Studying Medicine and Surgery in Italy

English-taught medical degree programs in Italy: how do they work?

Now that we’ve looked at what cities have medicine and surgery in English and go over the hurdles you must overcome to be accepted into med school in Italy, let’s see how the degree programs work.

Medical school in Italy is a single-cycle master’s degree , called “Laurea Magistrale in Medicina e Chirurgia”.

It lasts 6 years , encompassing pre-clinical and clinical knowledge, rotations, and practical training, at the end of which you will be a doctor in medicine and surgery.

Each academic year goes from early October to mid-late July and is divided into 2 semesters .

After each semester of lectures, there will be a cou ple of weeks of “study leave,” followed by a month-long exam session, in which you’ll have no lectures and 2-3 dates to sit each exam. The article will further discuss how exams are structured and graded.

How is the average medical course structured?

While the core subjects remain the same, the order in which they’re taught, the elective course options, and the emphasis on research or clinical practice vary across universities. The general structure can be summed up as follows:

• First Cycle (Years 1-3): Basic sciences and pre-clinical studies. In the first three years, the focus is on building a strong foundation in the basic sciences and the physiological functioning of the human body, which is essential for understanding disease mechanisms. Many universities start hospital rotations in the 3rd year: there are mainly introductory experiences, as students have yet to gain specific clinical knowledge.
• Second Cycle (Years 4-6): In years four and five, you’ll learn about all the pathologies and therapies in the clinical courses, which are divided by specialty. Clinical training also becomes a significant part of the curriculum. Students are involved in patient care, clinical rounds, case discussions, and practical procedures. The sixth year puts a strong emphasis on internships, allowing students to write their final thesis in a ward of their choosing.

The syllabus for each academic year can vary massively from one university to another. A generic study plan for the 6 years could look something like this:

1. Year 1: Human Anatomy : Structure of the human body (can sometimes be accompanied by a practical dissection course, depending on the university) Chemistry & Biochemistry : Chemical processes within and relating to living organisms. Physics : Basic principles relevant to medical science. Medical Terminology and History : Introduction to medical language and the history of medicine. Statistics : an introduction to statistics, applied to medical research. Molecular cell biology : structure and function of organisms and biological processes at the level of cells
2. Year 2: Histology : Study of tissues. Physiology : Functions of the human body. Pharmacology : Drugs and their effects on the human body. Genetics : Principles of human genetics. Laboratory medicine : how blood work is done and its interpretation Semeiotics : how to examine a patient
3. Year 3: General Pathology : Mechanisms of disease. Pathologic anatomy : the pathological side of histology Microbiology : Microorganisms and their effects on humans. Immunology : The immune system and related diseases. Endocrinology : the study of hormones Dermatology Track rotations: practical activities in the hospital
4. Year 4: Radiology : Medical imaging techniques. General Surgery : Basic surgical principles and procedures. Cardiology : Diseases and disorders of the heart. Respiratory system diseases Infectious Diseases : Study and treatment of infectious diseases. Musculoskeletal diseases : diseases of the joints, bones, muscles…
5. Year 5: Obstetrics and Gynecology : Pregnancy, childbirth, and female reproductive health. Psychology: Principles of behavioural sciences Neurology : Disorders of the nervous system. Oncology : Study and treatment of tumours. Paediatrics : Health care of infants, children, and adolescents Internal Medicine : Diagnosis and treatment of internal diseases Licencing internships : practical activities in the hospital
6. Year 6: Emergency Medicine : Immediate decision-making and action in urgent care. Public Health and Legal Medicine: Study of the relationships between medicine, government and law Licencing Internships: practical activities in the hospital Thesis

Keep in mind that this is just an example of a possible syllabus: each university structures its courses and clinical activities differently.

Studying Medicine in Italy: How do exams work?

As previously mentioned, the academic year is divided into 2 semesters.

The first semester goes from October to January, and you will attend lectures during this time.

In January and/or February, depending on your university, lectures stop, and the first exam session begins. Lessons pick back up in late February to early April, and continue on until June.

The second exam session then takes place between June and July.

T here are also “extra” exam sessions to allow students to space out their exa ms or to retake those they’ve failed or refused.

One of these sessions is in September, and the other (which not all universities have) is in April.

It’s important to remember that in all med schools in Italy , attendance to lectures is mandatory and routinely checked. The att endance percentage ranges from 60% to 80%, depending on the university, and students who miss too many lectures in a course are not allowed to take the corresponding exam.

How does an exam session work?

During the exam session, you’ll have 2 or 3 “appelli” for each exam . An appello is a set date for an exam: students can sign up to the appello they prefer, choosing the order in which to take their finals for each course. A given session could look like this:

• Endocrinology: June 15th (first appello), July 23rd (second appello)
• Immunology: June 27th (first appello), July 25th (second appello)
• Dermatology: June 20th (first appello), July 8th (second appello), July 22nd (third appello)

The number of appelli for each ex am and the dates of the appelli are chosen by the coordinating professor for the course.

As a student, you can organise your session how you prefer .

In addition, students can show up to more than one appello : say you take the Endocrinology exam on June 15th and you don’t pass it, or you reject your grade (more on this “rejecting” thing later), you can study some more and take it again on July 23rd.

The only exception to this is the infamous “ salto d’appello ”: some professors forbid their students from showing up to more than one appello, in which case you have to carefully pick when to take the exam, and make sure you are well prepared. In case you fail, you’ll only be allowed to sit the exam again in the next exam session.

