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Students to compete in medical contest

First interfaculty knowledge competition for medical students in the Netherlands

Making a quick diagnosis, identifying disorders using only a photograph as reference, and answering questions on various medical topics: this is the task that awaits undergraduate medical students on 12 May 2012 during the Rosalind Franklin Contest (RFC), a UM student initiative. This is the first medical competition in the Netherlands in which teams of bachelor’s students from seven Dutch medical faculties will compete in a true battle of wits.  

During the contest, knowledge, expertise and skills will be tested in an interactive way. Various assignments will be given to assess analytic thinking, speed, teamwork and practical skills. The goal of the competition is to offer motivated students the opportunity to excel in an extracurricular activity and help create a social network with fellow students from around the country. 

The competition consists of four components: a case study in which participants solve a case by requesting strategic diagnostics in exchange for points (e.g. a simple blood test or an expensive MRI scan); a visual diagnosis in which students quickly identify a disorder based on photographic evidence; multiple choice questions that test their general knowledge; and a practical case study that tests their skills. The team that performs best wins the competition. 

Seven medical faculties in the Netherlands (Groningen, Leiden, Rotterdam, VU Amsterdam, Utrecht, Nijmegen and Maastricht) will each send one team to the RFC to defend their faculty’s honour. Each team will consist of five students from the preclinical phase and one faculty professor who will serve as both coach and jury member. The audience also plays an interactive role during the competition, with viewers casting their vote during certain rounds for a chance to win prizes.

The idea behind the interfaculty medical competition comes from Berlin, where the Benjamin Franklin Contest (BFC) is organised each year. The BFC was created in 1999 by Martin Paul – current president of the UM Executive Board – and has since developed into a prestigious event that participants are proud to include on their resumes. In 2010 a group of UM students attended the BFC with the aim of introducing a similar medical contest in Maastricht.