Panel discussion on the evaluation of our school intervention
Intensive scientific discussions took place this weekend at the University Hospital of Giessen and Marburg: 160 schools in total are expected to take part in, what is to date, the largest multicenter study run by medical students in Germany. The research groups are comprised of department heads from 16 medical faculties with members of the German Cancer Research Center, professors from the Harvard Medical School as well as world-renowned experts from the fields of tobacco, cancer and lung research discussed the best strategy to deter young people from smoking.
After an in-depth discussion and review of the current literature, a pioneering and innovative concept was adopted, which is being implemented in over 400 schools throughout Germany. In addition to this, a basic approach dealing with the optimal positioning of EAT groups in faculties was discussed.
Some key aspects of the new curriculum include transmitting 3D selfies (mirroring) from the phones of students in the entire grade to the projector, newly developed interactive experiments in the classroom, a complete distancing from fear inducing education approaches and a stronger focus on group work and the reality of the aspects of smoking, which affect young people. Follow up reports will continue after visiting schools through app-based techniques and through the involvement of parents and teachers.
The delegation from the medical faculty in Heidelberg was very active in the panel discussion with one member, Thien An Tran, leading the discussion by presenting a proposal to increase the level of interaction in the classroom (Heidelberger Stationenplan). Titus J. Brinker was the person in charge of organizing, moderating and chairing the panel discussion. He delivered the opening speech, which encompassed fear inducing intervention methods, the theoretical principles guiding effective tobacco prevention and supporting evidence from photoaging-Interventionen. Fabian Buslaff from the Faculty of Medicine in Erlangen demonstrated the pilot version of the 3D app Smokerface in mirroring in the classroom and discussed a review on the subject of roleplaying. In preparation for the panel discussion participants read a collection of literature so that they had a qualified basis for discussion. All participants read articles and actively participated in the discussion.
We would like to thank the German Heart Foundation for sponsoring our panel discussion and Prof. W. Seeger for providing the premises and we are confident we will make a good team over the next three years.
Photos and Background:
A brief research group meeting in which participants have the opportunity to talk to one another before the panel discussion commences.
A brief research group meeting in which participants have the opportunity to talk to one another before the panel discussion commences.
Controversial discussions and reflecting on them leads to a consensus being reached on the second day.
Thien An Tran, Samuel Schaible und Caelán Haney present the Stationenmodell from Heidelberg.
Photo of the department heads from the Faculty of Medicine in Giessen
Photo of the department heads from the Faculty of Medicine in Giessen
Discussion and performance of role-plays vs. reflection in a predetermined setting being discussed by Fabian Buslaff
Conference room before the participants’ arrival. Each participant received selected publications in preparation for the panel and as a follow up to the panel which can be seen here in the picture.
Titus Brinker delivered the opening speech that encompassed fear inducing intervention methods, the theoretical principles guiding effective tobacco prevention and evidence of photo aging interventions.
Other members of the research group (scientific consultation):
Bochum:
Dr. Jörg W. Walther, Institute for Preventative and Occupational Medicine, Ruhr-University Bochum
Boston:
Prof. Jeffrey M. Drazen, The New England Journal of Medicine Editor-in-Chief, Harvard Medical School
Prof. Stephen A. Cannistra, Journal of Clinical Oncology Editor-in-Chief, Harvard Medical School
Prof. Nancy A. Rigotti, Director of the Tobacco Research and Treatment Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital
Frankfurt:
Prof. David A. Groneberg: Director of the Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Goethe University Frankfurt. Director of the Center for Health Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt.
Gießen:
Prof. Werner Seeger: Chairperson and speaker from the German Center for Lung Research. Director of the University Hospital of Giessen and Marburg: Director of the Max-Planck-Institute in Bad Nauheim
Heidelberg:
Dr. Ute Mons, Epidemiologist from the German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg
Tübingen:
Prof. Anil Batra. Head of the Addiction Medicine Department at Tubingen University Hospital
Participants in the panel discussion for department heads (Faculty of Medicine/Name):
Bochum: Sonja Wolff
Bonn: Janina Suhre
Düsseldorf: Jilada Wilhelm and Evgenia Divizieva
Erlangen: Fabian Buslaff
Essen: Christian Brieske
Freiburg: Lena Jakob and Hannah Maria Baumert
Gießen: Felix J. Hofmann, Dominik Penka and Titus J. Brinker
Göttingen: Hanna Beißwenger and Stephanie Sebastiampillai
Hamburg: Marcel Seungsu Woo
Hannover: Marc Silchmüller
Heidelberg: Thien An Tran, Samuel Schaible and Caelán Haney
Homburg: Fabian Fries
Regensburg: Susanne Swoboda
Tübingen: Ole Anhuef
Würzburg: Laura Jung
Study Design: Randomized controlled study with four phases (Baseline, 6, 12 and 24 months after the intervention).
Registered as a Clinical Trial at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02697409