News
Winter School 2026 Recap
* Here is a report on the 2026 event in Hinterzarten, available for download as a PDF
© Annett Seidler /stock.adobe.com
Our Citizens' Advisory Board is meeting again
Research for Everyone
The Institute of General Practice (IfA) invites you once again to discuss research topics:
The next meeting of the Citizens’ Advisory Board will take place online on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.
Topics will include:
- News from the Institute of General Medicine
- Initial results of the tala-med study in the Weingarten district of Freiburg
- Citizen advisory boards in Germany – Citizen conference at the “Shaping Health” congress in Göttingen in 2026 and interest in advanced training on opportunities for participation
If you are interested, please contact us by email at: claudia.salm@uniklinik-freiburg.de
Winter School 2026 Recap
* Here is a report on the 2026 event in Hinterzarten, available for download as a PDF
Photo: © Rita Eggstein
Federal Cross of Merit for Prof. Dr. Michael M. Kochen
Prof. Dr. Michael M. Kochen has been awarded the Federal Cross of Merit. This honor recognizes his longstanding commitment to research, teaching, and, in particular, the academic establishment of general practice in Germany.
Michael Kochen has played a pivotal role in shaping the development of the field over many years—including as a professor of general practice in Göttingen, as president of the German Society for General and Family Medicine, and through his ongoing scientific and publishing work. He remains closely connected to general practice today, serving, among other roles, as a lecturer at the Institute of General Medicine in Freiburg.
The Institute of General Medicine extends its warmest congratulations to Michael Kochen on this award.
In his acceptance speech, he offered both critical and reflective remarks on the award itself, placing it within a broader scientific and socio-political context. This perspective reflects his longstanding commitment to critically examining scientific developments and structures.
Invitation to the FZSE Symposium – International Rare Disease Day 2026
Under the title “From Genes to Patient Well-being? – The Role of Genetics in Diagnosis and Treatment,” the Center for Rare Diseases in Freiburg invites you to a symposium at the Center for Pediatrics in Freiburg on Saturday, March 7, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The event is aimed at experts, patients, and their families. Presentations from the fields of medicine, science, and ethics will shed light on current genetic findings and their significance for the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. The program will be complemented by personal accounts from patients.
Following the event, there will be an opportunity for discussion and networking.
Further information about the program and registration can be found on the event website.
No longer current
but still interesting
Federal Cross of Merit for former adjunct professor Dr. Peter Schröder
The Institute of General Medicine congratulates its long-time adjunct professor, Dr. Peter Schröder (75), on being awarded the Federal Cross of Merit. Dr. Schröder served as an adjunct professor of general medicine at the University of Freiburg from 1992 to 2020 and, through his family practice and international work, has inspired generations of medical students. The award recognizes his extraordinary commitment to psychologically traumatized refugees, his work on Nelson Mandela’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission following the end of apartheid in South Africa, and the founding of the “Forum Southern Africa” association in 1992. To this day, Dr. Schröder continues to share his expertise on trauma with physicians in courses and leads Balint groups focused on reflecting on the doctor-patient relationship.
GAP Project Wins 2025 Health Services Research Award
The GAP project at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg has been awarded the 2025 Wilfried Lorenz Health Services Research Prize by the German Network for Health Services Research.
The award was given for the main GAP publication, which focuses on improving care for patients with back pain. The prize recognizes the high scientific quality of the work and its contribution to the advancement of patient care.
We are very pleased to receive this recognition and thank everyone involved for their dedication.
You can find the project’s website at https://ruecken.tala-med.info/
The main publication appeared in the Deutsches Ärzteblatt:
On June 28, 2025, the City Cycling Day event took place at Stühlinger Kirchplatz in Freiburg—in keeping with this year’s theme, “Staying healthy and safe together on the go.” Also in attendance: the tala-med Cardio team.
Prof. Dr. Andy Maun, together with Dr. Katrin Röttger from the Institute of Sports and Sports Sciences, was on hand as an expert to answer questions from interested visitors about the effects of cycling on physical and mental health. At the same time, other team members provided information at a specially designed booth about the tala-med Cardio app, which is dedicated to digital prevention. Numerous conversations demonstrated the great interest in the app and its application in everyday life.
An all-around successful day dedicated to health, exercise, and digital support for greater well-being!
