Because the medical part of her first bachelor's degree was not enough, Luise (22) decided to add a bachelor's degree in health sciences, which will enable her to work in various areas of the health care sector.
After graduating from high school, Luise initially chose to study social work, which she completed at Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences in 2020. "Especially towards the end, I liked the medical aspects of the course content more and more. However, they turned out to be too low for my taste. I really wanted to bring a greater health aspect to my studies," reports the 22-year-old. After not being accepted for her desired master's program, she decided to pursue another bachelor's degree – in health sciences. "The program offers me the opportunity to earn more credits toward my desired master's degree in public health and continue to pursue my interest in medical and health topics." The degree qualifies students for work in the healthcare sector, for example at health authorities, health insurance companies or in the management of hospitals, rehabilitation clinics and geriatric care facilities.
From medicine to management
Currently Luise is in the second of six semesters. Because the student comes from Neubrandenburg, the decision to study there and to stay at the university for a further bachelor's degree was easy for her. There is currently no restriction on admission to the Health Sciences program at Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences. The modules range from an introduction to scientific work to the basics of medicine, nursing and health to research, management and economics and business administration. In the first semesters, the curriculum is predefined, after which students can additionally opt for elective modules – depending on which subject area they are particularly interested in.
The fifth semester is a practical study semester in which students complete a 16-week internship in an area of health care, giving them the opportunity to apply the content they have learned in practice and find out whether the particular field of work suits them.
On the way to her desired master's degree
"So far, I've enjoyed the basics of education and especially the introduction to medicine and health the most have been. The course content was totally interesting and was taught in a really clear way," Luise reports about her first semester. "Apart from that, the introductory week was very great because we could actually still sit together outside and get to know each other."
Since then, courses have been held online due to the Corona pandemic. The coronavirus also played a role in Luise Grunert's studies. "When we covered the topic of infectious diseases in the 'Medicine and Health' seminar, we were definitely able to work and learn in a much more descriptive way because we now all know and better understand viral infections through Corona," says the bachelor's student. "But I'll honestly be glad when we can remove Corona from our everyday university life and get back to 'normality' again. The face-to-face teaching and contact with other students is very lacking."
After graduation, Luise wants to try again to get a place in her desired master's program. "If anything changes along the way, I look forward to combining my first and second degrees and finding work that adds value for myself and others."