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Study abroad - Medicine
Study abroad - Medicine
Medicine
The study of Medicine is an education in the science and art of healing. The aim of medicine is to maintain and restore health through the prevention and treatment of illness. Those who study medicine go on to practice health care as either a physician, doctor, or more specifically, a surgeon or pediatrician, to name a few. The requirements of education courses in medicine differ between countries, and can last anywhere from five to eight years. In some countries entrance to a medical course comes directly after secondary school, whereas in other places an undergraduate degree, generally in science, is required to qualify.
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More about Medicine
The word medicine comes from the Latin phrase ars medicina, which means the art of
healing. Medicine today utilizes health science, medical
technology and biomedical research to treat and diagnose injury and disease. There
are many new technologies being implemented in the field of medicine, and great opportunity exists
for research toward even more technology.
Educational Courses in Medicine
To become a physician, you must study medicine for at least five years in most countries. Entry into education programs is a competitive process and requires the highest marks. To qualify for an education course in medicine, you must have completed upper secondary education including all the sciences.
Education courses in medicine often consist of two types of courses:
- Pre-clinical courses, which take place in a classroom and consist of the study of basic sciences; and
- Clinical courses, which consist of rotating through different wards in teaching hospitals.
Studying General Medicine
The general medicine program is comprised of 330 to 360 European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) which is equivalent to five to six years of fulltime studies. Depending on university and jurisdiction, these may be either undergraduate-entry (most of Europe, India and China) or graduate-entry programs (mainly United States).
During your education course in general medicine, you will learn the fundamentals of anatomy and diseases, how the internal organ systems work, the structure of the cells, and much more. The first few semesters of general medicine education courses often cover basic medical knowledge at the university. The last six semesters involve study through training within the institutional care system mixed with theoretical education at the university hospital.
After completing a medical degree, students can pursue any number of specialties or go into research. Specialties require between three and six years of additional training after completing residency and obtaining a license. Specialization often involves an additional post graduate degree on top of a medical degree, in addition to on the job training at selected hospitals. Specializations in the medical profession include:
- Surgery, with selected category specialistions such as heart or brain surgery;
- Gynecology;
- Pediatrics;
- Geriatrics;
- Psychiatry;
- Anesthesiology;
- General practitioner; and
- Internal medicine.
The Medical Internship
After completing education courses in medicine, and before receiving a full license to practice medicine as a physician, students participate in an internship programme which lasts from one to two years. The medical internship is often completed with an exam which underlies a license to practice general medicine.
In addition to the internship program, some countries (like the United States) also require a Residency, which is a specialty training program whose duration is determined by the specialty.
Qualifying for Medical Practice Abroad
Licenses in medicine are generally not directly transferrable between countries. Rules and regulations differ in various countries, so it is advisable to research what rules apply before commencing study abroad. In some cases, such as within the EU, after completing your degree abroad you can gain a license in your home country if you do your term of residency there. In other cases, it may be necessary to take extra examinations, courses and even an extra year of residency in order to obtain a license in medicine, regardless of your previous experience.
There are a variety of study options available within Medicine:
Careers in Medicine
Within the field of medicine, most physicians work in the public health care systems at hospitals and health centres but in some countries it is common to open a practice. The medical profession is protected by a license issued by the state. For foreign physicians to receive a license in a new country, the country’s bilateral agreements must be followed. In some parts of the world where there is a shortage of those working in medicine, the licensing process is simple while it may take several years in others. The earnings of medical personnel vary widely depending on location.
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