The researchers at the Institute for History and Ethics of Medicine work on a wide range of topics in the field of ethics in health care, the theory of science, and historical topics in medicine and nursing. The scientific work is often carried out in interdisciplinary co-operation and by using empirical and normative methods. Depending on the research question and methodology, the research projects are carried out in a transdisciplinary or participatory manner.

Main research topics (selection):

  • Ethical aspects of modern technologies in medicine and care
  • Ethical challenges in patient care
  • Medical Humanities and professional competences in education
  • Evaluation of clinical ethical interventions
  • Research ethics
  • History of medicine and dentistry in the 19th and 20th century
  • Methods and methodology of “empirical ethics”
  • Prioritization in health care

Kremling A, Bausewein C, Klein C, Nadolny S, Ostgathe C, Schildmann E, Ziegler K, Schildmann J: Terminological Confusion About Sedation in Palliative Care: Results of an International Online Vignette Survey. J Palliat Med. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2023.0159 (2024).

Schildmann J, Junghanß C, Oldenburg M, Schuler U, Wörmann B, Trümper L, Winkler E (2024) Ärztlich assistierte Selbsttötung. Erfahrungen und Bewertungen von Mitgliedern der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Hämatologie und Medizinische Onkologie. Onkologie. 30(1):31–37. doi.org/10.1007/s00761-023-01441-7.

Kremling A, Schildmann J, Mertz M (2023) From book to bedside? A critical perspective on the debate about "translational bioethics". BIOETHICS, Special Issue: 1-10

Markert J, Niemann J, Starke D, Frese T, Meyer G, Mikolajczyk R, Schildmann J, Steckelberg A, Knöchelmann A (2023) [Pre-existing Mental Disorders and Depressiveness in the Second Wave of the SARS-CoV-2-Pandemic - The Role of Pandemic-Associated Stressors]. Psychother Psychosom Med Psychol., 73(9-10):396–404. doi: 10.1055/a-2105-3302.

Nadolny S, Schildmann E, Gaßmann ES, Schildmann J (2023) What is an "early palliative care" intervention? A scoping review of controlled studies in oncology. Cancer Med., 12(23):21335–21353. doi: 10.1002/cam4.6490.

Kremling A (2023) Gezielte Sedierung am Lebensende - Terminologie und Missverstaändnisse. In: Borgardts,David;Roth,Michael (Hg.) Sedierung am Lebensende. Beiträge zur ethischen Debatte. Karl Alber, Freiburg, 145–162

Information on thesis (Dr. med.; Dr. rer. medic) at the Institute for History and Ethics of Medicine

Students of medicine and dentistry at the MLU have the opportunity to write a doctoral thesis (Dr. med.) on a topic in medical ethics or the history of medicine at the Institute for the History and Ethics of Medicine. An individual arrangement is necessary for students from other faculties (Dr. rer medic).

It is our aim to supervise doctoral students of the institute comprehensively and individually. Therefore, we ask for your understanding that we have to reject a considerable number of doctoral applications for capacity reasons alone.

In order to integrate the doctorate into the ongoing research work, it is important that the doctoral candidate is connected to the institute’s current research projects or to the research foci of the staff members. Information about the profile of the institute and the main research areas of the staff can be found on our website. The specific topic is usually determined in close consultation with the supervisor and the institute’s management.

We generally prefer publication-based doctoral theses, although individual agreements on the form are possible after consultation. Furthermore, a realistic time and work schedule is important. Depending on the previous knowledge and the abilities of the doctoral candidates, dissertation projects in the field of medical ethics or history of medicine usually require several years and 1–2 semesters time reserved for the thesis only. Attendance at the institute’s research colloquium or doctoral seminar is expected.

If you are interested in a thesis, please contact Prof. Dr. med. Jan Schildmann (jan.schildmann@medizin.uni-halle.de) by e-mail with your CV and letter of motivation. Please send a copy of your email to the institute secretariat (geschichte.ethik@uk-halle.de).

The Fellowship at the Institute for History and Ethics of Medicine Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg is awarded to researchers working in medical ethics and related fields. For more information see here.

Former Fellows:
Reina Ozeki-Hayashi/Japan (2023)
Elena Montaguti/Italien (2023)
Jackson Juma Coy/Tansania (2018)
Jordan Parsons/England (2020)
Dr. Kiarash Aramesh/USA (2022)