Medical doctorate thesis in the field of general practice
Are you interested in pursuing a doctoral degree (MD) in general practice? We regularly announce dissertation topics here.
Please note that we can only consider unsolicited applications in exceptional cases (e.g., if you have already completed a Bachelor or Master degree and you have methodological expertise). In such cases, please contact the directors of the departments.
General information about the doctorate can be found on the webpages of the Promotionsbüro.
Current dissertation projects at the Department of General Practice (mostly in German)
Alsaiad, Sahera (cand. med.)
Working title: The prescription of antibiotics for the treatment of urinary tract infections in Bavarian specialist practices in gynecology, urology, and general medicine
Description: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common bacterial infections in outpatient care and a frequent reason for prescribing antibiotics. My dissertation project examines the prescribing behavior of the specialist groups most frequently confronted with the diagnosis of UTIs. It will be examined whether there have been any changes in guideline adherence following the update of the S3 guideline in 2017. To this end, I will carry out statistical analyses of routine data on 21.5 million patients from the Bavarian Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians. The period under review is 2013-2017.
Betz, Rebecca (cand. med.)
Working title: Easyscreen-GP: Screening for age-related hearing loss in general practice—What care do patients screened by their GP receive after a positive hearing screening?—A pilot study
Description: Hearing loss is common in the older population aged 65 and over, but is often not recognized by those affected or is not considered serious enough, resulting in delays in diagnosis and treatment. However, those affected benefit from early care, as hearing loss can lead to social isolation and loneliness and is also a risk factor for the development of dementia, depression, or anxiety disorders.
The Easyscreen® (Maico) device is used to determine whether patients aged 65 and older in general practices have hearing loss: In a short examination, clicking sounds are emitted into the external auditory canal and the responses automatically sent by the inner ear and brain stem are recorded. The dissertation will examine the feasibility of this simple hearing screening—similar to newborn hearing screening—in general practitioners' offices. In the process, the care situation of the affected individuals and the impairment of their social participation will be described by examining the diagnosis and treatment pathways. Furthermore, the experiences of the participating practice staff and patients with the screening will be determined using questionnaire interviews.
Buchmann, Anna-Lena (cand. med.)
Working title: Care in times of the pandemic - experiences of caring relatives during the COVID-19 pandemic
Description: More than 60% of people in need of care in Germany are cared for at home, mainly by relatives. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, caring relatives were exposed to great challenges due to multiple burdens. It can be assumed that with the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in Germany and the measures associated with it, the care situation for family caregivers has become even worse and the burdens have increased. In this project, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on informal caregiving and the experiences of informal caregivers during the pandemic in 2020 will be recorded retrospectively both quantitatively with the help of a standardized questionnaire and qualitatively through semi-structured interviews. The doctoral thesis is part of the CollPan project, which, in cooperation with the University of Bonn, deals with the pandemic collateral effects on caring and grieving relatives. The recommendations for action derived from the results should enable better care and support for caring relatives in future crisis situations.
Bundschuh, René (cand. med.)
Working title: Persistent symptoms in patients with COVID-19 in outpatient care – a descriptive study.
Description: Some outpatients treated for COVID-19 suffer from long-lasting respiratory, neurological, or psychological complaints. The duration and intensity of the symptoms, as well as their effects on physical integrity or socioeconomic consequences, are likely to vary greatly and are still poorly understood.
As part of a prospective study design, patients are monitored for a period of twelve months after symptomatic COVID-19 infection and are asked to complete standardized questionnaires regarding their current state of health and the effects of the disease and symptoms on everyday activities, and the corresponding influences are determined.
Eber, Johanna (cand. med.)
Working title: Virtual patients in general medicine: a retrospective analysis of CaseTrain cases coupled with a prospective comparative study of CaseTrain vs. epicrisis creation.
Description: The use of virtual patients in teaching is increasing, but has hardly been researched in general medicine to date. At the University of Würzburg, students in their 10th semester can decide for themselves whether they want to create a general medical virtual patient (CaseTrain case) or an epicrisis about a home visit as part of their block internship. The dissertation will examine the extent to which self-assessed learning success and performance differ between these groups. A retrospective analysis will be conducted to determine which general medical consultation reasons and clinical pictures are particularly frequently selected for the virtual patients.
