STUDY STRUCTURE

Study program Medicine

Overview of the study contents

Course of studies

The study program medicine has a standard period of study of six years. The preclinical part of the study covers the first two years, while the clinical part lasts a total of four years. Each academic year includes 28 weeks of teaching (14 per semester). The course begins annually in the winter semester.

The lectures and seminars of the pre-clinical phase (years 1 and 2) are taught in English at the university campus in Hamburg.

The clinical phase (3rd to the 6th year) is completed alternately on campus in Hamburg and in leading German UMCH teaching hospitals. The preparatory theoretical instruction on the campus in Hamburg for the practical periods in the hospitals takes place in English. During the clinical internships in the UMCH teaching hospitals, the language of instruction is German/English.

Alternatively, students can also complete the clinical part of their studies (3rd to the 6th year of study) in Targu Mures. In this case, both the theoretical courses and bedside teaching are held completely in English.

Preclinical study section (years 1 and 2)

The first two years of study are called preclinical. This part of the study prepares the students for the clinical part of the study program and mainly consists of lectures and seminars.

The main focus of the pre-clinical study period is on basic and complementary subjects, which are the foundation of the following academic years. The focus of years 1 and 2 is therefore primarily on teaching the biochemical, biophysical, molecular and cell biological basis of medicine.

A second focus in the pre-clinical part of the study program is on instructing students in the anatomical and physiological structures of the human body.

Medical sociology and psychology, doctor-patient communication, or medical terminology knowledge are also essential topics.

In this study period, students gain an initial insight into the medical profession and acquire all the necessary medical and scientific knowledge for the clinical part of their studies. In contrast to state-run German universities, the preclinical phase at UMCH does not end with a preliminary (medical) examination.

Clinical study section (years 3 to 6)

The clinical study period extends from the third to the sixth academic year. The main focus here lies on the various diseases of the human body.

At UMCH, students gain theoretical knowledge of clinical medicine in time frames of six to ten weeks on campus, which is then deepened during clinical internships in UMCH teaching hospitals. The clinical internships take place in small groups of a maximum of ten people. This provides the students with an impression of the direct work with the patients and allows them to get to know the various medical specialties.

Central subjects include pathology, immunology, pharmacology, neurology, ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology, gynecology, urology, and pneumology.

In addition, the focus of this section of the study is also on some interdisciplinary subjects which are not clearly assigned to a particular field, but rather relate to the various clinical disciplines, like emergency medicine or an introduction to medical imaging procedures (computer tomography, sonography, X-rays, etc.).

The clinical part of the study – and thus the study program itself – is completed with a thesis and a final written medical examination.

1. Academic year

The first year of study serves as an introduction to medical basics. In the first year of study, students are taught elementary knowledge about the human body. The main subjects are anatomy, physiology, cell and molecular biology and biochemistry. The students should at an early stage learn to apply their knowledge from the pre-clinical subjects in the context of clinical questions.

2. Academic year

In the second year, students study genetics and histology, among other topics, but also deal with subjects such as first aid or doctor-patient communication.

3. Academic year

The following year will focus on pharmacology, medical and surgical semiology, pathology, bacteriology, immunology and scientific research methods.

4. Academic year

Internal and emergency medicine, endocrinology, urology, orthopedics, traumatology, general and pediatric surgery are the central subjects of the fourth year of study.

5. Academic year

The range of courses in the fifth year includes pediatrics, ophthalmology, pneumology, neurology, aesthetic and reconstructive surgery, oncology and rheumatology.

6. Academic year

Before completing their studies, students spend the last year of their studies dealing with infectious diseases, epidemiology, obstetrics and gynecology as well as forensic medicine.