Chen Wang Wins People’s Choice Award at MDANZ REN 3MT+1Q Competition
Monash Medical student Chen Wang has just completed his final assessments for the Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours) year, and was selected to represent Monash University at the Medical Deans of Australia and New Zealand, Research Educators Network (MDANZ REN) Three Minute Thesis plus One Question (3MT+1Q) Competition. He went on to win the People’s Choice Award for his presentation!
Held online on Saturday 22 November, the 3MT+1Q competition challenges medical students across Australia and New Zealand to explain their research using just one single, static slide and a maximum of three minutes, followed by one question from the judging panel. Chen’s presentation, titled "The use of artificial intelligence to predict glaucoma progression", showcased his Honours work applying deep learning models to improve clinical decision-making in glaucoma care.
Chen completed his BMedSc(Hons) project under the supervision of Prof Alex Hewitt, A/Prof Christine Chen and A/Prof Marc Sarossy, working across the School of Translational Medicine and the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health.
Reflecting on his Honours year, Chen describes it as “a rewarding year that allowed me to learn more about AI and research.” He acknowledges that there were challenging moments, but notes that these experiences helped him develop stronger problem-solving skills and greater resilience. One of his personal highlights was spending some time in Tasmania, and having some time to balance research with opportunities for personal growth, including learning Spanish and volunteering. He says these experiences made the year meaningful both academically and personally.
Chen recalls feeling “genuinely surprised and very grateful” when he learned he had been chosen to represent Monash University. Preparing for the competition became an important part of his professional development by helping him refine how he communicates complex scientific ideas to a broad audience. He explains that condensing a full year of research into three minutes was difficult, but ultimately worthwhile. The competition day itself was both nerve-wracking and exciting, and he appreciated the opportunity to share his work with students and academics from a wide range of disciplines across Australia and New Zealand. When the People’s Choice Award was announced, Chen was thrilled. He says the recognition is a reflection of the strong support he received from his supervisors and peers throughout the year.
Chen encourages future students not to be intimidated at the start of an Honours year. He notes that feeling inexperienced is normal, and that students find their feet quickly because the year is well supported. He emphasises that the Honours program is an excellent opportunity to build communication, critical thinking and research skills that are valuable in any area of medicine. He also highlights that the year can be very self-directed, giving students the flexibility to shape their own academic journey.
A/Prof Megan Wallace, the Director of Medical Student Research at Monash and Course Director of BMedSc(Hons), said that each of the medical students selected to represent their Universities at the MDANZ-REN 3MT+1Q competition all gave very impressive presentations showcasing the tremendous breadth and depth of research being undertaken by medical students across Australia and New Zealand. It was a fantastic achievement for Chen to win the People’s Choice Award and a testament to the high quality of his presentation and research that he undertook during his BMedSc(Hons) year.
About Monash University
Monash University is Australia’s largest university with more than 80,000 students. In the 60 years since its foundation, it has developed a reputation for world-leading high-impact research, quality teaching, and inspiring innovation.
With four campuses in Australia and a presence in Malaysia, China, India, Indonesia and Italy, it is one of the most internationalised Australian universities.
As a leading international medical research university with the largest medical faculty in Australia and integration with leading Australian teaching hospitals, we consistently rank in the top 50 universities worldwide for clinical, pre-clinical and health sciences.
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