Eberhard, Michael (cand. med.)
Working title: Designing a course on how family doctors should deal with patients who drink too much: A randomized prospective study comparing an inverted classroom with e-learning in medical school
Description: Alcohol consumption is one of the biggest health risks and is really common, but most medical students feel like they haven't been trained enough to deal with problem drinking. For this reason, a new two-part course on “Counseling patients with risky alcohol consumption” is being offered in the interdisciplinary field of prevention as part of a randomized prospective study. The two teaching concepts used, inverted classroom and e-learning, are being compared at the following levels: students' learning behavior and preferences, acquisition of knowledge and skills, and change in attitude..
Ebertsch, Florian (cand. med.)
Working title: Priorities and options for action for Planetary Health in Eastern Africa
Description: A qualitative interview study will examine the priorities and fields of action in the area of planetary health in East Africa. To this end, study participants from research and teaching as well as students with experience in planetary health topics will be interviewed. The study will be conducted at the partner universities of the SOPHEA project: the University of Eldoret in Kenya and the Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences in Mwanza, Tanzania. The aim of the study is to identify problem areas in the climate-environment-health nexus in the Lake Zone around Mwanza and in the highlands of Eldoret. The focus is on identifying options for action and opportunities to take active steps toward transformative change.
Falke, Rebekka (cand. med.)
Working title: Sexually transmitted infections in Bavarian outpatient care: A qualitative interview study with patients
Description: This qualitative interview study examines the experiences of patients who have sought healthcare for a sexually transmitted infection. The aim is to identify the specific needs and challenges patients face when being treated for STIs, to develop patient-centered care processes, to strengthen communication between patients and general practitioners, and to improve STI care in Bavaria.
Forster, Eva (cand. med.)
Working title: Phase contrast microscopy of fresh urine as a professional activity entrusted to MFAs in general medical practices
Description: The background to this is the MicUTI study, a randomized clinical trial in which a new treatment algorithm for uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women will be tested in a general practice setting. The project described here aims to develop and evaluate a competency-based training concept for medical assistants (MFAs) in the phase contrast microscopy required for this. The skills taught in the course will enable MFAs to directly apply what they have learned as entrustable professional activities (EPAs) in their everyday practice. The learning gains and acceptance among learners will then be evaluated using questionnaires and qualitative interviews.
Fröhlich, Willi (cand. med.)
Working title: COVID-19-related challenges for parents, children, and caregivers at daycare centers in Würzburg
Description: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic poses a particular challenge for families with preschool-aged children. Changing childcare situations and intensified hygiene measures at daycare centers are causing far-reaching changes for the parents, children, and caregivers involved. In order to identify the resulting challenges and problem constellations, guided interviews with parents and caregivers will be conducted during two survey periods. The qualitative study is being conducted as part of the Würzburg Childcare Study during the COVID-19 Pandemic (Wü-KiTa-CoV Study).
Furtmüller, Hannah (cand. med.)
Working title: Maintaining and promoting the health of musicians: Assessment of the physical and mental well-being of music students in Würzburg
Description: Training to become a musician involves a range of physiological and psychological stresses. If these stresses lead to illness, music-specific medical care is often necessary. Anonymous online questionnaires and validated instruments will be used to quantitatively determine the physical and psychological complaints that are most prevalent among music students at the University of Music Würzburg, whether and where they can find help when needed, and what kind of medical care they would like to receive. A qualitative survey conducted through interviews with individual students will supplement the above results.
Geilen, Niklas (cand. med.)
Working title: Acceptance of artificial intelligence among general practitioners and practice staff – quantitative sub-study
Description: Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly important in primary care. It offers a wide range of applications, such as supporting documentation and communication. How general practitioners and practice teams view these developments has hardly been studied to date. This subproject collects quantitative data on the attitudes of German general practitioners and practice staff toward AI. It examines their self-perceived abilities in dealing with AI, their assessment of its usefulness, and other factors that, according to theoretical models, influence the acceptance and use of AI. The study is based on a standardized online questionnaire, the results of which will provide insight into current attitudes and factors influencing AI acceptance in the context of family medicine.
