Doktorand*innen-Seminar zur persönlichen und fachlichen Vernetzung und zum Ausbau relevanter Fähigkeiten

Ein didaktisches Experiment in der Medizin

Abstract

The Center for Pulmonary Hypertension at Heidelberg University Thoraxklinik supervises around twenty doctoral students at different stages of their dissertation. A new doctoral stu-dent seminar was developed to improve personal and professional exchange and collaboration among students both on-site and off-site. The intended goal was to strengthen the peer group’s team feeling and to encourage peer support for improved learning. The professional and subject-specific skills of individual students were to be emphasized and promoted so they could serve as a resource and support for the whole group. The seminar was organized along three points of focus. This new structure included status updates of the individual projects, student-led journal clubs, and interactive skills presentations by the author. Sixteen seminar sessions were conducted within one year. These led to a closer cooperation between students, the creation of new projects, and closer scientific collaboration, including joint publications. The skills lectures also helped doctoral students work more efficiently. Despite the extra time spent on the seminars, all participants benefitted: the personal and professional exchange with-in the team was strengthened and personal skills were practiced, improved, and used for the respective projects.