Congratulations Vilius Savickas – Winner of the 2019 3MT® Competition

#thisisjerry - Campaigning for Better Care

The challenge, presenting 80,000 word thesis in just 3 minute using only a single static slide.

The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is an internationally recognised competition that requires PhD students to present their research in 3 minutes. The concept was developed in 2008 by The University of Queensland, Australia.

Vilius Savickas is the winner of the 2019 3MT competition at the University of Greenwich.

The award was presented by Professor Javier Bonet, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Enterprise.

His presentation was titled: Atrial Fibrillation Screening in Care Homes by Clinical Pharmacists.

Vilius won the competition with a compelling presentation based on #thisisjerry. A 90 year old former physicist who lives in a care home and is suffering from Atrial Fibrillation (AF), a “funny” heart rhythm.

“This opportunity was a great learning experience. We learnt how to simplify our research in simple terms and grab the attention of a wider audience. I encourage all PhD students to take part” – Vilius Savickas.

Vilius is an active researcher who is passionately advocating for better care for the ageing population. He’s been exploring the role of clinical pharmacists in detecting atrial fibrillation, focusing primarily on stroke prevention. His research covers public health and the role of registered pharmacy professionals in primary care settings.

Vilius’s research shows 1-in-3 patients show signs of previous conditions that were not re-examined; leading to a number of complicated treatments. “The worry is, these patients are not being checked in the same capacity. There is a systematic issue that needs to be addressed” Vilius Savickas.

During the meeting Vilius emphasised the importance of partnership, he said “this research would not have been this successful without the support of a number of people”. List of acknowledgement found below.

He is the first candidate at the University of Greenwich to have been given the opportunity to compete at a national level.

Vilius won £1,500 funding towards conferences and further training. This was in addition to the £1,000 he won during the faculty heat in Medway.

He plans to continue on campaigning for #thisisjerry. He hopes with this opportunity he can continue on advocating for better care for all patients: “the need for everyone to receive the same level of care regardless of age is vital” Vilius Savickas.

Follow Vilius @viliussavickas