Gömann, Nikolas (cand. med.)
Working title: What personality traits of medical students influence interest in family medicine? - A systematic literature review.
Description: The increasing shortage of general practitioners poses problems for low-threshold medical care in many countries. Therefore, it is important to promote the recruitment of new general practitioners. Since specialty preference often develops during medical school, this systematic review addresses the question of which personality traits of medical students lead to an interest and subsequent decision to become a family physician. This work aims to map the current state of research and present how interest in family medicine can be further promoted in medical students, taking into account individual personality traits.
Grieco, Fabio (cand. med.)
Working title: Courses on planetary health at medical schools in Germany: Overview, development for the academic year 22/23, and comparison with other countries
Description: Climate change is the greatest threat to human health in the 21st century. Medical professionals must therefore learn to respond to the changing demands on healthcare as a result of anthropogenic environmental changes. At the same time, they have a duty to mitigate climate change and its consequences. This makes it essential to educate medical students in the field of “planetary health” (climate, environment, and health). This dissertation aims to use a quantitative questionnaire as part of the mixed-methods study PlanetMedEd to assess the state of teaching on planetary health in the academic year 22/23 and compare the data with previous surveys in Germany and other countries in order to identify developments and potential for development.
Hanslmeier, Thomas (cand. med.)
Working title: The prescription of antibiotics for the treatment of urinary tract infections in private practice in Bavaria – An evaluation of routine data from the Bavarian Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians
Description: The use of antibiotics is recommended by German and European guidelines for the treatment of urinary tract infections. However, in order to prevent the development of new antibiotic resistances and the occurrence of serious side effects, it is important that only those antibiotics recommended by the guidelines are used. In order to investigate the extent to which these recommendations are implemented in Bavarian medical practices, routine data from the Bavarian Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians for the period from 2013 to 2019 is being evaluated. The study examines the proportion of patients who are prescribed antibiotics, which substances are used, and whether there are differences in prescriptions between different patient groups.
Herold, Simone (cand. med)
Working title: Evaluation of the “Beste Landpartie Allgemeinmedizin” (BeLA) program in Würzburg to promote sustainable primary care in rural areas.
Description: To strengthen primary care in rural areas, the “Beste Landpartie für Allgemeinmedizin” (BeLA) funding program was established at the Institute of General Medicine in Würzburg in 2020. The BeLA program is funded by the Bavarian State Ministry of Health, Care, and Prevention. Our study examines the characteristics of the students, their perception of the program content, and tracks their professional careers after graduation. The study follows a mixed-methods design with an online survey, focus group, and analysis of previous evaluations. The results will support the further development of the BeLA program in Würzburg.
Hofner, Laura (cand. med)
Working title: Strategies for treating patients with depression – A survey of general practitioners
Description: General practitioners play a central role in the diagnosis and treatment of depressive disorders. This dissertation project aims to shed light on how general practitioners care for patients with depression in their everyday practice and what strategies they pursue in treatment by conducting postal and personal surveys of general practitioners in Franconia. A standardized questionnaire will be used to quantitatively assess how general practitioners care for patients with depression and what repertoire of treatment options they use. In a qualitative approach, guided interviews will be used to explore in greater depth the general medical approach to the care of patients with depression.
Huber, Michael (cand. med.)
Working title: Sexually transmitted infections in Bavarian outpatient care: A qualitative interview study with general practitioners
Description: This qualitative interview study with general practitioners aims to explore the experiences, attitudes, and perspectives of Bavarian GPs in managing sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The study seeks to identify challenges and needs in providing care to STI patients. The results are intended to help strengthen the role of GPs in early detection, counseling, and treatment of STIs and to improve outpatient STI healthcare.
