Students at Witten/Herdecke University test life as country doctors

24 students from Witten/Herdecke University (UW/H) will begin their internship in the countryside on Monday (26 February 2024): for five days, they will gain a realistic insight into life as a rural doctor. Practices from Lippstadt, Olpe, the Märkischer Kreis, the Hochsauerlandkreis and the Siegerland are once again taking part this year.

The aim of the LOCALHERO project is to improve the supply situation in rural areas in the long term. This is why medical students are given the opportunity to live and work in the countryside right from the start of their studies.

The density of care in rural areas is falling

Although the total number of doctors today is higher than ever before, very few of them are drawn to rural areas. Dr Lucas Bisplinghoff is himself a GP in private practice and is in charge of the project at the Institute of General Practice at the UW/H. He is delighted that it is now in its fifth year:

"The students are enthusiastic about the week every time and only report good things from the practice as well as from the circles. The only problem we are currently facing is the continued funding of the project beyond 2024."

It is currently funded by the Federal Ministry of Health; this funding ends this year, meaning that the districts will be responsible for continuing the project independently from 2025.

Not only the students benefit from LOCALHERO

In addition to the practical experience that the students gain, the practices and patients also benefit from LOCALHERO: many practices in rural areas have been recruited as teaching practices so that the doctors there are supported by the students - even beyond the project period. In addition, the teaching physicians can take advantage of free continuing education programmes at the UW/H. For local patients, the project increases the chance that they will be able to access GP care in their neighbourhood in the future.

In addition to Witten/Herdecke University, the University of Duisburg-Essen, Ruhr University Bochum and Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf are also part of the project.

Further information: The acronym of the LOCALHERO research project stands for: "LOngitudinal Curriculum ALl General Medicine to Strengthen General Practitioner Care in Rural RegiOns".