1st place at the EURIPA Forum
Last week, the 14th EURIPA Rural Health Forum 2025, organized by the European Rural and Isolated Practitioners Association (EURIPA), took place in Wittenberg. Under the theme “Rural Reformation: Meeting Wellbeing and Healthcare Needs in Rural Communities,” participants discussed current challenges and potential solutions for healthcare provision in rural regions across Europe and around the world.
The Institute of General Medicine at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg was represented by Jamal Bannourah, who presented the project “Model Regions for Medical Education.” Among a total of 27 posters submitted from Europe, Canada, and the U.S., the Freiburg Institute’s poster was awarded first place in the poster competition.
In addition, the institute had the opportunity to present the project in detail during a presentation and to discuss it in depth during a subsequent panel discussion.
The 2025 Sabine von Kleist Habilitation Award Goes to Assistant Professor Dr. Nadine Binder
We are delighted that our group leader, PD Dr. Nadine Binder, has been awarded the 2025 Sabine von Kleist Habilitation Prize. With this annual award, the Faculty of Medicine – University of Freiburg honors outstanding female researchers in the early stages of their careers and supports their research with a grant of 5,000 euros. The award ceremony took place on May 15 during the Faculty Council meeting. The prize was presented by Prof. Dr. Daiana Stolz, the faculty’s Equal Opportunities Officer, in the presence of Dean Prof. Dr. Lutz Hein. In her postdoctoral thesis, PD Dr. Nadine Binder addressed the question of how complex variable structures can be integrated to reduce bias in clinical research; an important contribution to the methodological foundation of medical data analysis and to the integration of clinical practice and statistical evaluation. We extend our warmest congratulations on this well-deserved award and wish her continued success in her scientific career!
Prevention: Raising Awareness
Maintaining and strengthening public health!
Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science Symposium Focuses on Preventive Medicine / Science Minister Petra Olschowski at the Baden-Württemberg Preventive Medicine Competence Network in Mannheim
© Romolo Tavani /stock.adobe.com
KliMeG Calculator in the Final Round of the German Sustainability Award for Health
The KliMeG Calculator, developed in collaboration with the IfA as a follow-up to the CAFOGES project, has reached the final round of the German Sustainability Award for Health and is thus among the pioneers in the field of sustainable transformation in the healthcare sector. This free tool enables hospitals to track and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions; it is specifically tailored to the needs of hospitals to drive decarbonization in the healthcare sector.
From physics teacher to family doctor
Marco Goffi, a former physics teacher and medical physicist, has set out on a path to become a general practitioner. A well-equipped practice and the prospect of frequent contact with patients drew the 39-year-old Dutchman to Wyhlen.
Using routine medical data for research projects. The "MII-Academy" online learning portal brings together knowledge for clinical researchers
The Medical Informatics Initiative (MII) and the associated establishment of Data Integration Centers (DICs) at (university) hospitals are creating new opportunities to use routine healthcare data across specialties and locations for research purposes. The tasks of the DIZ include acquiring data from a variety of data-providing systems, consolidating and processing this data, and ensuring data quality and data protection. The processed data is then made available for medical research. Based on the data sets made available, research using clinical care data can help identify diseases more precisely and optimize patient care.
For further questions:
https://www.uniklinik-freiburg.de/datenintegrationszentrum.html
Further information:
Report on the 2024 Winter School
Here is a report on the 2024 Winter School in Hinterzarten, available for download as a PDF
Rare Disease Day 2024: “Many Are Rare”
To mark Rare Disease Day, the Center for Rare Diseases in Freiburg is hosting an online symposium on February 28, 2024 (2:30–5:00 p.m.), aimed equally at primary care physicians, specialists, patients, and their families.
In addition to an overview of the FZSE’s structure and work, including presentations of several case studies and insights into human genetic analyses, the event will feature a presentation of the pilot project on social counseling at the FZSE and an introduction to the new B-Center for Craniofacial Anomalies.
We look forward to your participation!
Continuing education credits have been requested from the Baden-Württemberg State Medical Association.
Interdisciplinary Workshop
The "Introduction to Clinical Medicine" teaching team invites medical and nursing students to an interdisciplinary workshop on April 9, 2024. There will be ample opportunity for personal and academic exchange.
The workshop is open to students from all semesters.
Topics include interdisciplinary teamwork and error management, accompanied by a joint informal lunch break.