Jung, Timo (Specialist in internal medicine, GP group practice Jung/Marold/Beetz, Gössenheim)
Working title: Diagnostic test quality of the PA-100 AST System (Sysmex®) compared to urine culture in women with suspected uncomplicated urinary tract infection in primary care
Description: In general practitioner care, empirical antibiotics are usually administered in the case of an uncomplicated urinary tract infection based on typical symptoms and, if necessary, urine test strips without prior microbiological diagnostics. However, microbiological diagnostics are useful for targeted therapy and to avoid the development of resistance and unnecessary antibiotic treatments. Urine culture in the laboratory is the gold standard, but usually takes >48 hours for a result. Sysmex's® novel PA-100 AST system is a point-of-care test. It combines phase contrast microscopy and nanofluidics. By entering virgin, fresh urine, it can be checked within 15 minutes whether significant bacteriuria (from 50,000 CFU/ml) is present. After 30-45 minutes, sensitivity testing is carried out according to EUCAST criteria fosfomycin, nitrofurantoin, trimethoprim, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and ciprofloxacin in Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Staphylococcus saprophyticus andEnterococcus faecalis directly on site.The thesis is intended to test the test quality of the PA-100 AST system (index test) compared to urine culture in the laboratory (reference test) and the influence on medical decision-making: For this purpose, 100-150 patients are included in 4 general practitioners' practices in the Würzburg and Jena area.
Kleuser, Henrike (cand. med.)
Working title: ´I am confident … until patient X presents´ – a qualitative evidence synthesis to understand primary healthcare professionals´ experience with urinary tract infections
Description: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common infections in primary care. Qualitative studies show that previous experiences, habits, patient expectations, time constraints, and available resources can influence the treatment of UTIs. The research group consists of international scientists who are conducting a synthesis of qualitative studies. The aim is to examine the experiences of healthcare professionals in treating patients with UTIs in general practice. To this end, we use reflexive thematic analysis (according to Braun and Clarke) and focus on difficulties, commonalities, and generic patterns in different countries.
Lehner, Nina (cand. med.)
Working title: The complex reality of the pandemic from the perspective of those affected in primary care – Persistent physical and psychological complaints after COVID-19.
Description: The aim of the project is to gain an understanding of the consequences of COVID-19 on the physical, psychological, and social lives of patients after their illness. In particular, the need for, knowledge and acceptance of care services, as well as the experience of the pandemic after COVID-19, will be explored. This will be investigated using a questionnaire and explored in greater depth through qualitative telephone interviews.
Liebscher, Carolin (cand. med.)
Working title: Care in times of the pandemic - experiences of caring relatives during the COVID-19 pandemic
Description: More than 60% of people in need of care in Germany are cared at home mainly by relatives. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, caring relatives were exposed to great challenges due to multiple burdens. It can be assumed that with the outbreak of the corona pandemic in Germany and the measures associated with it, the care situation for family caregivers has become even worse and the burdens have increased. In this project, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on informal caregiving and the experiences of informal caregivers during the pandemic in 2020 will be recorded retrospectively both quantitatively with the help of a standardised questionnaire and qualitatively through semi-structured interviews. The doctoral thesis is part of the CollPan project, which, in cooperation with the University of Bonn, deals with the pandemic collateral effects on caring and grieving relatives. The recommendations for action derived from the results should enable better care and support for caring relatives in future crisis situations.
Lomp, Greta (cand. med.)
Working title: Weight-related stigmatization among physicians in further training in general practice: an online survey study
Description: Weight-related stigma in health care in the form of prejudice and discrimination has been increasingly described in studies in recent years. It has been shown that this leads to direct negative health consequences for those affected, as well as to adverse effects on obesity treatment and general health care for obese patients. The majority of the relevant studies originate from the USA, while only few data are available from Germany. In this dissertation, the extent of weight-related stigmatization and the need for further education and training on obesity and weight stigmatization among German general practitioners in training will be investigated.
Manthey, Katharina (cand. med.)
Working title: Testing and treatment thresholds: Analysis of medical decision-making processes in general practice for the treatment of urinary tract infections in women. A case vignette study.
