Walter Siegenthaler Society for Advances in Internal Medicine
The Walter Siegenthaler Society for Advances in Internal Medicine is an association to promote research in the field of internal medicine and its border areas.
It was founded in 1963 as a society for progress in the field of internal medicine by Ludwig Heilmeyer (sometimes also called the Ludwig Heilmeyer Society after the founder). From 1992 it was called the Society for Advances in Internal Medicine and since 2011 it has been named Walter Siegenthaler and is a non-profit organization.
The association awards the Walter Siegenthaler Gold Medal for leading scientists in the field of internal medicine in German-speaking countries and a silver medal for young scientists (Walter Siegenthaler Prize). The latter is awarded every two years and is endowed with 5000 euros for the first prize. There is also a medal for translational medicine . Like the society, the medal was named after Ludwig Heilmeyer.
Presidents according to Heilmeyer were from 1969 to 1979 Hans Erhard Bock , 1979 to 1990 Rudolf Gross , 1990 to 2004 Walter Siegenthaler, 2004 to 2010 Jürgen Meyer and from 2010 Erland Erdmann . The society organizes regular symposia.
There are currently 532 members. The prerequisite for membership is the habilitation, scientific recognition and a leading life position at universities or clinics and is made by resolution of the Presidium on the proposal of two sponsors.