Strukturell-organisatorische Entwicklung und Etablierung eines interdisziplin ren Trainingszentrums für klinisch-praktische Fertigkeiten [Structural and organizational development and establishment of an interdisciplinary Skills Lab ]

[english] Background: Besides theoretical knowledge, medical students have to acquire different skills during their medical education, which are essential especially for the physician’s routine practice. In July 2005 an interdisciplinary skills lab was set up at the Medical Faculty of the RWTH Aachen University. Financial and personnel resources for the structural and organizational development of the skills lab were obtained first from a faculty fund for innovative teaching concepts, and later from student fees. Methods: Elements of project management necessary for the skills lab were defined in advance: Development of a methodological concept, definition of content and selection of skills, provision of infrastructural necessities (rooms, media, staff), creation of a pilot course concept, definition of milestones, acquisition of powerful faculty partners for further support, implementation of courses within the ongoing curricula, and evaluation of individual courses and the entire concept. Results: The project management steps defined in advance were retrospectively proven necessary and important for the establishment of a minimum infrastructure in terms of spatial and human resources and for the implementation of the methodological concept. During the 2008 summer semester, a total of 709 students in 133 faculty courses and about 900 students in curricular courses used the skills lab. Conclusion: Three years on, the interdisciplinary skills lab offers a wide range of courses in which students can learn, train, and optimize their practical skills. The experiences gained in designing and organizing the program are essential for the further structural and methodological/didactic development of the skills lab. [german] Hintergrund: Neben theoretischem Wissen müssen Medizinstudierende Fertigkeiten unterschiedlichster Art erwerben, die nicht nur für die praktischen Ausbildungsteile im Studium, sondern in erster Linie für das t gliche rztliche Handeln essentiell sind. Im Juli 2005 begann der Aufbau eines interdisziplin ren Trainingszentrums an der medizinischen Fakult t der Rheinisch-Westf lischen Technischen Hochschule Aachen, genannt AIXTRA“ (Aachener interdisziplin res Trainingszentrum für medizinische Ausbildung). Sach- und Personalmittel zur strukturellen und methodischen Etablierung des sog. Skillslab wurden zun chst aus einem fakult tsinternen F rderprogramm für innovative Lehrkonzepte, im weiteren Verlauf zum überwiegenden Teil aus Studienbeitr gen zur Verfügung gestellt. Methodik: Im Vorfeld wurden die folgenden notwendigen Schritte eines Projektman