Health care in Germany is one of the best in Europe and the world. Modern medicine in Germany is distinguished by the highest quality of services: all of Europe travels here to be treated. The German government is devoting enormous amounts of money to the development of healthcare and the research component of medical science. Well-equipped clinics can be of very different profiles and types of property: public as well as private. Therefore, students of medical faculties have whom and where to study.
Unique features
Germany has a total of 39 medical faculties. Four are in private medical universities, the rest are part of public free education.
The Germans are distinguished by their loyalty to foreigners in almost all spheres of activity and study. This fully applies to medical schools. It is believed that cultural diversity positively affects the development of science, including medical.
This fact is great news for those who want to get a German medical diploma. And if you add that 34 medical faculties teach medicine for free, then great prospects are opened for almost everyone. Because medical education in Germany is a very real opportunity to get a worthy profession. It is only necessary to want and prepare well.
It's all about the competition
In Germany, they are not afraid of this fantastic availability of medical education. The thing is an effective and trouble-free barrier - a tough competition for applicants. In addition, such a policy attracts the brightest heads to the country, from which excellent doctors will later come out.
Each year, approximately forty thousand applicants apply for nine thousand places of medical training. The competition in this case is quite serious, but not outrageous: 4.5 people per seat. This is average data, because sometimes the peak of the competition is 20-30 people per place. But Russian applicants need to focus on other statistics.
Quotas for foreigners
In Germany there is one frozen expression - Numerus Clausus. Literally, there is no need to translate it, but it means unpleasant news for applicants: admission to universities is limited. Medical faculties are the favorite departments for this very Numerus Clausus. But everything is not so scary, we understand further.
Exactly 8% of the quota for foreigners from countries outside the European Union, which includes the Russian Federation. Of the nine thousand common places, this share is quite a lot: 720 people from countries outside the EU can begin to receive medical education in Germany annually. Sometimes the competition within this quota can be even lower than for German applicants.
Admission Terms
The average score on the Russian scale should be at least 4.5. If he is far from brilliant, not all is lost. It will be enough to pass an additional TMS test for admission to medical specialties. Then, when submitting and analyzing your documents, the test score will be taken into account (if successful, of course). The test includes several sections to test the abilities of the applicant: to work with complex texts and graphics, remember visual data, analyze information and think logically. This test can only be taken once. A high score significantly increases the chance of entering a university.
Requirements for foreign applicants
The main requirements for applicants are as follows:
- The main criterion for success during admission is knowledge of the German language. Certificate is required. The level of the German language must correspond to C1 - C2.
- Training in English is possible. In this case, a TOEFL or IELTS certificate is required. But you still can’t get away from the German language, the results of the German test should correspond to the level B1 - B2.
- For admission directly from high school, you need to successfully complete two semesters of a student study course (see below). In these courses, students can choose their specialty. If the applicant has studied at a higher education institution in his native country for some time, he can enter a university in Germany only in the same specialty.
Entry Quest
The conditions for entering German universities are full of details and reservations. Each university has the right to make its own adjustments to the rules, but usually these rules are unified. Here are some “universal” examples for Russian applicants:
- If you have a certificate with a gold medal of the sample until 2014 inclusive, it is possible to enter a student collegium in Germany, and directly to a German university - only after 2 years of study at a university of your native country recognized in Germany.
- A certificate of a sample until 2014 without a medal entitles you to enter the preparatory course only after one year of study at a university recognized by Germany, directly to the university after two years of university education.
- Certificate of 2015 and later: it is possible to enter the preparatory course directly, to the university - after one year of study at a university recognized in Germany.
Students of Russian medical universities can also go to study in Germany. This will be more like a translation: students of the 3rd year and above can apply for admission to a German university, while fulfilling the mandatory requirements for applicants from other countries. In principle, translation is possible even at a higher rate. Decisions are made by the university commissions, taking into account all the details of the education passed and the level of knowledge of the German language.
German language knowledge
The single European system of language proficiency tests includes German testing. The main difference between German tests and others is the ability to pass it only in Germany.
Reading, writing, language perception, and speaking skills are checked. Each of the three levels of language proficiency is divided into two sublevels, resulting in six levels of the German language:
- A1 - understanding of simple words in everyday communication;
- A2 - understanding of small sentences and slow reading of the text;
- B1 - the first threshold level with communication at the household level, understanding of television broadcasts subject to slow speaker speech.
