20 Years of Health Education: An anniversary program featuring expert lectures and learning stations begins on October 27, 2026.
Move or rest—which is better when you’re in pain? Answers to this question will be provided at the start of the fall program. Image source: Pexels
20 Years of health education for all: Starting October 27, 2026, the Patient University at Hannover Medical School (MHH) will once again be sharing medical knowledge with interested participants. In the lecture series “Modern Medicine—Understanding and Applying It,” experts will explore topics such as exercise for pain management, cardiac arrhythmias, ADHD, respiratory diseases, the long-term effects of infectious diseases, and much more. Naturopathy and nutrition are also on the program for this anniversary year.
The Patient University is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. “Since its founding in 2006, the MHH Patient University has pursued a single goal: to impart up-to-date scientific knowledge about health and disease and thereby promote people’s health literacy,” says Prof. Dr. Marie-Luise Dierks, director of the Patient University.
Modern medicine explained simply
- On October 27, 2026, the MHH Presidium will kick off the anniversary series. Following that, the first specialized lecture will address the question: “Exercise despite pain - should you take it easy?”
- On November 3, 2026, atrial fibrillation will be the focus of three lectures on the topic “Heart out of rhythm”: A team from the Clinical Department of Cardiology and Angiology will explain how this cardiac arrhythmia can be recognized and treated.
- On November 5, 2026, the series “Artistic figures: life, work, and illness” will focus on the American writer John Updike and his skin condition.
- On November 10, 2026, the focus will be on ADHD and the question of how its symptoms can be distinguished from the consequences of traumatic experiences and prolonged stress.
- On November 17, 2026, the focus will be on “Breathing at the intersection of health and illness.”
- On November 24, 2026, the program will explain how sudden confusion following surgery - known as postoperative delirium - develops and can be treated. It will also address prevention strategies.
- On December 1, 2026, the focus will be on the long-term effects of infectious diseases: post-COVID and post-acute infection syndromes will be explained in an accessible way.
- On December 8, 2026, the focus will be on the foot as the foundation of our mobility.
- The series concludes with a festive evening on December 15, 2026, featuring the lecture “Clinical naturopathy and nutrition - experiences and developments.”
Discussion Sessions and Learning Stations
All Patient University events take place at 6:00 p.m. in Lecture Hall F, Building J1, on the MHH campus. The lectures are also available online via YouTube. Following the expert lectures, there will be an opportunity for discussion. At hands-on learning stations, participants can exchange ideas with the experts, ask questions, observe, try things out, and deepen their knowledge.
Participation is free and no registration is required.
The program can be viewed at www.patienten-universitaet.de.
Text: Administrative Unit for Communications