The high quality of training during the Clinical Year (PJ) in Internal Medicine at Hannover Medical School (MHH) – and in the Department of Gastroenterology in particular – is well received by medical students. The Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology has received the 2026 PJ Prize for the first time for its PJ programme during the compulsory Internal Medicine rotation. With this award, the Federal Representation of Medical Students in Germany (bvmd), the student councils and Ethimedis GmbH recognise, each year, outstanding commitment to the training of future doctors.

The induction day, which begins with practical exercises, and the personal interview with the Head of Department give students the impression early on that they are not merely tagging along as temporary help, but are being integrated into the team in a deliberate manner and in line with their individual preferences. This continues in day-to-day clinical practice. With two to three PJ students per tertial, there is ample time in the Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology for individual supervision by the medical staff. In addition, the PJ in Internal Medicine at the MHH includes one hour of PJ teaching each day; on Friday afternoons, there is time for a teaching block; and regular morning briefings with presentations, as well as scientific seminars, take place.

Appreciation and well-structured processes

The positive feedback from final-year medical students, the training data reported via the Klinik-Checkup and the submitted documentation regarding the well-structured training programme for future doctors at the clinic convinced the jury to award the nationwide prize to the MHH Gastroenterology team. “We are delighted to receive this recognition of the practical training at our clinic,” explains Clinic Director Prof. Dr Heiner Wedemeyer. “It is important to us that students become familiar with the exceptional diversity of the disciplines of gastroenterology, hepatology, infectious diseases and endocrinology – including transplant medicine, GI oncology and nutritional medicine – and are integrated into day-to-day clinical practice right from the start.” This is only possible with a sound internal structure, organisation and communication. The entire hospital team is committed to this. “We live and breathe teaching and, naturally, incorporate it into our day-to-day clinical work,” confirms Prof. Dr Klaus Stahl, Head of Endoscopy at the clinic and Practical Year Coordinator. He acts as a point of contact for students during their Practical Year, coordinates their placement in various departments within gastroenterology and ensures that students have fixed routines and designated contact persons.

The clinic’s current final-year students can attest to this special commitment. “When we arrive on the ward or in a specific department, we are greeted straight away and shown round according to a set schedule,” explains MHH student Julius Egge. This, he notes, is not something to be taken for granted. Moana Witte, another student on her practical year, also appreciates the high regard in which the students are held: “Despite the stressful day-to-day routine in the clinic, the friendly team manages to actively involve us in the workflows whilst also imparting medical skills and knowledge.”

Eight weeks in ‘Gastro’

The clinical placement in the Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology is a rotation option within the compulsory internal medicine term. Students spend eight weeks here: five weeks on wards, one week each in ultrasound and endoscopy, and one week either in specialist outpatient clinics or on the intensive care unit. Zuzana Boße, the clinical placement coordinator for the Centre for Internal Medicine, supports the organisation of flexible rotations for clinical placement students within the Centre by planning and coordinating their placements and keeping track of the schedule. “I really enjoy supporting the department in its work.”

Further award for the MHH’s teaching hospital

Franziskus Hospital Bielefeld, an academic teaching hospital of the MHH, has once again received the award for the best PJ elective in the Department of Anaesthesiology via the online review portal. Medical students regularly complete their PJ here and are supervised by Prof. Dr Dr Niels Rahe-Meyer, Chief Physician and PJ coordinator at the hospital.

The Practical Year (PJ)

All students undertake the Practical Year (PJ) after passing the second part of the medical examination in the sixth year of their medical degree. Placements are allocated via the PJ portal. The MHH PJ Office is responsible for all students enrolled at a German university who wish to undertake a PJ at the MHH.

SERVICE:
Further information can be found here: https://www.mhh.de/en/facilities-departments/clinical-departments-of-mhh/clinica...