outpatient departments of the individual teachers, are particularly well received. There is a desire for additional training sessions in the outpatient departments, which is often difficult to achieve with regard to the patient care. The feedback from the teachers confirmed the high motivation and excellent performance of the students.

Discussion: Special study modules provide a welcome diversification from the routine modules of the curriculum of medicine. They allow students a free choice according to their area of interest and thus a more thorough study of sub-areas and special medical topics, which sometimes can hardly be considered in the main curriculum for various reasons. The interdisciplinary approach, combined with well-organized small group lessons has the agreement of students and enables highquality teaching, that brings the students and teachers joy alike.