Brandenburg Medical School: Saving research in danger!

Brandenburg Medical School: Saving research in danger!

The Brandenburg Theodor Fontane Medical School (MHB), which was founded in 2014, has established itself as an important institution in medical education in Brandenburg. With over 1,000 students in medicine, dentistry, psychology and health services research, the university makes a valuable contribution to medical care in the region. This positive development is now being overshadowed by a planned cut in state funding, which could jeopardize the continued existence of up to 50 scientific positions. MHB reports that The state of Brandenburg has supported the university with 5 million euros annually for research and 1.6 million euros for the Faculty of Health Sciences since 2020.

In October 2024, the MHB received the seal of approval from the Science Council (WR), which confirmed the university's accreditation for five years. This accreditation is not only a sign of compliance with university standards in teaching and research, but also includes the recommendation for a limited right to award doctorates in the field of human medicine. The WR's decision to accredit the MHB is an important step towards ensuring the university's scientific performance the Science Council states.

Financial challenges and support

The planned reduction in funding from 6.6 million to 5 million euros this year raises serious questions. This reduction could directly jeopardize the financing of numerous scientists and their projects at the MHB. Political representatives are committed to continuing funding for the university, Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke has assured his support and emphasized the need to revise the funding cuts. The Senate of the MHB appeals to all political leaders to increase financial resources in order not to endanger the important work of the institution MHB.

In recent years, the MHB has been able to train around 150 graduates in human medicine and several hundred in psychology. Two thirds of the graduates remain in Brandenburg after their studies, which points to the necessity and success of the training. The increasing demand is also reflected in the increase in new medical students from 48 to 138 per year. From the summer semester of 2024, the range of courses will be expanded to include dentistry, which will also contribute to strengthening healthcare in the region. These developments were also by MWFK highlighted.

Accreditation and future prospects

The accreditation of the MHB by the Science Council is also a sign of the high demands placed on academic education in Brandenburg. The university has a viable research concept and provides recognized services in human medicine. Nevertheless, a need for improvement was identified, particularly in psychology, with a focus on staffing and other resources. The WR also recommends optimizing governance and teaching coverage to accommodate the growing number of students.

The MHB has cooperated with around 30 hospitals and teaching practices in Brandenburg and strives to continue to cooperate in teaching and research. These numerous measures and concepts show that the MHB is prepared to continue to play a central role in medical training and improving healthcare in Brandenburg in the future. MWFK highlights that the MHB also invests in cooperation with other institutions in the region.