New! medicine studies in English in Italy

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alex9913

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Hi all,
There have been some interesting developments with the Italian higher education lately, and specifically with the Medicine schools.

There are 3 public Universities that now offer medical degree studies completely in English! They are in Pavia, Milan and Rome. The programs are open to European and foreign students as well. To get admitted one needs to pass a mutliple choice exam in English (called IMAT - International Medical Admission Test).

The studies are completely in English on a high European level and with international medicine books (like gray's anatomy, harrison etc) yet with very moderate Italian tuition fees (300-3800 euro/year) for pubic Universities.
I am a foreign student of one of this programs in Pavia (currently in 3rd year) and I'm happy to spead the word about them.

If you want to get more info about the studies, the admissions etc, you can take a look at this student website:
http://pavia.medschool.it - English Medical schools in Italy
or you can ask me here (just stick to the post and not PM so that others could see and not ask me the same questions repeatedly)

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What is the name of the medical school in Rome that is taught in English?

Hi all,
There have been some interesting developments with the Italian higher education lately, and specifically with the Medicine schools.

There are 3 public Universities that now offer medical degree studies completely in English! They are in Pavia, Milan and Rome. The programs are open to European and foreign students as well. To get admitted one needs to pass a mutliple choice exam in English (called IMAT - International Medical Admission Test).

The studies are completely in English on a high European level and with international medicine books (like gray's anatomy, harrison etc) yet with very moderate Italian tuition fees (300-3800 euro/year) for pubic Universities.
I am a foreign student of one of this programs in Pavia (currently in 3rd year) and I'm happy to spead the word about them.

If you want to get more info about the studies, the admissions etc, you can take a look at this student website:
http://pavia.medschool.it - English Medical schools in Italy
or you can ask me here (just stick to the post and not PM so that others could see and not ask me the same questions repeatedly)
 
About Rome I have really limited info. The University is supposed to be the La Sapienza but I couldnt find the number of reserved places or any reference of the program.
You should be aware that Rome is a VERY expensive city to live in, and the climate there doesn't make things better. I'd suggest to stick to north Italy, near the Alps and not too far from the sea.
 
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Hi i'm a french student it is possible to get ure email in order to ask you some question about the programm , the acceptance test...
Thank u
 
Hi Alex.
I'll be glad to help you out with your questions, but to save some time to both of us, maybe you could start by reading what I've written about the program and the admission/acceptance test here first:
http://pavia.medschool.it/university
http://pavia.medschool.it/admissions/

If you will have any further questions I'd suggest we discuss them here in the forum to save repetition with others.
 
I want to ask something about cardiology residency in rome since i m a non-EU 5th yr med student in ukraine.. i will graduate next yr june

1. For cardiology, how long is the residency?
2. for cardiology, which university or hospital that I should apply for medical residency?
3. what are the requirements? as i am ready to fulfill any
4. is it easy to get into the system?
4. do i get paid in the course of doing my residency?
5.what are my chances as a medical student(graduate) from ukraine.



kindly help guys..
 
Hi collinsaboloje

Are you already fixed on Rome for you specialty? There are many other centers, like Milan and actually in Pavia they are considered to be very good in Cardiology.
Unfortunately I can tell you that it is a tough specialty to get into. For an Italian to get admitted he needs to show his graduation average mark (which has to be remarkable) as well as marks in specific exams from his studies (including the Cardiology course) then they all sit a special exam and the best are chosen. I am telling you how things work in general because I'm not from Rome. As far as I know the specialty is 4 years long.
One more problem you might have is the stay/work permit. The pay is around 1000 euro/month or so which is not high but you can work extra night shifts with on-house calls to make it better.

Hope it was helpfull
 
Hi Everybody !

I got some questions to candidates who are going to pass IMAT exam.
What books are you learning from ? Which ones are the best according to you ?
it's said that IMAT is similar to BMAT, at least the part of biology and other sciences.What do you think ? is it a good idea to study biology from BMAT books ?
 
Important news for 2013 candidates for Medicine in Italy!
The admission exam (IMAT) was anticipated to April 15!!

