Completed Dissertations Human Medicine (PhD/Dr. med)

PhD Thesis: Bosshard Michel (2025). 
Improving medical students’ stress response and communication skills performance through stress arousal reappraisal and preparatory worked example-based learning when breaking bad news to simulated patients
Thesis Advisor: Prof. Berendonk Christoph, MME, IML, University of Bern
Co-Referee: Prof. Elfering Achim, Institute of Psychology, Department of Work and Organizational Psychology, University of Bern

PhD Thesis: PD Dr. med. Hari Roman, MME (2025).
Understanding and Facilitating Near-Peer-Teaching in Ultrasound Education
Supervisors: Prof. Dolmans Diana, University of Masstricht, Prof. Huwendiek Sören, MME, IML, University of Bern
Co-Supervisor: Prof. Stalmeijer Renee, University of Maastricht (Netherlands)

Medical Dissertation: Dr. med. Veress, Réka, MME (2025).
«moving FORWARD together»: A Feedback and Coaching Model for Swiss General Practitioners Supporting Residents’ Continued Professional Development
Thesis Advisor: Prof. Guttormsen Sissel, IML, University of Bern

PhD Projects and PhD Candidates in progress in 2025

Dr. Gogollari Artemisia 
Implementing effective digital learning and teaching in higher education beyond the Covid-19 pandemic
Thesis Advisor: Prof. Guttormsen Sissel, IML, University of Bern
Co-Referee: Prof. Schauber Stefan, University of Oslo (Norway)

De la Rosa Melanie
What makes post-graduate medical education programs (CME) at the University-level attractive?
Thesis Advisor: Prof. Guttormsen Sissel, IML, University of Bern
Co-Referee: Prof. Tekian Ara, PhD, MHPE, University of Illinois, Chicago (USA)

Smith, Alexander
Exploring psychobiographical perceptions from historical experts on the psychopathology of Cold War leaders
Thesis Advisor: Prof. Liebrenz Michael, Department of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Bern,
Co-Referee: Prof. Guttormsen Sissel, IML, University of Bern

Weber Lucia 
Evidence-Based Curriculum Development: Advancing Medical Education through Applied Research
Thesis Advisor: Prof. Guttormsen Sissel, IML, University of Bern
Co-Thesis Advisor: Prof. Schär Dominik, University of Zürich, UZH
Co-Referee: Prof. Sondén Anders, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm Sweden

Completed Master Theses

Master med.

Aebischer, Mia (2025).
Erstellen von kurzen klinisch-pathologischen Fallbeispielen im Bereich der Kardiovaskuläre Pathologie
Supervisors: PD Dr. Yara Sarah Banz Wälti, Bereichsleitung Lehre, DLF Insel Gruppe, Vertreterin Mittelbau
Co-Advisor: Dr. Lüthi Nick, MME, IML, Universität Bern

Barrer, Fabienne Cécile (2025).
Development of digital case-based mini clinical-pathological cases in hepatopathologie in Morphomed
Supervisors: PD Dr. Yara Sarah Banz Wälti, Bereichsleitung Lehre, DLF Insel Gruppe, Vertreterin Mittelbau
Co-Advisor: Dr. Lüthi Nick, MME, IML, Universität Bern

Däpp, Dario Janic (2025).
Erstellung von interaktiven klinisch-pathologischen Quizfällen im Morphomed
Supervisor: PD Dr. et phil. nat. Banz Yara, Institut für Gewebemedizin und Pathologie, Universität Bern
Co-Advisor: Dr. Lüthi Nick, MME, IML, Universität Bern

Jenni, Ana Saskia (2025).
Aufbau einer digitalen Sammlung aus klinisch-pathologischen Fällen der Dermatopathologie im Morphomed
Supervisor: PD Dr. et phil. nat. Banz Yara, Institut für Gewebemedizin und Pathologie, Universität Bern
Co-Advisor: Dr. Lüthi Nick, MME, IML, Universität Bern

Lampert, Fabienne (2025).
Videobasierter interaktiver Diagnosekurs (ViD) Pathologien am Bewegungsapparat
Supervisor: PD Dr. Sebastian F. Bigdon, Universitätsklinik für Orthopädische Chirurgie und Traumatologie, Inselspital Bern
Co-Advisor: Dr. Lüthi Nick, MME, IML, Universität Bern

Lechner, Jessica (2025).
Mini-Cases, Maxi-Learning: Interaktive klinisch-pathologische Fälle in MorphoMed
Supervisor: PD Dr. et phil. nat. Banz Yara, Institut für Gewebemedizin und Pathologie, Universität Bern
Co-Advisor: Dr. Lüthi Nick, MME, IML, Universität Bern

Van der Zwet, Catherine Franciska (2025).
Aufbau digitaler Fall-basierter mini-klinisch-pathologischer Fälle in der endokrinologischen Pathologie im MorphoMed
Supervisor: PD Dr. et phil. nat. Banz Yara, Institut für Gewebemedizin und Pathologie, Universität Bern
Co-Advisor: Dr. Lüthi Nick, MME, IML, Universität Bern

Master MAS MME

Dr. med. Anand, Gurpreet (2025), MME
Walking in Patients’ Shoes: Physicians’ Two-Week Experience with a Wearable Glucose Sensor and Its Perceived Impact on Patient Care
Supervisor: Prof. Huwendiek Sören, MME, IML, University of Bern