Description: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common reasons for medical consultations in general practice and are a major cause of antibiotic prescriptions. The aim of this dissertation is to analyze the decision-making processes of general practitioners with regard to the diagnosis and treatment of UTIs. Nine clinical case vignettes, which represent different probabilities of the presence of a UTI, and subsequent single-choice questions are used to determine the testing and treatment thresholds of family physicians in the treatment of UTIs. Logistic regression models will be used to identify the thresholds at which physicians consider further diagnostics or treatment to be justified. The study will be conducted in Germany, Italy, and the US in order to capture international differences in decision-making strategies. In the long term, the work should contribute to the development of evidence-based decision-making rules that promote rational antibiotic prescribing and thus reduce the development of resistance.
Nödel, Johannes MSc (cand. Med.)
Working title: HEAT-CaRe: Relationship between extreme heat and general medical treatment of cardiovascular reactions. An analysis of routine data from the Bavarian Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians and climate data from the German Weather Service.
Description: Heat waves have negative effects on morbidity, especially among vulnerable population groups, which have been demonstrated primarily in inpatient care. Since there is still little scientific knowledge on this topic in general medical care, this dissertation will examine the effects using the example of cardiovascular patients. Routine data from the KVB in Lower Franconia will be matched with climate data from the German Weather Service to illustrate the heat-related patient influx and the cost of care. The spatial variability between urban and rural heat exposure will also be a focus.
Pramberger, Maria (cand. med.)
Working title: Physician communication about sexuality: An online survey of young family physicians about their experiences in the field of communicative competences about sexuality in the patient interview.
Description: Questions about sexuality in the medical history interview are important to ensure high-quality health care. This is especially true in a general medical context. In Germany, there are hardly any studies dealing with communication about sexuality from the perspective of general practitioners. Within the framework of the project, an online questionnaire will be used to survey young general practitioners throughout Germany about their experiences, their assessment of their own competencies, and their training and continuing education needs in the area of communication about sexuality with patients. The results will be used to derive implications for practice and teaching.
Probst, Lennart (cand. med.)
Working title: Qualitative sub-study on the acceptance of AI among general practitioners and their practice staff
Description: Due to the increasing workload in German general practices, it is foreseeable that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) will also become increasingly important in general medicine. The acceptance and use of AI in the field of German general medicine is still relatively unexplored. Semi-structured interviews with medical staff, doctors in further training, and other practice staff will therefore be conducted to collect qualitative data on personal attitudes, thoughts, feelings, and existing experiences in connection with AI. Key factors here include the participants' attitudes toward AI, their existing knowledge of AI, and other psychological factors that are important for the acceptance of AI. The data will be evaluated using the reflexive thematic analysis model. Together with the results of the quantitative sub-studies, this should enable the implementation of a general medical learning platform for artificial intelligence in the longer term, which should ultimately help to firmly integrate AI into everyday general medical practice.
Reif, Johanna (cand. med.)
Working title: Feasibility of the National Pandemic Cohort Network Study (NAPKON) in outpatient care
Description: This dissertation is based on data from the National Pandemic Cohort Network (NAPKON), which was established as part of the University Medicine Network. The primary goal of NAPKON is to conduct a Germany-wide prospective cohort study that will contribute to developing a comprehensive understanding of SARS-CoV2 infection and its effects. Although the majority of COVID-19 patients were treated on an outpatient basis by general practitioners, the planning and implementation of research on COVID-19 was largely carried out by actors in the inpatient sector. This dissertation will examine whether there are differences in the data quality of the NAPKON dataset between the outpatient and inpatient patient populations due to the different framework conditions.
Rothemund, Eva (cand. med.)
Working title: Care for adults with disabilities in general practice
Description: In 2017, 13.04 million people with disabilities lived in the Federal Republic of Germany. According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Germany is contractually obliged to offer people with disabilities high-quality healthcare close to their place of residence. The aim of this comprehensive prospective survey study is to use standardized questionnaires to determine the proportion of family doctors in Bavaria who care for people with disabilities. In addition, the study aims to evaluate the challenges that arise in caring for people with disabilities and the reasons for or against accepting people with disabilities into the patient population cared for by the respective family doctor.