If you need more details and books take a look here: http://www.medschool.it/imat
 
Thank you Alex for your awesome post!

Can you give those of us unfamiliar with the Italian Medical School system a quick explanation? For example, in the USA we have to do 4 years of undergraduate premedical courses, take MCAT, go to medical school for 4 years, then internship, residency, fellowship, and finally we can practice. What is the system like in Italy? What is a typical course load of school work for medical school like? (In USA first 2 yrs of medical school is purely book-based and exams where the last 2 years are clinical rotations).

Also for a personal question, do they care if you are an older student? I am 35 and in the USA it is difficult for me to be considered for this profession due to my age. Will I run across similar prejudice in Italy?

Thanks!
 
Thank you Alex for your awesome post!

Can you give those of us unfamiliar with the Italian Medical School system a quick explanation? For example, in the USA we have to do 4 years of undergraduate premedical courses, take MCAT, go to medical school for 4 years, then internship, residency, fellowship, and finally we can practice. What is the system like in Italy? What is a typical course load of school work for medical school like? (In USA first 2 yrs of medical school is purely book-based and exams where the last 2 years are clinical rotations).

Also for a personal question, do they care if you are an older student? I am 35 and in the USA it is difficult for me to be considered for this profession due to my age. Will I run across similar prejudice in Italy?

Thanks!

Sure. It's a 6 year program (2 pre-clinical + 4 clinical) which doesn't require premed courses, but if you happen to have pre-med then a special commission can approve you to jump to more advanced years (yet the admission procedure is the same in any case). The studies are more book oriented at the beginning but from 3rd/4th year there are lots of clinics. Anyway we use the same books that are used in UK/USA (like Harrison, Grey's anatomy, Murray, Leningers etc)

The big advantage is that the program is really inexpensive (500-3800 euro/year!) because Italian higher education is subsided by the government even for foreigners, and tuition fees are calculated based on family income (who said socialism sucks? :) )

After those 6 years you can already start to work and to earn money as a on-call doctor in Italy or begin your specialty anywhere in the European Union/Italy - which is payed, so you earn money as well.

The only test that is needed for admission is the IMAT test. All the other test/marks and achievements are not considered.

In Italy there is no problem at all with age. I know one guy that came with his wife, dog and little child from a foreign country and he's now in his first year.

Our English program is also very "export" oriented. Tomorrow we have an IFOM exam (by NBME) that is payed by the school which is a positive step towards the USMLE for who will be planning to take it later in his career. My Uni is also the first to participate in an exchange program run by AAMC which allows exchange period in a USA medical school or in other countries.

Actually this year we have several guys from UK and one from USA so they can help with the procedure if you run into trouble with the embassy for the Visa.

Have a look at this website.. there is really a lot of info : http://pavia.medschool.it

Hope I could help
 
Hi everyone..
I have completed my graduation that is M.B.B.S from Pakistan and now i am a house officer.

I want to get residency in General Surgery in Italy in English language...Can any one inform me how could i apply to any italian hospital for getting residancy in Surgery.. Do i need to pass IMAT for it ??? Please anyone help me with the information
 
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Hi everyone..
I have completed my graduation that is M.B.B.S from Pakistan and now i am a house officer.

I want to get residency in General Surgery in Italy in English language...Can any one inform me how could i apply to any italian hospital for getting residancy in Surgery.. Do i need to pass IMAT for it ??? Please anyone help me with the information
Hi, sorry but you will need to apply to the hospital directly. If your graduation is not recognized in EU, you will probably need to take additional steps to get your medical license here first.

Sorry but I can't help you much with this, as I'm a 4th year student myself.
 
Hi all,
There have been some interesting developments with the Italian higher education lately, and specifically with the Medicine schools.

There are 3 public Universities that now offer medical degree studies completely in English! They are in Pavia, Milan and Rome. The programs are open to European and foreign students as well. To get admitted one needs to pass a mutliple choice exam in English (called IMAT - International Medical Admission Test).

The studies are completely in English on a high European level and with international medicine books (like gray's anatomy, harrison etc) yet with very moderate Italian tuition fees (300-3800 euro/year) for pubic Universities.
I am a foreign student of one of this programs in Pavia (currently in 3rd year) and I'm happy to spead the word about them.

