[Friedrich Theodor von Frerichs - pioneer of internal medicine]

Friedrich Theodor von Frerichs (1819-1885) was born in the rural northern German region of East Frisia and rose to fame as one of the most influential physicians and medical scientists in 19^th-century Europe. His work paved the way for the 19^th-century transition of medicine from a practice largely based on doctrines and traditions to an empirical science. As an internist, he was a pioneer in the fields of hepatology, gastroenterology, nephrology, and diabetology. His approach to academia and teaching set an example for medical schools around the world. In 1882, he founded the German Society of Internal Medicine and the Congress of Internal Medicine, the 132^nd edition of which will take place in its inaugural city of Wiesbaden in 2026.