Dr. med. Bosshard, Nicole (2025), MME
Clinical skills training for Advanced Practice Nurses (APN): The effect of video-based formative peer feedback (vb-FPF) on student’s self efficacy and feedback-seeking behaviour
Supervisors: Prof. Guttormsen Sissel & Dr. Schmitz Felix, IML, University of Bern

Dr. med. Schnyder, Sara (2025), MME
How Blended Learning on Clinical Reasoning Skills Affects Postgraduate Education and Clinical Practice in a Pediatric Emergency Department: A Case Study
Supervisor: Prof. Huwendiek Sören, MME, IML, University of Bern

The IML plays an active role in the development and delivery of educational activities in health professions, as well as in postgraduate medical education. Our staff supports curriculum design and implementation in close collaboration with the respective cooperation partners. In addition, the IML contributes to faculty development and is responsible for the simulated patient (SP) program, including the training of standardized/simulated patients (SPs) and the delivery of communication trainings.

Pre-Graduate level University of Bern

Clinical Skills

• Clinical Skills Course (especially Cardiovascular and Pediatric), Medicine 3rd Year
• Formative OSCEs, Medicine 1st, 3rd & 6th Year, Pharmacy 5th Year
• Phlebotomy Course, Medicine 1st Year
• Clinical Skills Course, Pharmacy 5th Year

Communication Skills

• Communication Skills Training, Medicine 4th & 6th Year, Pharmacy 5th Year
• Compassion Training, Medicine 6th Year
• Lecture on Interventions to Promote Health, Pharmacy 4th Year
• Interprofessional Seminar on Professional Confidentiality (Medicine, Nursing, Nutrition and Dietetics, Midwifery, Physiotherapy), 1st Year
• Taking a History and Providing Feedback, Medicine 1st Year

PBL (Problem-Based-Learning)

• Faculty Development in Providing Feedback
• Moderating PBL Sessions
• Support PBL Tutoring Trainings («Visualisierungen / Feedback in Gruppen»)
  
  

E-learning platforms

• ...for Anatomy, Radiology, Histology
  → Medsurf 
• ... for Communication Training
  → DocCom.Deutsch
• ...for Precision Medicine
  → Frontliners training program / Story 
• ...for Clinical Skills Training
  → CST-Videos «Bern36»: An extensive collection of videos on clinical examination techniques
• Supporting the Development of Virtual Patients for Learning the Management of Emergency Patients (both Adult and Pediatric) at the Faculty of Medicine Bern

Postgraduate level

MAS Medical Education Program, Courses lead by IML in 2025

• Master Thesis Workshop (Modul 8, Huwendiek Sören)
• Thesis Coaching (Module Modul 11, Huwendiek Sören)

CAS

• «CAS Interprofessionelle Spezialisierte Palliative Care» (CAS PallCare UniBE),
  in collaboration with Eychmüller Steffen, Felber Sibylle (Universitäres Zentrum für Palliative Care, Inselspital Bern)
  Lecturers for the modules 3.6. and 3.8: Schnabel Kai, Brem Beate (IML)
  Program Director: Guttormsen Sissel (IML)
  
  

Other Teaching and Coordination Activities

• Interprofessional Ward Rounds Teaching at the «Berner Bildungszentrum Pflege»: Bauer Daniel, Schnabel Kai
• Supporting the Swiss National Science Foundation with online learning modules
  
  

Most exams are conducted using the Examic® Assessment Suite, which is developed at IML: Measured® for MC (written) exams and Valuatic for OSCEs (practical exams). Our partner’s exams are also managed via Examic 

Federal Licensing Exams (FLEs)
- Clinical knowledge: We offer services for coordination, support and analysis at the national level for Federal Licensing Exams in Switzerland: FLE Human Medicine with 7 sites (BE, BS, FR, GE, LS, USI, ZH), Veterinary Medicine with 2 sites (BE, ZH), Dentistry with 4 sites (BE, BS, GE, ZH) and Pharmacy with 4 sites (BE, BS, GE, ZH) and Chiropractic Medicine (ZH).
- Clinical skills: We provide services for the case development for the practical exams and the subsequent analysis. The IML team offers rater training as well as the training and quality control of standardized/simulated patients (SPs). For the FLE Human Medicine, we coordinate and oversee SP role portrayal, and supply moulages and training videos to ensure a high level of standardization.

Exams at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Bern

• Supporting MC Exams (electronic written exams) for the Faculty of Medicine (Human Medicine Years 1 − 5, Dentistry, Master Pharmacy, Biomedical Engineering, Biomedical Sciences), including coordination and/or analysis
• Supporting the Oral Exams for the Faculty of Medicine (Year 2), including coordination and analysis
• OSCE: Human Medicine 3rd & 5th Year, Pharmacy 5th Year, including faculty training for examiners and the involvement of standardized/simulated patients 

Exam support for other faculties and third parties

• Supporting some electronic and/or pen-and-paper-based written exams, including coordination and/or analysis, in Human Medicine at the Universities of Basel, Lausanne, Lugano (USI), Neuchâtel and Zurich; in Dentistry at the Universities of Basel and Zurich; and in Veterinary Medicine at the University of Zurich; various Swiss and European medical specialist exams, as well as others. In total we are involved in approximately 200 single-subject exams.
• OSCEs in Human Medicine: Fribourg, Lausanne, Lugano (USI) and Zurich