gms | German Medical Science

19. Internationales SkillsLab Symposium 2025

19.03. - 21.03.2025, Munich

Welcome


Dear Readers,

We are delighted to present to you the abstract volume of the 19th International Skills Lab Symposium (iSLS 2025). It was a great honor for us to host this event on behalf of the Committees for Practical Skills and Simulated Patients of the Society for Medical Education (GMA), under the motto “Skillset/Mindset. Simulation is more than just skills!” From March 19 to 21, 2025, we welcomed a total of 262 participants to the TUM University Hospital in Munich.

For the first time, the symposium was held entirely during the workweek, and it already enjoyed high attendance at the pre-symposium, with around 60 participants. Two workshops focusing on the use of simulated patients, followed by a networking event featuring poster presentations from various participating institutions, provided a dynamic and engaging start to the congress.

In the simulation community, we have long been committed not only to training practical skills but also to fostering reflection on one’s own capacity for action and its limitations. How this can be successfully implemented in practice was impressively demonstrated by Prof. Raphaël Bonvin (University of Fribourg, Switzerland) in his keynote “Skills vs. Competencies: Are We Ready for a Paradigm Shift in Assessment?” He illustrated how examinations can be designed in a more personalized and constructive manner beyond multiple-choice formats. This was followed by an energizing warm-up led by Prof. Martin Halle (Preventive Sports Medicine and Sports Cardiology), which perfectly set the tone for the subsequent keynote by Prof. Pascal Berberat: “The Question(s) of Becoming a Doctor: Between Skillset and Mindset”. In today’s globally connected world – marked by an abundance of information and scientific knowledge, but a blurring of clear roles – these questions are perhaps more complex than ever before.

With a total of 80 scientific contributions in the form of presentations, posters, and workshops, iSLS 2025 once again proved to be a valuable forum for the exchange of ideas and the advancement of our community. This spirit of collaboration and celebration culminated in a memorable social evening in the historic Augustiner Stammhaus in the heart of Munich, featuring live music and a DJ.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all participants, to those who contributed with their presentations, and to the many industry exhibitors. Our special thanks go to the organizing team, whose dedicated efforts over many months made this event possible. We look forward to seeing you again next year.

Meike Dirmeier und Pascal Berberat
 

Scientific Program