[GMA Annual Conference 2013 in Graz − Conference Report]

 Simone Manhal ¹
Hans Peter Dimai ²
Gilbert Reibnegger <sup>3

1</sup> Medizinische Universität Graz, Büro des Vizerektors für Studium und Lehre, Graz, Österreich
² Medizinische Universität Graz, Vizerektor für Studium und Lehre, Graz Österreich
³ Medizinische Universität Graz, Institut für Physiologische Chemie, Professor für Medizinische Chemie, Graz, Österreich

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Introduction

Under the title Tradition – Stumbling block or chance? the annual meeting of the Society for Medical Education (GMA) took place from 26^th to 28^th September 2013 at the University Hospital of the Medical University of Graz. About 400 experts in the field of medical education research met in Graz, where also a special jubilee of 150 years academic medicine was celebrated.

Under the auspices of the Conference Presidents Vice Rector Univ.-Prof. Dr. Hans Peter Dimai and o.Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Gilbert Reibnegger a varied program with 26 workshops, 136 oral presentations and 162 poster presentations could be presented. All scientific contributions were critically reviewed by at least two reviewers. The abstracts of all presented scientific papers were published in the GMS and are available at http://www.egms.de/dynamic/resources/meetings/gma2013/Abstractband.pdf.

At the annual meeting 12 exhibitors and sponsors were represented, who enriched the spectrum of content.

Program

The scientific program of the GMA - Annual Conference was rounded off by meetings of the GMA-committees. With the establishment of a new committee named "Intercultural Competence and Global Health" another hot topic is anchored in the GMA . The invited lectures by Dr. Klaus Hellwagner, PLL.M. together with ao.Univ. -Prof. Dr. Matthäus C. Grasl on "The medical school yesterday, today, tomorrow" and of o.Univ. -Prof. Mag. Dr. Gilbert Reibnegger under the title "From the tradition of free access to higher education to the targeted selection of future students: The development of admission to the study of medicine in Austria" gave impetus for discussions to all participants. In addition, during the GMA's Annual Conference a symposium on the topic of "examination" was held which was attended by the following international guests: Lesley Southgate, Rene A. Tio, Michal Nowakowski, Klaus Albegger and Sören Huwendiek.

The 20 oral presentations and 15 poster sessions addressed the following 16 topics:

1. Blended Learning
2. Faculty and Curriculum Development
3. Postgraduate and Continuing Education
4. Intercultural Competence and Diversity
5. Interprofessional Education
6. Communication and Interpersonal Skills
7. Human Resources and Organizational Development
8. Practical Skills
9. Professionalism
10. Examination
11. Students as Teachers
12. Student Activity in Medical Education
13. Student Selection
14. Science in the Study
15. Veterinary Medicine
16. Dentistry

The traditional GMA social evening took place in the “Seifenfabrik”, a known event location, with 300 people present. At a joint Styrian dinner with appropriate background music plenty of opportunities for personal discussions were offered. Consecutively a small clubbing was organized with two DJs, so that some participants were able to celebrate until the small hours of the morning .

In the course of the evening, the GMA award winners were honored by Martin Fischer, Sören Huwendiek and Anja Meier (see Figure 1 [Fig. 1]):

GMA award "Students as Teachers":

Gunther Joos and Britta Fabel: "First Aid Course", AG Emergency Medicine, University of Münster

GMA award for young teachers:

Dr. Sandy Kujumdshiev, MME , University of Zurich. "Development of standardized teaching materials (Toolbox) and their integration within the framework of the implementation of a digital asset management system ("teaching fundus") to support teaching in the field of practical skills and the OSCE in of internal medicine"

During the poster sessions each poster was judged by the co-chairs of the session based on a defined list of criteria. The best rated posters of each session were presented to a jury who selected the three poster prize winners (see Figure 2 [Fig. 2]):

1^st Posters Prize:

Andrea Rietfort, Ulrike Schemmann, Susanne Druener and Saša Sopka: Change of Perspective Therapist /Patient through Professional Training in Acting

2^nd Posters Prize:

Daniel Heinrich, Johanna Huber and Michael Wenzel: "Beyond Tourism" - Structured English Language Preparation for Stays Abroad in Medical Studies

3^rd Posters Prize:

Fabian Jacobs and Matthias Siebeck: Going abroad: What Effects Do International Medical Exchange Programs Have on Their Participants?

The conclusion of the meeting featured the presentation of the highlights by Sandy Kujumdshiev and the outlook for the annual meeting 2014 by Wolfgang Hampe.

GMA General Assembly

In addition to the scientific program the General Assembly of the GMA was held on 27^th September 2013 with 171 members entitled to vote. As representative of the student body Janna-Lina Kerth, RWTH Aachen, was chosen by the GMA members.

Acknowledgements and Outlook

The organizing team would like to thank everyone who has supported the realisation of the annual meeting, led by the Executive Committee of GMA, Mrs. Beate Herrmannsdörfer from the office of the GMA as well as the employees of conventa OG and Ms. Fedora Peer of the Organizational Unit for Study and Teaching at the Medical University of Graz.

The GMA Annual Conference 2014 will be held from 25^th to 27^th September 2014 under the motto "Studying Medicine and Science" at the Medical Faculty of the University of Hamburg. More information is available at http://www.gma2014.de.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.