The fair, which brought together hospitals, healthcare facilities and students, especially from our faculty, became an exceptional event full of inspiration and opportunities last week on Wednesday 29 November 2023. With the participation of 34 exhibitors and 11 workshops, including hands-on simulations at the LF MU Simulation Centre, the event offered students a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of healthcare practice and future careers.
Throughout the day, the students had the opportunity to meet with experts and representatives of hospitals and healthcare facilities. Vice Dean for Student Affairs and External Relations Prof. Eva Brichtová welcomed the students before one of the workshops, which gave the event a formal framework and increased the atmosphere of anticipation. "We are glad that you are attending the workshops and the stands in the corridor in large numbers. I hope that you have a wonderful time, explore and that today inspires you in your professional life and that you choose the field that you will fall in love with for life like I did."
One of the new elements of this year's fair was the participation of the Medical Students Association MU as a co-organiser. Their involvement underlined the importance of connecting students with practice and reminded them that all activities are aimed at supporting students in their career growth. During the day, students had the opportunity to consult their CVs with counsellors from the MU Career Centre. This opportunity served not only to fine-tune CVs, but also for self-discovery and focus on future careers.
Before the workshop, Dr. Michal Koščík, Vice Dean for Personnel Affairs, Internal Organization and Legislation of FM MU, wished the students to enjoy the event and to find it beneficial, as they organize it to some extent themselves. "Whether you are in your first or sixth year, it is good to think in the direction you want to go. From a career point of view, I wouldn't recommend starting to figure it out after state school. You can always find a place, but maybe not one that suits you. Don't be afraid of unemployment, but it's good to think about where you're drawn to and what you need to accomplish to get there while you're still in school," said Dr. Koščík in the introduction to the workshop, "And what next? Practical information on employment law issues for medics.
The fair was attended by teaching hospitals, regional hospitals, eye clinics, medical spas, medical and rehabilitation institutes and other medical facilities. The event was thus a suitable place for meeting students of all study programmes. Stories from Doctors Without Borders' missions were also told, a young doctor introduced the field of psychiatry and the career opportunities for psychiatrists, and an optometrist and an optician explained their role in the network of eye clinics and opticians, their work with clients and the changes in the optical market. It also included a lecture on applied and basic research in pharmacy as well as two workshops on rehabilitation care, which is developing very data-driven. At SIMU, students were able to learn more challenging surgical suturing techniques and participate in one hot new feature: laparoscopic suturing. This course was one of the most challenging and advanced and was attended mainly by those interested in surgical specialties.
It remains the wish of the organisers that this event will serve not only as a source of information, but also as a source of inspiration and motivation for students in their career decisions. "I'm a senior, but I'm more or less clear which hospital I'm going to go to after my state studies," smiled Marie Tormová, the local president of the Brno branch of IFMSA and a student of general medicine, at one of the stands. Thanks to everyone who participated in the whole organization. It's a clear signal that students are interested in connecting with healthcare facilities and are ready to invest in their professional future.
Every year, over sixty students come to Brno hospitals for exchange internships under the auspices of the IFMSA student organisation. They take home not only valuable work experience.
