Elective Course: "Digital Skills in Medicine"
Description
Do you think digitalization will be a major game-changer in medicine?
Have you always wanted to learn where and how AI can be used in medicine?
Have you never held a handheld ultrasound device before?
Then the elective “Digital Competencies in Medicine” is the right choice for you!
Digitalization is playing an increasingly important role in nearly every field of medicine. That’s why this elective is designed collaboratively by physicians from radiology, general medicine, neurosurgery, and cardiovascular surgery, as well as staff from the Institute of Digitalization in Medicine.
The elective has a modular structure and is divided into self-study units (online, asynchronous) and practical components (in the teaching building, Elsässer Str. 20).
The following topics are explored in depth:
- Digital and data literacy
- Use of eHealth services and their critical evaluation
- Telemedicine with telecommunications training
- Possibilities and limitations of artificial intelligence in medicine, with a special focus on radiology
- Ethical aspects of digitalization, robotics, and artificial intelligence in medicine
- Simulation of doctor-patient conversations using ChatGPT
- Data flow and hospital management systems at the Uniklinik Freiburg
- Implementation of AI in the hospital using the “AI-Hospital” simulation game
- POCUS (Point-of-Care Ultrasound)
The program combines theory and practice regarding digital competencies in medicine by providing you with insights from experts into everyday hospital life and the practical demands placed on digital skills. Additionally, through hands-on exercises, you’ll gain experience to feel confident using digital applications. Practical topics are also well-covered. Whether you want to program your own AI, brush up on your ultrasound skills (eFAST—what was that again?), or even participate live in the development of a DiGA (health app), there’s something for everyone here! But don’t worry—you really don’t need to know how to program to join in.
New
: Participation in this elective can count toward the university’s new Certificate in Digital Competencies (launching in early 2024). Click here for more information about the certificate.
Assessment
The course is assessed through a graded assignment in the form of a poster or PowerPoint presentation, as well as a joint final session with a short presentation.
Instructors
Dr. Martina Bischoff, Dr. Christian Haverkamp, Dr. Philipp Kellmeyer, Prof. Dr. Elmar Kotter, Prof. Dr. Andy Maun, Hans-Günter Meyer, Dr. Maximilian Russe, Phuong Hien Tran, Dr. Domagoj Damjanovic
Primary
contact: Dr. Martina Bischoff, General Medicine, martina.bischoff@uniklinik-freiburg.de
Registration: Institute of General Medicine, Stephanie Freitag, stephanie.freitag@uniklinik-freiburg.de
Organizational
details Minimum number of participants: 6
Dates for the 2026
Summer Semester The elective course takes place every Tuesday (usually online or in person, Medical Teaching Building, Elsässer Str. 20) at 4:30 PM.
Start date to be announced
The remaining dates (always on Tuesdays) will be agreed upon at the first meeting.
Student feedback on the last elective:
- “I was only able to participate because many sessions took place online.”
- “It was very hands-on; you could try out a lot of things yourself, such as prompting, using ultrasound, and getting to know the AI Hospital in a playful way!”
- “I was very skeptical because a lot of it was supposed to take place online. Now that the elective is over, I know that you can learn a lot about digitalization and try things out for yourself online.”