General practitioners are central for patients with depression as they usually provide initial diagnosis and treatment. Physical and other psychological diseases conceal symptoms and complicate therapy.
 
In Munich, the DFG-funded Research Training Group POKAL ('PrädiktOren und Klinische Ergebnisse bei depressiven ErkrAnkungen in der hausärztLichen Versorgung') will develop new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches starting October 2021.
 
16 doctoral positions in diagnostics, treatment and application
  • Factors for depression diagnostics in primary care (Prof. Dr. Antonius Schneider, TUM, Institute for General Practice and Health Services Research) „I aim to combine established and innovative factors in the practice.“
  • Biomarkers for depression diagnostics (Prof. Dr. Peter Falkai, LMU Hospital, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy) „Additionally to consultation, lab and physiological markers will render the diagnosis safer.“
  • Instruments for assessing suicide risks (PD Dr. Karoline Lukaschek, LMU Hospital, Institute of General Practice and Family Medicine) „Suicidality is a continuum – not all-or-none.“
  • Psychoeducation as key for improvement (PD Dr. Gabriele Pitschel-Walz, TUM, Clinic and Polyclinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy) „I want to educate patients to become experts for their disease.“
  • Monitoring to assure treatment effects (Prof. Dr. Jochen Gensichen, POKAL Speaker, LMU Hospital, Institute of General Practice and Family Medicine) „As physician, I want to be at my patient’s side.“ 
  • Medication regulation for patients with depression and multimorbidity (Prof. Dr. Tobias Dreischulte, LMU Hospital, Institute of General Practice and Family Medicine) „Medication for multiple diseases – less is more?“
  • Use of guidelines in primary care (Prof. Dr. Peter Henningsen, TUM, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy) „The more patients are taken care of according to guidelines, the more people get better.“
  • Digital data instruments for patients with depression (Prof. Dr. Helmut Krcmar, TUM, Chair for Information Systems) „The basis for advice and support are one’s personal data.“
  • Which factors determine the primary care of patients with depression? (PD Dr. Caroline Jung-Sievers, LMU, Chair of Public Health and Health Services Research) „The context is more important than one may think.“

POKAL bundles the cutting edge research of the excellence universities Ludwigs-Maximilians-University (LMU), the Technical University Munich (TUM) and their respective clinics at one location to a new German centre for mental health.

POKAL enables young researchers from medicine, psychology, pharmacy, health, care and computer science to acquire a doctoral degree in the course of three years within a structured programme.

If you want to contribute to enabling general practitioners to better recognize and treat patients with depression together with cutting edge researchers and boost your career, apply to one of the above-mentioned topics with the following documents:

  • CV
  • Certificate of your highest qualification (Bachelor/Master/Staatsexamen or equivalent), if applicable
  • Transcripts of Records
  • Proof of language skills (German required) 
  • Job references etc.
  • Motivation letter
  • Two scientists as reference.

Application Deadline: 15th of June 2021.

Read more: https://pokal-kolleg.de/

Published on 16 May 2021.