Magdeburg pediatrician becomes honorary professor at Magdeburg University Medical Center
Dr. Gunther Gosch brings decades of practical experience and expertise in vaccination and infectious disease medicine to teaching and research.
Vaccinating children protects not only them, but their entire environment. This principle shapes Dr. Gunther Gosch's work as a pediatrician and neonatologist, who has now been appointed honorary professor of pediatrics and adolescent medicine with a focus on vaccination medicine and infectious diseases at the Faculty of Medicine at Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg. He has been actively involved in teaching infection prevention, vaccination education, and the reality of care in pediatrics and adolescent medicine since 2023. By awarding him the honorary professorship, the University of Magdeburg is recognizing his services to the practical training of future doctors and his contribution to scientifically based vaccination medicine in Saxony-Anhalt.
Prof. Dr. Gosch has more than 30 years of experience in clinical and outpatient care. For many years, he has been working on how vaccinations can be better communicated and implemented. His focus is on easily understandable and broadly effective vaccination concepts. For example, a standard influenza vaccination in children using modern nasal vaccines should protect not only the children themselves, but also the people around them. “Germany still has low vaccination rates by international standards, especially among children and adolescents,” explains Prof. Gosch. “Studies show that up to 70 percent of children vaccinated against influenza via the nasal route develop mucosal immunity, which significantly reduces the spread of viruses. My goal is to break down barriers and build trust through knowledge, transparency, and good communication between doctors, parents, and children.”
Photo: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jens Strackeljan, Rector of Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Prof. Dr. Daniela Dieterich congratulate Prof. Dr. Gunther Gosch (center) on his honorary professorship in pediatric and adolescent medicine with a focus on vaccinology and infectious diseases. Photographer: private
In addition to influenza prevention, Prof. Gosch is involved in HPV vaccination to prevent certain cancers and vaccination strategies against bacterial infections such as meningococcus and pneumococcus. He is particularly keen to raise awareness of vaccinations in schools and to train healthcare professionals.
“With Prof. Dr. Gosch, we are gaining a highly committed and experienced pediatrician who will strengthen the connection between university research and outpatient care at Magdeburg University Hospital,” emphasizes Prof. Dr. Daniela Dieterich, Dean of the Magdeburg Faculty of Medicine. Prof. Dr. Gosch will teach courses in outpatient pediatric and adolescent medicine, with a special focus on vaccination, prevention, and infectious diseases. “I want to show students that good medicine doesn't just start in the hospital, but often already in the doctor's office, with preventive care and education,” says Prof. Dr. Gosch. “Those who understand the importance of vaccinations can prevent many diseases before they develop.”
The pediatric practice he founded in 1998, now known as “Kinderärzte am Dom” (Pediatricians at the Cathedral), is already integrated into the student training program at the Medical Faculty of Magdeburg. After serving as managing partner for 27 years, Prof. Dr. Gosch continues to work there today as a specialist in pediatric and adolescent medicine. Students gain practical insights there—from early detection examinations and vaccination counseling to the treatment of acute infections and ultrasound diagnostics—and can directly observe how preventive measures such as vaccinations are implemented in outpatient care.
About
Dr. Gunther Gosch, born in 1960, grew up in Magdeburg and studied medicine at the Medical Academy of Magdeburg. After completing his practical year at the Havelberg District Hospital and receiving his license to practice medicine in 1988, he completed his specialist training in pediatrics and adolescent medicine, focusing on infectious diseases, neonatology/intensive care medicine, and ultrasound diagnostics. He passed his specialist examination in 1993 and received his doctorate with honors (“magna cum laude”) in 1994 with a thesis on meningitis in children. From 1992 to 1998, he headed the neonatology department at the University Women's Hospital and worked there and in the neonatal intensive care unit of the University Children's Hospital in Magdeburg as a senior physician. From 1998, he worked as an outpatient specialist in pediatrics and neonatology in Magdeburg. Since 2016, Dr. Gosch has been advising on vaccination medicine, infection prevention, and practice management with his company MedConMa. He is involved in many committees, including serving on the board of the Saxony-Anhalt Medical Association and the Central Adolescent Medicine. He has received several awards for his commitment, including being named “Magdeburg Citizen of the Year” in 2012 in the field of vaccination medicine and child health.
Background
The basis for the award of an honorary professorship at a university in Saxony-Anhalt is the Higher Education Act of the State of Saxony-Anhalt (HSG LSA). At the University of Magdeburg, the appointment is made by the rector in accordance with the statutes, based on a proposal by the faculty council and following a decision by the senate. The scientific achievements, didactic aptitude, and personal qualifications are evaluated.