Medicine and Surgery

The Single Cycle degree programme in Medicine and Surgery trains students to become competent doctors in all fundamental fields of medical science who, with the knowledge acquired in the programme are able to continue specialist studies in all medical and surgical fields, exercising any of the roles foreseen by the health system regulations and who are in the best possible condition to apply lifelong learning techniques.
The specific learning outcomes of the programme are coherent with the general provisions of the EC Directive 2005/36/EC and the European Specifications in Medical Education drawn up by the Thematic Network on Medical Education in Europe (MEDINE), under the joint supervision of the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) and the Association of Medical Schools in Europe (AMSE) under the auspice of the European Commission.
The curriculum is divided into three consecutive biennial programmes, as described below. In particular:
1) The first biennial programme provides basic scientific knowledge starting with physics and chemistry, aiming to understand the structure and functions of the human body in both microscopic (single molecules and molecular structures) and macroscopic (tissue and organs) terms. The first biennial programme is completed with an understanding of general mechanisms of various pathologies and the defence system of the organism, giving basic knowledge also to understand gender differences.
2) The second biennial programme begins with the acquisition of the basic tools for the approach to the sick organism, covering mainly the pathology of organs and systems. The acquired knowledge is applied to the development of skills in the approach to sick patients, with attention to social and gender perspective, during the clinical internship, which counts for approx. 25% of the whole degree programme. The second biennial ends by the study of pathological anatomy to develop knowledge of the alteration of organs and systems.
3) The third biennial programme is strongly oriented to the development of a comprehensive clinical approach to the patient, with attention to gender differences; as the degree programme is aligned to the definition adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO), in which health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, it includes a large portion of internship (75% of the total programme) dealing with clinical issues in midwifery and gynaecology, paediatrics, general medicine and surgery; to complete the programme, students will acquire specific skills in clinical areas with strong social and gender impact, community medicine, ageing, medical oncology, psychiatry, legal medicine, occupational health and medical surgical emergencies.
The three biennial programmes generally run over twelve semesters. On a yearly basis, in compliance with the teaching regulation, the Degree Programme Board decides on the division of the various learning activities according to their appropriateness of the various planned course units to the specific learning outcomes.

Admission to the Single Cycle Degree/Combined Bachelor and Master in Medicine requires possession of a secondary school diploma awarded after five years of study or a foreign qualification recognised as suitable.

Candidates must also possess the knowledge and skills defined each year by the Ministerial Decree setting out the rules for the entrance exam, which are published in the call for applications, as well as English language skills at least at A2 level, based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

The methods for verifying the knowledge required for admission are defined in the degree programme teaching regulations. If the results of the assessment are not positive, additional learning requirements will be specified. Completion of the learning requirements is the subject of a separate test. The relevant testing method is also set out in the degree programme teaching regulations. Students who do not complete the additional learning requirements by the date established by the competent bodies and, in any case, by the end of the first year of the degree programme, will be unable to sit exams in the following years.