- B2 - an advanced threshold level of knowledge of the German language, required for admission to the university to study in English. Free dialogues, long written messages, the ability to substantiate one’s opinion are the requirements for this level.
- C1 - a professional level with an understanding of the expanded texts, any films, fluent speech, a full presentation of their thoughts. Needed for admission to a German university.
- C2 - fluency in spoken language at any speed, the ability to communicate on any topic, the use of extensive vocabulary.
The certificate is obtained after successfully passing one of the three exam options:
- level B1;
- level B2 / C1;
- level C1 / C2.
To enter the university, it is enough to pass the exam for the second level of the German language B2 / C1 on any of the TestDaF, DSH, ZOP, GDS or KDS systems.
Preparatory stage
At its core, student colleges in Germany are a college preparatory college. Demand for the services of such courses over the past few years has increased significantly. Therefore, now they operate at almost every university. Of course, it is better to choose the “native” student colleges at the university where you are going to go: the chance of admission will be higher.
Education at state student colleges is free. There are also private courses where tuition is paid and usually costs several thousand euros (it’s easier to enter paid courses).
The course program is well structured and consists of several standard programs that you need to choose very carefully:
- M - a course for future physicians, biologists and pharmacists;
- T - course for engineers, mathematicians and the block of natural sciences;
- W - course for future sociologists and economists;
- G - course for philologists, Germanists and other humanities;
- S - special language course.
It is clear that future doctors need to choose the M - course, there are no options.
German medical schools
There are no specialized medical universities in Germany. It’s more correct to talk about medical faculties at universities. Almost any German medical faculty provides an excellent level of knowledge - this is a common property of medical education in Germany. But if the question is about choosing the best educational institutions, then it is better to solve it with the help of official ratings of medical universities, which can easily be found on the network.
Germany has universities with medical faculties that do not need these ratings. These include, for example, the Technical University of Dresden, which graduates from its medical faculty the best dentists. The most prestigious medical diploma specializing in speech therapist can be obtained in only one place. This is the famous Technical University of Aachen.
As for the classical faculties with the teaching of general medicine, there are two of the largest German universities of world renown outside of the competition: in Berlin and Heidelberg.
University of Heidelberg
The Faculty of Medicine in Heidelberg is one of the most prestigious training medical centers in Germany. This is the most deserved and one of the largest German universities: it was founded in 1386, and the number of students in fifteen faculties reaches thirty thousand. There are only 530 professors at the University of Heidelberg, and the total number of university employees is about 6,000. In the first photo to the article is a university library.
You need to be prepared for the fact that the competition here is higher than in other universities. You can enter the medical faculty only after two years of study at a medical university recognized in Germany.
As preparatory courses, it is better to choose student studios in Heidelberg itself with free training. Of the entrance exams for courses you need to take only German.
Humboldt University in Berlin
The medical faculty of the University of Berlin can argue with its colleagues in Heidelberg on the prestige, quality of education and the number of students. He yields only at the age of: he is 450 years younger than his elder brother.
This is the largest scientific center: the research component at the university is a matter of pride for its faculty and the whole country.
Another distinguishing feature is the international composition of both students and teachers. Berlin University is extremely loyal to foreign students: every year about 5,000 people from different countries study in it. There is even a special guardianship program for foreign first-year students.
The educational process at the faculty
Nowhere and never did future doctors learn easily. With regard to medical education in Germany, this “difficulty” must be raised to at least the second degree. And it's worth it if you come to Germany to get one of the best medical education in the world.
Together with the old traditions of the higher German school, the latest techniques and technologies are used - everything is in order in German university clinics.
Students can choose the pace and volume of study. They are also free to plan academic semesters. But the total period of study cannot exceed six years and three months. The total number of training hours for the entire training period must be at least 5500. These data will be taken into account when applying for a job in the countries of the European Union.
If you have a German medical degree
You can be a citizen of any country to work in clinics in Germany. With one elegant addition: if you have a German doctor’s diploma in your hands.
The diploma will open before you the doors of all European medical centers. For a civilized job search after university, an extension of a residence permit in Germany is provided for a year and a half.
Doctors in Germany are needed and in great demand, so the chance to stay and work in the sector of modern German medicine is very good. And with such practical experience you will not be priced.
This is a rare opportunity to get a brilliant medical education in Germany, having in your hands very limited resources such as a bright head, hard work and perseverance. After all, you just need to pass a test in the German language and show your knowledge in the general sciences. Be sure to try.