Very colourful, very loud, but sometimes also quiet, very practical and very informative - that was the "MHH - very close!" experiment in the aufhof city laboratory.
Lower Saxony's Minister of Health Andreas Philippi (2nd from left) and MHH President Prof Michael Manns (3rd from left) try their hand at resuscitation at the opening of the aufhof week. Copyright: Karin Kaiser/MHH
Aufhof visitors were able to try out lots of things at MHH stands, such as an age simulation suit. Copyright: Karin Kaiser/MHH
MHH had more than 80 lectures in its programme over the five days at aufhof. Copyright: Karin Kaiser/MHH
Experience research first-hand: At the stand of the Resist Cluster of Excellence, visitors were able to experience the development of cold sores with VR glasses. Copyright: Karin Kaiser/MHH
MHH brought its experts to the podium to discuss the topic of organ donation with the people of Hanover. Copyright: Karin Kaiser/MHH
There was plenty of health knowledge to take away at the marketplace in the aufhof - like here at the stand of the INSEA network for people with chronic illnesses. Copyright: Karin Kaiser/MHH
From 6 to 10 February 2024, Hannover Medical School (MHH) presented itself with a very special offer that has never been seen before in this form in the former Kaufhof building in the heart of Hanover's city centre.
Each of the five days had a special focus in order to show as much as possible of the enormous range of MHH in the areas of patient care, research, teaching and careers. Even the permanent exhibition was rearranged every day. Around 600 employees showed 2,000 visitors a day the MHH as a family-friendly university and attractive employer, as a maximum care hospital and excellent research centre.
Celebrities at the opening
At the official opening, MHH President Prof Dr Michael Manns welcomed Lower Saxony's Minister of Health Dr Andreas Philippi and Hanover's Lord Mayor Belit Onay, who stated: "'MHH - very close!' is one of the highlights of the Aufhof." Before the three cut a red ribbon - with a scalpel, of course - symbolically clearing the way to the market square, Hanoverian science slammer Felix Stegmann explained to around 200 guests at the opening event how to train your immune system with sugar.
Job speed dating and excellent research
As one of the largest training organisations in the region, MHH offers a wide range of career opportunities. Committed trainees explained at information stands and during presentations and activities, such as job speed dating, what the 19 training occupations in medicine, nursing, administration, IT and technology as well as the voluntary services are all about. This attracted numerous schools, which stormed the training campus in groups and even classes. The pupils learnt about the MTR profession in the X-ray quiz, for example.
Employees from MHH IT explained what opportunities there are for IT experts in a hospital. And employees from the nursing department discussed nursing training. The Dean's Office for Academic Career Development explained how doctors can get started in research. Researchers at the MHH not only conduct excellent science, but can also explain it in a way that everyone can understand, as demonstrated by the staff of the Clusters of Excellence.
Patient University
The increasing ageing of society and the rise in chronic illnesses mean that more and more people are in constant contact with health insurance companies, hospitals, doctors and other professional groups and institutions in the healthcare sector. The Patient University has therefore set itself the task of making patients "health literate". And of course, the Patient University was present at aufhof for five days with hands-on medicine, trying things out and taking part, as well as plenty of "knowledge to go".
Panel discussions
At the panel discussion "Organ donation? Decide!" on Thursday, Michael Gertzmann, a lung transplant recipient since 2020 and member of the Patient Advisory Board of the MHH Transplant Centre, Dr Bastian Schmack, cardiac surgeon, Senior Consultant at the MHH Clinic for Cardiothoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery and Head of the Heart Transplantation Department, Dr Logemann, Senior Physician at the MHH Clinic for Cardiothoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery and Head of the Cardiac Transplantation Department, and Dr Gertzmann, Senior Physician at the MHH Transplant Centre, discussed the topic of organ donation. Logemann, Senior Physician at the Clinic for Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine and Transplantation Officer at the MHH, and Dr Gerald Neitzke, MHH Institute for Ethics, History and Philosophy of Medicine, discussed the results and answered the numerous questions from the audience.
The "MHH - very close!" event marked the start of a total of three health weeks in the aufhof experimental space. The MHH training campus and patient university were also involved in the second week. Because when it comes to health issues in Hanover, there's no getting round the MHH.
Text: Inka Burow, Vanessa Niedzella, Camilla Mosel