If you want to get more info about the studies, the admissions etc, you can take a look at this student website:
http://pavia.medschool.it - English Medical schools in Italy
or you can ask me here (just stick to the post and not PM so that others could see and not ask me the same questions repeatedly)
hey. what are the number of seats for non EU students in Pavia and Milan? and also do they provide on campus housing? if No then which city will be cheaper to live in? and do you see any Indian students there?
 
hey. what are the number of seats for non EU students in Pavia and Milan? and also do they provide on campus housing? if No then which city will be cheaper to live in? and do you see any Indian students there?

Hi the exact number varies but we're talking about 15-20 places for non-EU. My impression from previous years is that Milan generally has less reserved places and more candidates. In Pavia we have more than 5 dorms you can live in but also renting a room in a shared apartment is not a bad option. There is no comparison in costs of living - Milan is way more expensive to live in than Pavia.

I didn't see any Indian student yet, but every year we have a wider array of international students. currently we have German, British, Irish, American, Israeli and other students.
 
Hi all,
There have been some interesting developments with the Italian higher education lately, and specifically with the Medicine schools.

There are 3 public Universities that now offer medical degree studies completely in English! They are in Pavia, Milan and Rome. The programs are open to European and foreign students as well. To get admitted one needs to pass a mutliple choice exam in English (called IMAT - International Medical Admission Test).

The studies are completely in English on a high European level and with international medicine books (like gray's anatomy, harrison etc) yet with very moderate Italian tuition fees (300-3800 euro/year) for pubic Universities.
I am a foreign student of one of this programs in Pavia (currently in 3rd year) and I'm happy to spead the word about them.

If you want to get more info about the studies, the admissions etc, you can take a look at this student website:
http://pavia.medschool.it - English Medical schools in Italy
or you can ask me here (just stick to the post and not PM so that others could see and not ask me the same questions repeatedly)


I would like to know about university of milan's medical program in english. I am non-eu student who has recently completed a levels in biology, physics, math, chemistry and as well as received American high school diploma. Do i have to translate and submit all my diplomas before i sit in the medical entrance test or do i have to submit my diplomas once i have received an offer from the university? Also is this program recognised in USA as I am planning to give USMLE and do my training from there? Is it easy to study and live in milan as compared to living in england?
 
I am an Italian American and hold dual citizenship ( I live and go to school in american, english is my first language but I also speek Italian and hold an italian passport). I was planning on going to a US medical school but is the prices are really 300euro a semester this might be a better option. I don't know if I would want to practice in Italy but it would be something I would consider since I still have a lot of family there. Would/Should I apply as an italian or an international student? Is it easier to get accepted as an Italian or international student? I would be MUCH more comfortable doing my coarse work in english.
 
Not saying it's easy but,

Is it as simple as scoring really well in the IMAT exam to gain a place in Pavia for Medicine and Surgery?

Thanks for any help!
 
Sorry for the late reply,
The course in Milan is a good one but the overall experience has several drawbacks in respect to Pavia, which is 20 minutes away from it by train.

The Medical faculty is actually located outside milan in an area called "Ronzano" which is very poorly connected, only a special shuttle bus service connects the university hospital (Humanitas) to the city. The area itself is such that there is no real possibility to live in the vicinity because it's really the outskirts of the city. The only option in Mialn is therefore to rent an appartment and drive back and forward for at least an hour in each direction every day. The rent in Milan is also double the price, so expect to pay around 500+ euro for a room in a shared flat in a decent location.

The course itself is a bit different from the one in Pavia, their disadvatage is that exams are grouped in blocks and failing one exam in the block will automatically cancel all the marks of other exams in the same block even if you aced them, and you'll need to retake them all which doesnt make much sense (and doesnt work so in Pavia), but the upside is that the Facilities are new and shiny.

I would say that if the economic aspect doesnt bother you much, you can check out Milan which is not a bad option imho but otherwise it's better to stick to the smaller "satellite" cities like Pavia and benefit all the ups of Milan without paying the cost.
 