Registration is now open until April 2, 2024, at: ekm.allgemeinmedizin@uniklinik-freiburg.de
Successful Habilitation by Assistant Professor Nadine Binder
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Nadine Binder has successfully completed her habilitation at the University of Freiburg. On January 18, 2024, the Faculty of Medicine awarded her the venia legendi in the field of "Experimental Medicine."
Dr. Binder’s research focuses on the development of statistical methods. In her habilitation thesis, titled “Accounting for Complex Variable Structures to Avoid Bias in Cohort and Intervention Studies,” she made a significant contribution to improving methodological accuracy in long-term studies. Her focus was particularly on avoiding bias through adequate consideration of complex variable structures, both with regard to endpoints of interest and potential confounding factors.
Dr. Binder is currently active in the DFG-funded Collaborative Research Center 1597 "Small Data." The new Collaborative Research Center is developing methods to discover complex patterns in even relatively small datasets using artificial intelligence and modeling techniques. This requires a highly interdisciplinary approach that combines knowledge from computer science, mathematics, statistics, medicine, and system modeling, and establishes a common language among researchers from the various disciplines. The SMART Graduate College, which is led by Dr. Binder, is also part of the Collaborative Research Center. Further information: https://www.smalldata-initiative.de
PD Dr. Binder’s inaugural lecture, titled “Using the Right Statistics for Reliable Diagnosis,” is scheduled for March 20, 2024, at 10:15 a.m. Further information regarding the inaugural lecture will follow shortly.
We warmly congratulate PD Dr. Nadine Binder on this significant milestone in her career and look forward to her future scientific contributions.
"Act to learn—learn to act"—learning medicine through acting—for students in their 7th semester and beyond
Let your creativity shine during your medical studies...
You can find more information here
Communication Workshop for Medical Students
Would you like to make your communication more efficient and increase patient satisfaction?
Then you’ll find more information here
New university-based continuing education network aims to ensure a new generation of family physicians
Medical Center – University of Freiburg, local physicians, and the South Baden Regional Medical Association sign a cooperation agreement for advanced training in general medicine / Structured training program aims to increase the number of family physicians in the region
This is an important step toward ensuring quality primary care in Freiburg and the surrounding counties: On June 28, 2023, the Medical Center – University of Freiburg, the South Baden District Medical Association, and 10 primary care practices in the region established a training network for specialist training in general medicine...
List of Links
The "List of Helpful Links" menu item has been expanded and updated. It contains many useful links for (future) physicians, patients, and those interested in research.
Freiburg University Hospital Beach Volleyball Tournament
Summer, sun, sand, and a ball—we do more than just general medicine!...
Prevention Competence Network - Press Release
2.9 million euros for prevention
As a project partner from the first funding period, we are pleased that the state of Baden-Württemberg has extended the Preventive Medicine Competence Network for another two years. Through this network, the Faculties of Medicine pool their expertise to improve prevention efforts in the state.
Data Wonderland
Our Data Wonderland opens its doors on Friday, June 30, from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., and on Saturday, July 1, 2023, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., at the Flugplatz campus. You’re all warmly invited to visit our two-day interactive festival on data and artificial intelligence.
Who has more health data about you—your family doctor or your smartphone? How many people do you know who could identify you just by looking at your list of medications? Does your fitness tracker know more about your health than you do?
The collection of personalized health-related data and its analysis by self-learning artificial intelligence systems is seen by some as an inevitable path to the future. Everyday life seems to be sinking deeper and deeper into virtual worlds.
But fear not: We’ll shed light on the dark, dense data jungle. We’re clearing the ring for bit jugglers and neuro-dance glitter. Step into the fitness ring at the Pillow Fight Club, embark on an intergalactic mission with Space Junk. Travel back to the future of the year 2078 before you meet your virtual twin. Trust yourself and listen to the melody of your life.
Come to Data Wonderland, the data festival of a special kind! No animal acts, but with robots, trainers, and predatory capitalists; not artificial, but intelligent.
The event is accessible. Admission is free.
