BENJAMIN FRANKLIN CONTEST

INTRODUCTION

THE COMPETITION

GAME 1: WHATDUNIT: CLINICAL CASE-SOLVING

GAME 2: MED QUIZ

GAME 3: THE CLEVER CLICK: INTERNET SEARCH

GAME 4: DR. HOW-TO: PRACTICAL EXERCISES

You won't want to miss this exciting knowledge showdown, taking place on:

Naturally we felt the games of the BFC should reflect the manifold clinical demands confronting future doctors, but we also wanted to showcase teamwork, strategic thinking, fairness, economical decision-making, and computer know-how. 

The Benjamin Franklin Contest is a competition between student teams from different medical schools where acquired knowledge, practical skill, mental agility, and having fun are of equal importance. Scoring points and winning are important but they are not the main objective. 

Valuable prizes await the winning team as well as the first and second runners-up. But no one will walk away empty handed! 

The jury, composed of the deans of the participating medical schools, oversees the correctness of the proceedings and decides in cases that are too close to call. A master of ceremonies presides over the competition, assisted by many backstage hands. The participating teams sit in the first row of the lecture hall under the attentive eyes of an expert, sympathetic, and ever enthusiastic audience --  comprised mostly of FU medical students. If the participating teams are stumped, members of the audience can have a go -- and be rewarded for their efforts. 

The Contest starts with "WhatDunIt" and the "Med Quiz", one clinical case following each round of the Med Quiz. As there are 6 teams, this first part of the Contest consists of 6 rounds with a total of 6 clinical cases and 6 series of 10 Med Quiz slides each. Then "The Clever Click" gets underway, followed by "Dr. How-To". 

Success in the games is measured in points designating the new health-care currency "Us" (for "Ulla Schmidt", the German minister for health). A certain number of Us can be won in each game. Each team's points are constantly visible to the audience, setting the stage for suspense. 
 

There are 5 clinical cases to solve. First, a case history is projected (once) and introduced by the master of ceremonies. The team to press its buzzer first, gets to request examination findings, which are projected briefly (generally as text, but sometimes as an image without explanatory text -- e.g. characteristic x-rays, EKGs etc.). The team that requested the information may now make a diagnosis within 30 seconds. If they are stumped, the team seated next to them takes its turn by requesting findings and trying to solve the case. If they too are unable to produce the correct diagnosis, the next team is up. If an exam is "negative", one can assume that it's a normal finding. However, an exam might be "negative" because it is not indicated for this clinical picture. If one of the teams thinks it has the answer, it can press its buzzer at any time -- as long as the team whose turn it is has passed or has diagnosed incorrectly. Once a buzzer sounds, the diagnosis must be made by the respective team within 15 seconds. Otherwise the teams resume taking turns.
Clinical examinations and their "prices" are listed separately! 

SCORING

250 points for each correct diagnosis, -125 points for each incorrect diagnosis. 

Identification of characteristic findings
A slide is projected (10 per round) and immediately covered up once a team hits its buzzer. The slide must be identified without hesitation and without consulting one's team. If correct, the game proceeds to the next slide. In the event of a misidentification, the slide is shown again until another team wants to have a go. If there's still no correct answer after 20 seconds, the audience can try to solve the case. 

SCORING

30 points per correct answer,  -15 points per incorrect answer. 

Searching for information on the Internet 
Each team is given a PC connected to the Internet and can access any search engine desired. The object of the game is to find particular information on the Internet in the least amount of time possible. Almost any question is imaginable, from the inventor of aspirin or the winner of a Nobel prize for medicine, to the frequency of tuberculosis in Shanghai or the average daily urine production of an adult grizzly bear.

One search task per round. The team that believes it has the answer hits its buzzer. 
NB: The solution must be found and proved via the Internet. Sorry, but general knowledge doesn't suffice. No points will be given if a clear search route cannot be demonstrated. 

SCORING

100 points per correct answer; -50 per incorrect answer.

Testing medical skills
The teams perform 2 practical exercises that showcase medical measures or the skills needed for such measures. The results are evaluated by the jury or specialists in the respective fields. The teams are then ranked by the jury. Some tasks carry a time limit, others are judged by the quality of the results and by the time needed. More information will be given at the start of each exercise.
 

SCORING

 The teams are ranked and awarded 300, 250, 200, 150, 100, 50 and 0, respectively (multiple rankings are possible).

• Berlin (Charité)
• Berlin (FU-UKBF)
• Dresden
• Frankfurt (Main)
• Göttingen 
• Mainz
• München