I am an Italian American and hold dual citizenship ( I live and go to school in american, english is my first language but I also speek Italian and hold an italian passport). I was planning on going to a US medical school but is the prices are really 300euro a semester this might be a better option. I don't know if I would want to practice in Italy but it would be something I would consider since I still have a lot of family there. Would/Should I apply as an italian or an international student? Is it easier to get accepted as an Italian or international student? I would be MUCH more comfortable doing my coarse work in english.

I don't know if you have the legal option to choose how to apply but the Italian candidates are much more numerous then non-EU, although the number of spots is similar. So it would be much easier to apply as non-EU in my opinion
 
Not saying it's easy but,

Is it as simple as scoring really well in the IMAT exam to gain a place in Pavia for Medicine and Surgery?

Thanks for any help!

Yes. Pass the IMAT well enough and you're in
 
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I have a couple of questions in regards to the Italian Medical School Programs in English.

1. Is there a possibility of a transfer to the Italian program after studying for the first year in English? Does one have to take the admission test again or at least take an Italian compentency oral exam?

2. Are there any such programs that are recognized by US states and what are they? CA does not recognize any. Are your programs becoming CA recognized any time soon?

3. Are the exams during medical school both oral and written as I think they are in the Italian program?

Thanks for any replies.
 
I’m a non-Eu student living abroad. I wanna apply for medicine taught in Italian. I would like to know between Milan, Brescia, Catanzaro, Florence, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart and Pavia which one do you suggest?
Which one costs less and offer the scholarship?
And which course is more efficient for admission test? Biology or math? I’m good at math but I have never studied biology.
This year is my last chance to apply. In general u recommend which university that guaranties my success?

Thanks for any help.
 
hello , how are you ? i hope you are good , realy i need your help

in, how i could join Pavia medicine programm ( in english ) ?

its happen that i have a bs degree in chemical engineering , could this help me to skip some years enrolling in ?

thank you
 
hello , how are you ? i hope you are good , realy i need your help

in, how i could join Pavia medicine programm ( in english ) ?

its happen that i have a bs degree in chemical engineering , could this help me to skip some years enrolling in ?

thank you

Hi! I was enrolled in med school in Padova for 2 years, and now I have just beena dmitted to a DO program in the U.S. I think I can help you with some of the questions you have about the italian system!
I know that the admission test for non-italian students in Pavia is around april. EU students are preferred. THere are some seats for non-EU students but it is much more competitive. Italian medical school does not require any prerequisite, neither a bachelor. Howeve, you could try to skip some exam like chemistry. Physics you'll most likely take a smaller exam (bio-physics) but you still need to take it.
Exams are multiple choices plus oral.
Professors are Italians but they all speak english.
THis is true for Pavia. I don't know anything about San Raffaele.
If you take the test in Italian is the first week of september every year.
The admission test is once a year. If you fail it, you can take it the year after.
There are some prep course of 2 weeks to 4 weeks in italian. I doubt there is anything in english!

I hope this helps and let me know if I can help in any way! I know how stresful it is to apply to med school in a different country
 
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If you should be interested in the 6-years course in Medicine and Surgery in Rome (Italy), the students of the International Medical School of "La Sapienza" (University of Rome) have a dedicated forum: http://ims-sapienza.com

You will find useful links and info, and you may also ask directly the enrolled students about the course itself or the admission procedure. Almost all the students and a few professors are registered.

I hope you will find the link useful!
Bye.
 
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Hey, I'm actually really interested in this program. I just have a few questions.

1. Is this program accredited?
2. Would a degree in this program grand me an MD or a DO or something similar?
3. Would I be able to practice medicine throughout Europe with this degree or only in Italy?
4. My fiancee is an Italian citizen and I will soon be an Italian citizen as well. What kind of applicant will I be considered?
5. Are there any forms of financial aid available?

thanks a bunch for your guys!
 
Hi all,
There have been some interesting developments with the Italian higher education lately, and specifically with the Medicine schools.

There are 3 public Universities that now offer medical degree studies completely in English! They are in Pavia, Milan and Rome. The programs are open to European and foreign students as well. To get admitted one needs to pass a mutliple choice exam in English (called IMAT - International Medical Admission Test).

