gms | German Medical Science

On October 21^st 2010 Kerstin Müller died, unexpected and suddenly. She was only 41 years old.

Kerstin Müller was a surgeon and in addition she was dedicated to the field of Medical Education. Briefly after graduation, during her residency in Bonn, she started professionalization in this area. She was one of the first MME-students in Bern, Switzerland, and successfully graduated it in 2001 with her master’s thesis “PJ: Schlüsselstellung zwischen Theorie und Alltag – Entwurf eines Curriculums für PJ-Studierende im Tertial Chirurgie”. In 2001 she also received her board certification in surgery. One year later she gave birth to her first son and started to work in Freiburg i. Br. Here she worked not only as a surgeon in the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology at the University Hospital but also in the Deanery of Student Affairs. On the one hand she was involved with undergraduate teaching in her own speciality; on the other hand her duty was to implement the new Medical Licensure Act at the Medical Faculty of Freiburg and to provide the necessary infrastructure. Notably she launched Medical Didactics in Freiburg, which was her special interest. She implemented a specific faculty development program and was a consultant for Medical Education at the faculty. But also beyond Freiburg she enhanced Medical Education. For the Baden-Württemberg Competence Centre for University Teaching in Medicine she was a tutor, trainer and partner, also being involved in conceptual work. This also applies to the German MME program which she helped to shape and where she took part in the first meetings. Kerstin Müller also set standards in Medical Education research, as a workgroup member of the project “Teaching EbM to Medical Students and Residents“, which was funded by third-party donors. After the birth of her second son in 2005 she continually worked as a surgeon and as a medical teacher. Since 2009 she was active in these fields in the academic teaching hospital of the University of Freiburg in Titisee-Neustadt. There she was dedicated to the instruction and the mentoring of last year medical students and to the implementation of a curriculum for this phase of training.

Whatever Kerstin Müller did, she was highly engaged and optimistic. She was inspiring and as a colleague she supported and challenged to achieve the aim, never forgot about the interests of all. On the job she was a highly esteemed colleague, in clinical teaching she was an extraordinary teacher and in Germany’s Medical Education development she had a significant role.

The author declare that she have no competing interests.