Six hundred high‑school students, seven workshops, and a day full of curiosity at MED MUNI
This year’s Czechopes student conference welcomed roughly six hundred registered high‑school students, who could choose from seven specialised workshops prepared directly at various departments of the Faculty of Medicine at Masaryk University. Interest was exceptionally high — all workshops were fully booked, and participants appreciated the chance to see real medicine up close and talk directly with experts and current students.
There was also a constant crowd at the Junior Academy booth, where students spent the entire day asking questions about studying medicine, entrance exams, transfers, and opportunities to join the program. The booth also featured faculty merchandise and informational materials.
Junior Academy at Czechopes: answering everything future med students want to know
At the booth, high‑school students learned how to join the Junior Academy, how to prepare effectively for entrance exams, and what to focus on during high school if they aim for medical studies. Colleagues from the Student Affairs Office answered questions ranging from bonus points to the specifics of transferring between programs.
🧪 Seven workshops, seven different views on medicine
1) Department of Anatomy – From Skeleton to Plastinate: Anatomy Up Close
Participants saw real human anatomical preparations, plastinates, and part of the department’s museum collections. The program was led by current general medicine students who themselves started with anatomy already in high school.
2) Department of Histology and Embryology – Take a Closer Look: Regeneration at the Cellular Level
The workshop introduced the fascinating world of tooth and bone regeneration. Students worked with mouse tissue samples, examined tooth microstructure, and learned about modern imaging techniques such as light-sheet and confocal microscopy. The session also included an introduction to working with genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
3) Department of Biology – The World of Cells Under the Microscope
Participants explored everything from bacteria collected from their own oral cavity to buccal epithelial cells and cell cultures grown for research purposes. They tried Gram staining and gained insight into the process of extracting and analysing DNA.
4) CJV Division – From Arachne to Neurons: The Story of Metaphors in Medical Language
This workshop presented medical terminology as a living system full of metaphors, stories, and references to ancient myths. Engagingly, it showed how anatomical, clinical, and pharmacological terms are structured.
5) Department of Physiology – Behind the Scenes of Science: How We Study Tumours and Their Microenvironment
Participants toured research laboratories, animal facilities, and a surgical room, learning how tumour biology research is conducted from experiment to discovery.
6) SIMU MED MUNI – Experience SIMU First‑Hand!
A guided tour of the most advanced simulation centre in Europe showcased intensive care units, operating theatres, training simulators, and even the heliport. Visitors also tried hands‑on activities demonstrating how medical procedures are practised safely in a simulated environment.
7) Department of Biophysics – From Pixels to Reality: AI, Thermography, and 3D Printing in Action
Students were introduced to image analysis, the use of AI in medicine, and thermography, and had the chance to try 3D printing.
🎓 Why choose MED MUNI over other medical schools?
Among the many questions from high‑school students, one appeared unexpectedly direct:
“Why should we choose MED MUNI?”
A quick but compelling elevator pitch followed — highlighting:
- state‑of‑the‑art facilities including SIMU,
- strong student community and active student organisations,
- support systems like Parťák and P‑pool,
- opportunities to join research early on,
- an open, accessible environment for everyone who is truly motivated.
The students’ reaction was simple and enthusiastic:
“OK, that sounds great. So I guess we’re coming to you.”
