The fifth edition of the National Competition of Physiological Knowledge Great Synapse 2023 is behind us. Representatives of 15 medical universities from all over Poland showed off their extensive knowledge of both basic and clinical physiology. Among the best were students from the Silesian Medical University in Katowice, the Medical University of Warsaw and the Medical University of Wroclaw. On behalf of the Authorities of the University, the participants of the event were welcomed by Prof. Jerzy Stojko, MD, Vice-Chancellor for Studies and Students of SUM. The organizer of the fifth edition of the competition was the SUM Department of Physiology.
On the first day, participants in the individual competition faced test tasks. They had one hundred minutes to answer one hundred questions. The top ten participants proceeded to the next stage, which consisted of choosing YES or NO to the questions asked. This part of the competition determined the winners of the first two places:
- Adrian Bednarek of Warsaw Medical University,
- Nataniel Zochowski from the Medical University of Gdansk,
Ex aequo third place was taken by two people, so overtime was necessary, in which Paula Grabiś, a representative of the University of Zielona Gora, turned out to be unrivaled.
On the second day of the competition, 15 teams of three people proceeded to perform a number of practical and calculation tasks. At five stations, experts tested students' knowledge of hemodynamics, basics of electrocardiography and cardiac work. Students were tasked with measuring blood pressure, auscultating a patient, indicating individual heart tones, or interpreting electrocardiographic recordings. At two stations, their knowledge of the norms of laboratory results was verified and they were also asked to perform several tasks useful in medical practice, such as the following.
Using the patient's test results below, calculate the blood flow through the kidneys.
- Hematocrit: 46%
- Creatinine clearance: 135 ml/min
- RPF (renal plasma flow-renal plasma flow)= 678 ml/min
- Red blood cell count- 4.78 million
- Hemoglobin level: 14 g/dl
or:
Calculate the energy expenditure of a man weighing 70 kg, performing exercise on a mechanical treadmill at an intensity of 10 MET, for 10 minutes.
- MET= 3.5 mlO2/kg/min.
- RQ= 0.85
- Caloric equivalent of oxygen = 4.86 kcal/LO2
After four hours of intense work in an atmosphere of healthy competition, brainstorming and extraordinary emotions, the top three teams were selected:
- Natalia Suchecka, Barbara Sradomska and Julia Kokocińska from the Medical University of Wroclaw
- Magdalena Żogała, Mateusz Kasprzak and Kamil Szeglowski from the Silesian Medical University in Katowice
- Adrian Bednarek, Stanisław Felis and Jan Jurak from the Medical University of Warsaw
All teams represented an extremely high level. The point differences between the teams on the podium did not exceed 5 points. The prizes were presented to the winners by Prof. SUM Damian Czyzewski, MD, PhD, Prorector for Clinical Affairs, and Prof. o zdr. Tomasz Francuz, Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice.
An attraction for all participants in the competition was a tour of one of the greatest historical and architectural attractions of Katowice - the mining estate of Nikiszowiec.
We are extremely proud that we were honored with the presence of so many participants, for which we thank you very much. Full of admiration for your knowledge, we wish you to always enjoy learning.
We sincerely congratulate all the winners. We see you next year, this time in Olsztyn!
The project: "Fifth National Physiological Knowledge Contest - Great Synapse" was co-financed by the Upper Silesian and Zagłębie Metropolis within the framework of the "Metropolitan Fund for Support of Science" program in 2022-2024 #MetropolisScience.
