Here, participants in the Voluntary Scientific Year (FWJ) report on their experiences at the University Clinic for Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery at the University of Oldenburg.

My FWJ in three words

Diverse, exciting, cool

Why I thought: "Yes, I'll give it a go!"

After leaving school, I was still unsure what I wanted to do and was thinking about doing a voluntary year. While researching, I came across the FWJ and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to gain practical insights into research and get to know different areas.

My place at the university is...

...mainly in the office and in the hospital, with insights into research, teaching and even the operating theatre.

This is what a normal day looks like for me

In the morning, I start with the doctors' morning meeting at the hospital, where the current cases are discussed as a team. Then I go to the office and do my tasks. This mainly involves recruiting patients for studies over the phone, sending out questionnaires, coding data and entering it into databases, as well as creating and maintaining databases. In between, there are also smaller organisational tasks that make my day-to-day work more varied. Sometimes I also have the opportunity to attend lectures or events. Occasionally I even get to help out in the operating theatre.
It rarely gets boring, partly because the team and the people I sit with in the office always create an open and fun working atmosphere. It's also particularly nice that everyone is always very friendly. I felt like part of the team right from the start and everyone showed me their trust and support. :)

My "Aha!" moment of the year

I realised how much organisation and coordination there is behind research. It's not just "standing in the lab", but above all teamwork, planning and structured data collection.

Nothing works here without _!

Nothing works here without good organisation and communication within the team!

That was my "Wow, I'm really in science!" moment

When I saw how results are actually produced from collected data and how changes can be proven - that was a really impressive moment.

What I learnt about myself

I realised that I enjoy being part of a scientific process. I also learnt how important accuracy and patience are in research.

When I think of research, I now think of...

...teamwork, organisation, data analysis and the exciting opportunity to gain new insights.

My tip for anyone thinking about doing an FWJ

An FWJ is definitely worthwhile - especially if you are still unsure about what you want to do later. You gain valuable insights and perhaps discover completely new interests. But it's also important to be brave and ask questions. That way you really understand step by step what is behind the processes and how scientific work works.

And afterwards? This is what happens next for me

I'm not quite sure yet, but the FWJ has opened up many new opportunities for me. At the moment, I can well imagine studying medicine.

Why did you decide to do a voluntary research year?

I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study after my Abitur. I then found out about the Voluntary Scientific Year by chance and decided to apply after finding out more about it. I thought it would be a good way to gain some initial insights into medical science, and that it might help me decide which degree to pursue.

Where are you based and what are your responsibilities?

I’m in the Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery research group at Pius Hospital. My main project (in a nutshell) involves managing digital patient questionnaires (Apollo/MoveUp), which collect patient data to gather valuable information about various treatment options. In between, however, I also take on tasks such as supporting students and doctoral candidates with data collection, helping out at the Winter School, and many other smaller tasks.
I’ve also had the chance to observe operations in the operating theatre on several occasions (which was pretty cool) and have even been allowed to stand at the operating table. So my role is usually quite varied :)

What challenges have you had to face so far?

I initially had problems and felt anxious when engaging with patients (both on the phone and in person), as this was a completely new situation for me, at least in this context. However, with the help of my colleagues, I’ve overcome these challenges and am no longer afraid of phoning patients :D

What has pleasantly surprised you?

Just how helpful and friendly the team is! They always take the time to answer any questions and you’re always made to feel part of the team.

What do you think this year will bring you?

I think I’ll learn lots more useful things. I’ll definitely have improved my social skills by the end of the year, which is always very helpful. What’s more, you learn best from experience, and I’m sure I’ll be able to take plenty of that away with me :)

What have you learnt so far during your voluntary service?

A great deal. On the one hand, I’ve learnt a lot about various programmes and have been able to improve my general IT skills. On the other hand, I’ve been able to gain specialist knowledge, familiarise myself with procedures in the operating theatre and in research, and practise interacting with people and patients. But I think listing everything I’ve learnt in a short report would be a bit too much!

What advice would you give to future volunteers?

Don’t be afraid and be ready to face new situations. You’ll learn so much, and there are also lots of great opportunities offered by the university that you can take part in! :)