The studies are completely in English on a high European level and with international medicine books (like gray's anatomy, harrison etc) yet with very moderate Italian tuition fees (300-3800 euro/year) for pubic Universities.
I am a foreign student of one of this programs in Pavia (currently in 3rd year) and I'm happy to spead the word about them.

If you want to get more info about the studies, the admissions etc, you can take a look at this student website:
http://pavia.medschool.it - English Medical schools in Italy
or you can ask me here (just stick to the post and not PM so that others could see and not ask me the same questions repeatedly)
Hello Alex! Thanks a lot for your post. I'm really interesting in english medical estudies in Pavia. Could you, please, give me more information about the next admission procedure? I live in Spain and I'm studying 2 bach., specializing in health sciences, and also I have accredited B2 level of English. do you think that I have any chance?
Finally, what can you tell me about life on campus? I would be interested to know if there is any residence near the medical school and how are there?
Best wishes, Marina
 
Hi Marina,
sorry for a late reply. The next IMAT exam will be held on April 29 in several venues, more details will be published in the next weeks. your chances depend solely on how you perform on the IMAT test. English certificate can help you with bonus points but usually not more then 5.

The medschool is really close to city center and many student rent in the historical center. You have also about 6+ residencies spread around the city to choose from, but I still prefer the former.
Campus life in Pavia is very engaging too, you have the lectures period, the exams period and the party period just after the exams! anyway there are plenty of European and American/Brits/Irish people in the course to befriend and hang out with. Many bars and pubs and even several clubs in this small university city really help you spend your time well. Milan is also just 30-40 minutes away by train and ticket costs just about 4 euro.
 
Hi Alex,
I'm interested in applying to medical school in Italy. I'm from the US and I wanted to know at which university I have the best shot of gaining admission for a non-EU applicant. Will the locations for the IMAT this year be the same as last year's? When can I matriculate if I take the exam this year, I'm assuming this same year? When do classes start? What do you mean by "English certificate, do I qualify for the extra 5 points if I graduated from a university in the US? When/how can I apply for admission? Thanks for all your help!
 
Hi Alex I'm in first year in Semmelweis I love the course but its expensive and has a 75% failure rate in first year Two questions are there any Irish students there and what sort of failure rate is there in Pavia if you do gain entry
Regards Conor
 
Hi,

I have got a question. Are these Medical Programs in English in Italy includes Dentistry as well or not? Any of those universities in Pavia, Milano, Rome, Bari and Napoli which offer Medical Programs in English also offer Dentistry in English with the same tuition fee too or not? I am a NON-EU citizen and I would like to study Dentistry.

Moreover, can somebody tell me a bit more about IMAT exam? As far as I have understood it should be taken in some specific centers. I was checking the centers and it seems that there is no centers in my country. What should I really do? Is the admission upon passing the exam?And can you tell me about the level of the exam? How hard is it? And are the Chemistry, Biology and Physics parts levels higher than what we have studied at high school? Of course high school education is very different in each country but I would like to have a rough idea.

Thanks for your time and your help in advance.
 
Hi! I was enrolled in med school in Padova for 2 years, and now I have just beena dmitted to a DO program in the U.S. I think I can help you with some of the questions you have about the italian system!
I know that the admission test for non-italian students in Pavia is around april. EU students are preferred. THere are some seats for non-EU students but it is much more competitive. Italian medical school does not require any prerequisite, neither a bachelor. Howeve, you could try to skip some exam like chemistry. Physics you'll most likely take a smaller exam (bio-physics) but you still need to take it.
Exams are multiple choices plus oral.
Professors are Italians but they all speak english.
THis is true for Pavia. I don't know anything about San Raffaele.
If you take the test in Italian is the first week of september every year.
The admission test is once a year. If you fail it, you can take it the year after.
There are some prep course of 2 weeks to 4 weeks in italian. I doubt there is anything in english!

