gms | German Medical Science

On behalf of University Witten/Herdecke Faculty of Health I have attended this year’s symposium: Learn how to study- Theories and Strategies for a lifetime process (http://www.umm.uni-heidelberg.de/studium/tdl.html). As a medical student in my third year I am reporting from a student’s point of view.

1. Opening lecture: How does our brain join in the study process? Scientific results (Prof. Dr. Henning Scheich, Leibniz-Institute of Neurobiology, Magdeburg)

The opening lecture was overly basic and reminded the listener of an upper high school biology class. The title led the audience to believe the speaker would present new and innovative studies. Instead, the speaker provided a basic overview of neurons. Of note, the references were at least twenty years old.

The most important take home message was: during adolescence, a large amount of synaptic connections become established, Some cojunctions degenerate when not used regularly, whereas regulary use maintains connections. This selection process plays an important role for the development of our individual needs and later competences.

2. Innovative approaches for teaching and studying (Prof. Dr. Robin Stark, Faculty of Philosophy, University Saarland)

His introduction started out with the complexity of inert knowledge. Inert knowledge can be supported on a cognitive, metacognitive, motivating, instructive-theoretical and didactical level.

The case-study method systematically allows adaptation to current developments.

Three studies compared the case-study method, instruction-orientated studying and additive-combined conceptions.

The lecture would have benefited from a moredetailed examination of the topic since it was quite complex.

The studie‘s take home message: The case- study method is the most efficient method for complex challenges.

3. Sustainable academic studying (Prof. Dr. Thomas Fuhr, Educational University Freiburg)

Starting his lecture Mr. Prof. Fuhr provided an insight into the analysis of university programmatic of the last century.

He chose an appropriate survey and explained easily comprehendible concepts as ivory tower and discussed further theories.

I recall two phrases, which I associated with my study:

Common reflecion plays an important role in the study process. You have to become aware how to be human can be a part in your future career.

You have to find an agreement between your own standards during studying and the common concept of your study.

4. Learning model theory: Helpful recipes or commercial falsity (Prof. Dr. Maike Looß, Institute of natural scientific didactic, Technological University Braunschweig)

Based on Frederic Vester’s book: „Denken, Lernen, Vergessen“ Professor Looß presented the different types of learning. She reflected critical the enormous amount of guidebooks written about learning models. She finished her critical oberservation with following statement: Clearness is an needful tool, however notional effort is essential.

In summary more important than any guidbook ist your individual intention and motivation to learn.

5. Hands on training- learning borders (Prof. Dr. Udo Obertacke, Surgeon, Faculty of Medicine Mannheim)

Professor Obertacke demonstrated a study about surgical residents who have been trained using different methods including conservative training, mental training and hands-on training. They investigators compared these methods by evaluating the residents‘ surgical abilities (98 cholecystectomies).

As a result residents exposed to conservative training (observing and assisting) showed significant improvement, residents exposed to mental training (talked through each step, memorizing, and practicing the cholecystectomy under supervision) presented significantly higher improvment than residents soley exposed to handson training (for example, practicing on pigs). Residents exposed to handson training demonstrated the worst results.

I was very struck by these results.

6. Workshop self-regulated learning“ (Jan Griewatz, Competence-training-centre, University of Medical Didactic ,Baden-Wuerttenberg, Tuebingen)

Mr. Griewatz gave a two hour introduction in needful learning strategies by employing pracitical excerizes such as improving reading efficiency and drawing a Mind-Map. The group consisted of 20-25 medical students from Mannheim. The tutors were unable to continue with his program, because of an ongoing discussion about learning experiences. The main difficulty seemed to be that they weren’t studying for their own needs, but rather to pass an exam. Myself preparing for the preliminary medical examination, I certainly can sympathize with the students of Mannheim University. moreover I felt fortunate to visit a university with an alternative approach to educational priorites.

The author declare that she have no competing interests.