Ruppelt, Insa (cand. med.)
Working title: Comparative evaluation of attention performance in patients with post-COVID-19 disease
Description: It is becoming increasingly clear that after surviving SARS-CoV-2 infection many patients complain of symptoms in the long term. In particular, they report cognitive impairments such as poor concentration and reduced attention. As part of the PreVitaCOV study, which is investigating drug therapy options for post-COVID-19 syndrome, this dissertation will conduct a comparative analysis of the attention performance of those affected on the day of their baseline examination with a healthy, age-dependent comparison sample. In addition, it will be investigated in which aspects of attention are impaired. Attention performance is assessed using the neuropsychological procedure "Test Battery for Attention Testing - Mobility Version" (TAP-M). It will be evaluated whether the subjectively reported impairments in attention performance can be mapped by the neuropsychological procedure.
Schlittenhardt, Clara (cand. med)
Working title: Emotions and motivation for action among medical students in relation to climate change in the context of planetary health education
Description: This dissertation project focuses on the importance of emotions and their influence on actions related to climate change and corresponding climate protection measures. Due to the trust placed in them, medical professionals can actively shape social change. In order to implement this, the emotions that promote or inhibit this process must be taken into account. Using an anonymous online questionnaire, quantitative and qualitative data from medical students at the University of Würzburg on emotions, attitudes, and motivation to act with regard to climate change will be collected in the form of a mixed-methods study. The establishment of new courses on ‘planetary health’ (climate, environment, and health) offers an opportunity to take the results into account and optimize teaching in terms of knowledge transfer, offering options for action, and strengthening transformative skills.
Schneider, Diana (cand. med)
Working title: How does a rural practice location in a block internship in general medicine influence students' tendency to pursue a career as a family doctor after graduation?
Description: In Germany, there is a growing shortage of family doctors, especially in rural areas. This dissertation examines whether block placements in general medicine in rural vs. urban areas have a different influence on the tendency to pursue a career as a family doctor. In an online survey, medical students in their 10th semester at Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg will be asked about their block internship, their future career plans, and some personal characteristics. This data will then be compared with the results of various student surveys conducted in Würzburg in order to gain new insights into the role of rural areas in block internships.
Schwager, Nicolas (doctor in further training in general medicine)
Working title: Everything STImmig? Sexually transmitted infections in the context of general medicine – knowledge, attitudes, and practices of family doctors in Lower Franconia with a focus on queer-sensitive counseling.
Description: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a serious health problem at the global, national, and regional levels. In Bavaria, the number of syphilis diagnoses increased 7.4-fold between 2001 and 2023. The stigmatization of STIs remains a significant barrier that affects public perception, quality of care, and access to treatment services. Stigmatizing attitudes toward patients with STIs have also been observed among medical students in Germany. While some general practitioners offer comprehensive STI care, others transfer responsibility for the treatment of STIs entirely to other disciplines such as urology, dermatology, or gynecology. For patients, choosing the first point of contact can therefore be a challenge in addition to the hurdle of perceived stigmatization. Against this background, a survey of general practitioners in Lower Franconia on the current care situation for sexually transmitted infections in the general practice setting is necessary in order to identify existing challenges and develop appropriate measures to improve STI care. A regional comparison of primary care STI care in Lower Franconia and Berlin/Brandenburg in cooperation with Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin will also provide crucial insights into region-specific characteristics.
Wingender, Lisa (cand. med.)
Working title: Study situation of students in the rural doctor quota in Bavaria
Description: Since the 2020/21 winter semester, up to 5.8% of medical school places in Bavaria have been allocated via the “rural doctor quota” (LAQ) in order to counteract the shortage of family doctors in rural regions. Our exploratory mixed-methods study aims to identify specific circumstances and challenges for students in their everyday study life and to identify possible starting points for supportive measures. Students from all Bavarian universities in semesters 1-8 are surveyed in an anonymous online questionnaire. In addition, individual interviews with students are planned in order to gain deeper insights into problem areas.