I hope this helps and let me know if I can help in any way! I know how stresful it is to apply to med school in a different country
Hi i miss this test which was on april but i lives in italy have citeznship here do i have other option plz tell me
 
Hello, I am from Germany. I will start to study medicine in English in Bulgary in september. Does anyone know if I can change after one year from the programmes in English in Bulgary to the programmes in English in Italy? Thank you for your answers
 
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Hi Alex,
I'm just about to complete my first year of medicine in India. I tried looking at tranfering to Pavia but they had no vacancies.
The Indian program has a 1.5 year long second year so transferring is not an option anymore.
I want to know how I should start preparing to ensure that I get into a residency program preferably in Milan.
Awaiting your reply.
 
I have only one year remaining in the preclinical years in the faculty of dentistry. is it possible to continue the clinical years in Italy? do they accept transfer from Egypt ?
 
Hi Alex9913 - i'm a fourth year in Turkey - not pleased with quality of training in my current faculty and it's in Turkish - considering transfer - mostly because i want to work in Italy after graduation. Seeking your advice:
1. how are your training and exams? Are teachers good to guide and give sufficient time for self-study? Reasonable to test taught knowledge ? Just how are your exams structured? How do you learn / what's a day in your life like? Are your colleagues serious students who want to be good, effective medical practitioners?
(here, for example, it's very subjective - oral then written exam. They don't really teach well (order of lessons are horrid = illogical; i use Paul Bolin's usmle lesson videos and KAPLAN USMLE videos as my training, and read books myself.) Our professors don't show up unless we beg them to (of course we understand University Hospital= Professors are also working their normal jobs with patients.) It's just a general situation that Turkish culture does not really value time/efficiency and effectiveness. I'm German having had 1st university and professional experiences in America = exact opposite culture/work habit. I know Italian culture isn't much different from Turkey. I just want to know if you're able to pass your exams reasonably and perceive that you are allowed time to learn well by your own efforts (they require us to be in hospital so much yet it's a waste of time mostly waiting for professors and being trapped in a room with noisy students who do not have any motivation to study or be good medical practitioners (people here just want to be doctors for the prestige and money. There's just such MINDLESSNESS of memorisation without thinking of what's done daily.) I find myself really out of place here. I was told by a fellow student for people like me I should go to Germany or America. But i do not want to work there.

2. Your university has a hospital/ are you a university hospital? How do you rate the quality of care, compared to an american international hospital in Roma, for example?
(Hygiene is really what i'm asking about.)

3. Would beg for your insight on medical profession conditions in Italy advice.
(I love rheumatology but i believe in being General Practitioner as it's the first line of opportunity to prevent so many diseases.
Is there general practice in Italy? Even if i graduate from my uni in Turkey (it's in IMED directory), what do i need to do to practice as GP in Italy? is it Family Medicine??
If i don't do a specialty, is my only option to be on-call doctor (which i do not want. I'm married and plan to have a family = i want a work life balance.)

And what do i need to do if i want to specialise in Rheumatology ? What are the working conditions in your opinion (hours, is salary enough for life and i need to pay back student loans, will i make enough money to eventually open my own clinic, etc.)

Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!
 
2. Your university has a hospital/ are you a university hospital? How do you rate the quality of care, compared to an american international hospital in Roma, for example?
(Hygiene is really what i'm asking about.)

How are hospitals in Italy in general? Do they treat patients with quality care (i consider UK and America to have good care, but UK = wait for months to see your doctor, AMERICA = it's a money business.)
How is it in Italy?

Here in Turkey, patients are not treated with quality care, in my opinion. Doctors in university or government hospitals do not have money =
1. dirty facilities (i was shocked to see most blood taken without gloves; and you can forget about hand hygiene.)
2. doctors do not spend much time to listen/check patients at all. There's no privacy and people pile on top of one another.
3. For this reason people go to private hospitals that are in it for the money = they look like hotels.
4. Doctors work 12 hours AND are obliged to be on-call - Turkish culture has no work/life balance concept at all (vs. Germany=work=complete professionalism and off-time= you can shut down your phone.)

Sorry to ask so many questions as i am sure you're super busy - i guess i would really like to know how healthcare is provided in Italy, to know if i can be a part of it.
 
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