Flyer
CO2 Calculator for Healthcare Facilities Released
The CAFOGES research project at the Institute of General Medicine, in collaboration with the Öko-Institut e.V., has developed an open-access CO2 calculator for hospitals
- The calculator allows for a comparison of the greenhouse gas footprints of different hospitals
- The Medical Center – University of Freiburg’s first-ever carbon footprint assessment provides transparency
The Mission Statement of the Institute of General Medicine (IfA)
Over the past few months, the Institute of General Medicine has developed a mission statement. We are pleased to present the result here:
One for all: Free cardiovascular app developed
The tala-med Cardio app is free and available in six languages / Key topics include nutrition, exercise, and “quitting smoking” / Games, a diary, and personalized plans help users achieve their goals
Press release:
+++ News from the Forum +++
With the newsletter for
the "Baden-Württemberg
as a Health Hub" forum, we’ll keep you up to date on our latest coverage.
Eat That! 5.0
Nutrition plays a key role in individual and public health. At the same time, global food systems have a major impact on what is known as “global health,” for example, in terms of the climate crisis, pandemic risks, and antimicrobial resistance. Despite these now well-researched connections, nutrition-related content is still largely absent from medical school curricula in Germany.
This gap prompted the Physicians Association for Nutrition (PAN) and students from the PAN University Groups to launch a cross-university curriculum initiative titled “Eat That! Nutrition in Medicine.” This curriculum initiative is now entering its fifth round in the summer semester of 2023. You can register via the following link:
https://pan-int.org/de/project/iss-das-5-0/
S2e Guideline
The Institute of General Medicine participated in the evidence synthesis on COVID-19 therapies in primary care within the “Outpatient Care” thematic area of the CEOsys evidence ecosystem and developed an S2e guideline in collaboration with DEGAM and AWMF. In addition, a Cochrane review on COVID-19 therapy with fluvoxamine was conducted.
CEOsys is part of the University Medicine Network (NUM), which is funded by the BMBF. You can view all activities of the Freiburg partners of the NUM on the following website: https://www.uniklinik-freiburg.de/num.html
The app is live…!
The institute’s first free app, called tala-med Cardio, is now available on the App Store and Google Play. Its goal is to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease through behavioral changes. The app combines three modules—nutrition, exercise, and smoking cessation—and is available in six languages. For more information, visit our institute’s homepage, the App Store or Google Play Store, or the tala-med website.
Have we piqued your interest? Click here to watch our motivational video: Video and visit the tala-med website.
Challenges and Solutions for an Established Practice-Based Research Network
For research practices:
As part of the Methods Forum of the Charité’s Health Services Research Platform, Alison Cole from Seattle will give an online presentation on May 9, 2023, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on the topic “Challenges and Solutions for an Established Practice-based Research Network.”
Allison Cole is a family physician and professor at the University of Washington and has long led a large practice-based research network (see also https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Allison-Cole-10).
If you are interested, you can find more information and the registration link at:
https://versorgungsforschung.charite.de/ueber_die_plattform/veranstaltungen/
3. FAMe – Festival of General Practice
April 26, 2023 | 8:00–10:00 p.m. | via Zoom
www.festival-allgemeinmedizin.de
The FAMe Festival is an online event and will take place for the third time this year on April 26, 2023. It is open to all medical students and is free of charge. At the festival, general practitioners will share their diverse career paths and areas of focus within general medicine and speak openly and honestly about life as a family physician, in all its facets. We’ve already welcomed over 700 students online at the last two festivals! Click here for the promotional video and program. Feel free to check it out for yourself. The FAMe Founding Team: Dr. Jana Husemann, Prof. Dr. Marco Roos, Dr. Sandra Blumenthal, Dr. Simon Schwill MME, Ruben Bernau, Kahina Toutaoui
Freiburg Philosophicum – Nine themed evenings on the philosophy of medicine will be held through February 15, 2023
Dear students and interested parties,
We would like to cordially invite you to the “Freiburg Philosophicum – Thematic Evenings on the Philosophy of Medicine,” which will be offered for the first time in the 2022/23 winter semester. The Freiburg Philosophicum aims to provide a space for reflection where those interested in medicine and philosophy, theory and practice, can engage with fundamental themes of human existence. The event consists of 9 thematic evenings on the philosophy of medicine and can also be attended on individual dates, as it is an optional program.
Here you will find information on time and location as well as the program
Organization: Dr. Paula Linden, Faculty of Medicine – University of Freiburg; Dr. Miriam Fischer-Geboers, Thales Academy Freiburg
Participation: The Freiburg Philosophicum is open to all interested parties. Online participation is also possible upon request, though we would be delighted to see a lively in-person turnout
To help us better estimate the number of participants, please send a brief registration email to Paula.Linden@uniklinik-freiburg.de. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at any time. Further information