Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and Dentistry

The education of doctors, vets and dentists is regulated nationwide by the respective ordinance for approval. Within the scope of model studies in human medicine, currently the private university Witten-Herdecke, the private medical college Brandenburg in Neuruppin and the state universities Aachen, Berlin (Charité), Dusseldorf, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hannover, Heidelberg (Faculty of Medicine in Mannheim), Cologne and Oldenburg, can deviate from the requirements of the licensing regulations for physicians and, in particular, the separation of preclinical and clinical study sections be repealed.

The study of human, animal or dental medicine has limited admission in Germany. Courses are offered only at universities.

• In addition to teaching the scientific basics, coordinating, general medical, pharmacotherapeutic and health economics issues are also dealt with.
• Interdisciplinary and case-based teaching with problem-oriented and subject-linking mediation of topic-related content that is geared to the patient (s).
• Courses e.g. in pain medicine, palliative medicine, emergency medicine.
• Practice-based teaching at the bedside in the form of patient demonstrations in small groups of a maximum of six, in patient examinations of a maximum of three students.

Students complete a four-month internship (medical internship) during the non-teaching period between the first section and the second section of the medical examination (written only). It has to be provided by various institutions with fixed minimum periods (hospitals, medical practices, GP's, etc.).

There are also practical exercises and block internships of one or two to six weeks duration in the most important medical areas.

At the end of the medical studies, after the second part of the medical examination, a coherent practical training of 48 weeks (practical year) follows in a hospital or partly also in suitable medical practices (teaching practices). Finally, the third section of the medical examination must be taken (only orally).

Medical Examination: The first part of the (state) medical examination takes place after two years of studies. The universities review the qualifications acquired in the clinical subjects and cross-sectional areas of the subsequent three-year study period in the form of graded certificates of achievement. These are also required for reporting to the Second Section of the Medical Examination after five years of study.

This is followed by the practical year, which includes training periods of 16 weeks each in internal medicine, surgery, general medicine or another field of clinical practice. The third part of the medical exam will be taken after a total of six years, including the practical year.

Physicians can start an internship immediately after completing their studies or take up specialist training.

Further education: After the medical approbation there are various possibilities of the specialized medical further education which take place on the basis of the continuing education regulations of the national medical associations.

Dental and oral surgery requires good eyesight and skill in handling complicated equipment and instruments.

The study of dentistry is governed by the law on the practice of dentistry and the licensing of dentists. It is divided into a preclinical and a clinical section. In addition to theoretical instruction, it is strongly geared towards practical training as a dentist.

Pre-clinical studies (5 semesters): lectures, internships and courses in zoology or biology, physics and chemistry, anatomy, physiology and biochemistry, materials science, technical propaedeutics and dentistry. Scientific preliminary examination after the 2nd semester, preliminary dental examination after the 5th semester.

Clinical studies (5 semesters): Theoretical and practical training in dentistry and other related medical subjects. Volunteer Famulaturen in European and non-European foreign countries mediates the Dental Exchange Service (ZAD).

Further education: After their approval, dentists can continue their education in oral surgery, orthodontics, periodontics or public health on the basis of the continuing education regulations of the national dental associations (duration: four years).

Before and during the study internships in the dental laboratory are recommended.

The dental exam is taken after completion of the clinical study within six months after the semester closing.

The places of study in human, animal and dental medicine are awarded centrally by the Foundation for Admission to Higher Education. An application is possible via the portal hochschulstart.de. Since there are significantly more applicants than free study places, interested people must bring a very good grade point average or possiblyy expect with long waiting times.

Prospective students must complete a three-month nursing service and receive first aid training prior to their studies or during the non-teaching period at the latest prior to the first section of the medical examination after four semesters (crediting certain types of training possible).

The beginning of studies is only possible during the winter semester.

and as medical officers of the Bundeswehr. Employment opportunities can also be found in research and teaching, public administration (such as public health offices), occupational health services, the pharmaceutical industry and sports medicine.

In addition to the clinical area, doctors also offer other non-curative occupational fields, such as in medical informatics, in health management, in medical journalism, in marketing and sales or in environmental medicine alternatives. Additionally acquired knowledge in business administration and EDP could be important for this.

Veterinarians work independently or as practical assistants predominantly in small animal and large animal practices, in veterinary clinics, in the official veterinary service (animal disease control, animal welfare, ante-mortem and meat inspection, food and feed monitoring), state and federal authorities as well as in the pharmaceutical Industry (e.g. research, technical service, sales and marketing). Employment opportunities, albeit to a lesser extent, are also found in large zoological gardens and shelters or at colleges and research institutes in Germany and abroad.

Dentists work mainly in private practice, but also in hospitals, dental clinics, sanatoriums and spa facilities, in research and teaching as well as medical officers of the Bundeswehr. In addition, there are job opportunities in a more advisory, administrative function in social insurance institutions, in the pharmaceutical industry, medical technology, at dental associations, associations of medical associations and at professional and trade associations.