While everyone else traveled to Germany for the UEFA European Cup, the doctoral candidates and principal investigators of the Tools4Teams network gathered in Bonn for this year’s spring school. So why did they cheer louder than the fans at the UEFA European Cup? Because their teamwork skills scored more goals than any soccer team! 😉
On the first day, the doctoral candidates had the opportunity to listen to inspiring talks. Dr. M. Lazarovici from LMU Munich University Hospital discussed current tools for teamwork evaluation and training across various clinical settings in Europe, highlighting also challenges in the field. Following this, Prof. Denny Yu from the Purdue University, USA, conducted a hands-on workshop on automated tools for measuring individual and team non-technical skills in simulated surgical team training and live procedures.
After these sessions, participants enjoyed a scavenger hunt through Bonn, gaining insights into the city’s history. The day concluded with ice cream and a consortium dinner.
Day 2, we started with the supervisory Board Meeting, followed by an informative presentation from Prof. M, Weigl on teamwork training in virtual-or augmented reality (VR/AR) enhanced simulations. Prof. J. Schmutz then discussed Open Science in an engaging talk/lecture. In the afternoon, we visited BOSTER, the Bonn Surgical Technology Center at the University Clinic Bonn (UKB), to explore VR/AR technologies and their opportunities and challenges for surgery. It was very insightful to see how the use of new technologies can change medical care in the future!
Day 3 was a significant day for our project, as we had the chance to meet the REA officer Ana-Maria Polley Grigore and present our research projects to her. In the afternoon, the DCs engaged with the REA-Officer about their experiences as doctoral candidates and received valuable advice.
This spring school was characterized by insightful presentations and meaningful networking opportunities. The bond between doctoral candidates and principal investigators was evident throughout the event. Special thanks go to the event organizers, Prof. Matthias Weigl, Kathrin Adamietz, and their team at the Institute for Patient Safety in Bonn. We are looking forward seeing everyone again in November in Stavanger