Students can also choose only to take some of the exams of a certain session, and postpone the others to the next session (in the example above, that would be September), or to the following years. There are two main “obstacles” to postponing exams (or rather, three):

1. Some exams are “preparatory” to others: for example, you need to pass your Anatomy course to take any clinical courses, or pass Biology to take Microbiology… this all depends on each university’s syllabus.
2. In some universities, it is mandatory to have passed all year I exams to access year II, and so on (although this is quite rare, some private universities do have this rule)
3. The dreaded feeling of falling behind : as you’ve probably understood by now, Italian universities give students the utmost independence when organising their exams. This can be a blessing and a curse because it’s quite easy to fall behind, accumulate exams, and struggle to keep up. A lot of self-discipline is needed to keep up with the workload so that you can actually enjoy the freedom of choosing when to take each exam.

How are exams graded? What are CFUs? And what does it mean to “reject” a grade?

Italian universities use a peculiar grading system, marking exams out of 30 . Thus, a 30 cum laude is the best grade achievable, and the passing grade is instead 18/30. Students can reject a grade , even if they passed if they think they could do better in the next appello, or if it messes with their average. In that case they retake the exam. This is at their own risk, as there is no guarantee that they’ll be granted a higher grade in the next appello.

Each exam “weights” a certain amount, depending on how many credits (a.k.a. CFUs) it’s worth. A certain amount of credits are assigned to each exam, based on how many hours of lectures were in the course, and on the importance of the topic. Each year you’ll gain around 60 CFUs by passing exams, for a total of 360 CFUs, which is the necessary amount to obtain a degree in Medicine and Surgery.

How are exams structured?

Most exams in Italian medical schools are oral exams : the professor calls each student individually and asks a series of questions on topics covered during the lectures. In some cases, there might be a written pre-test to access the oral exam (most likely with multiple-choice questions). Some of the more practical courses will instead have written exams (usually in the first few years, for courses such as physics, statistics, and sometimes chemistry).

Hospital rotations

Hospital rotations are a crucial part of medical education in Italy, integrated into the 6-year medical degree program. Clinical traineeships account for 60 CFU and start from the third year . The activities are conducted under the supervision of a tutor and enable trainees to acquire a certain degree of autonomy in performing diagnosis and proposing a rational treatment.

• In the preclinical years (years 1-3), clinical exposure is limited to introductory sessions or observational rotations in hospital settings, mainly to provide a glimpse into the medical environment. In the third year, specifically, students may have a few weeks of rotations in an assigned ward, where they’ll shadow a resident or an intern, following them around and learning about how the hospital works. By the end of the third year, all students will have spent some time observing the hospital wards and seeing the inside of an OR a few times, but they won’t have much clinical knowledge to back it up just yet.
• In the clinical years (years 4-6), students attend more structured rotations through various medical specialties, observing clinical procedures, interacting with patients under supervision, and beginning to perform basic medical tasks such as taking medical histories and performing physical exams. As students attend courses on each medical specialty, they are expected to know more during rotations, when participating in ward rounds and assisting in surgeries. Practical skills such as venipuncture, inserting IV lines, suturing, and conducting physical examinations are developed progressively.

Traineeships must be held exclusively in the partner institutions affiliated with the university . Students who spend periods abroad in the context of the mobility programs offered by the university will have their traineeships in the destination country recognized, at least in part.

Two types of traineeships can be carried out:

• Programmed traineeships are organized by the coordinator of the year and are mandatory
• Vocational traineeships can be carried out during the clinical years to allow students to deepen their expertise within their fields of interest; usually, they can be freely organized after a mutual agreement with a professor in that subject.

Graduation

You’re ready to graduate once you’ve successfully completed all required coursework and clinical rotations throughout the 6-yea r program! Or…almost. In all Italian medical schools, writing and defending a thesis (tesi di laurea) is a requirement for graduation. The thesis typically involves:

• Conducting original research or an in-depth review of a specific medical topic. This could be a clinical study, laboratory research, or a comprehensive literature review. During this part, students work under the guidance of a faculty advisor who provides mentorship and oversight throughout the research and writing process. Students typically select a topic of interest within the medical field and find a faculty member who specializes in that area to act as their thesis advisor.
• Composing a detailed document that includes an introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. The length and specific structure can vary by university. The completed thesis is then submitted to the university according to its specific guidelines and deadlines.
• Presenting and defending the thesis before a panel of professors. This defense includes presenting the research findings and answering questions from the panel.

Upon completing all requirements, including the thesis, students participate in a graduation ceremony where they finally receive their degree in Medicine and Surgery (Laurea Magistrale in Medicina e Chirurgia). This is an unforgettable day for any graduate, and it’s an Italian tradition to wear a “corona d’alloro”, a crown of laurel, to commemorate the event.

Italian medical degree recognition abroad

Recognizing an Italian medical degree abroad depends on the country the graduate wishes to practice in. European Union countries have agreements that make recognition of the degree almost immediate, while the UK, USA and Canada have specific requirements (as do other, nonenglish speaking countries):

• EU COUNTRIES → Italy is a member of the EU, so its medical degree is automatically recognized across other EU and EEA countries due to mutual recognition agreements. Italian graduates can apply for registration with the medical council of their country of choice (sometimes, a language certificate is required).
• UNITED KINGDOM → Italian medical graduates must apply for GMC registration, provide documents proving their qualifications and demonstrate proficiency in English.
• UNITED STATES → The US has a rigorous process for recognizing foreign medical degrees. Italian graduates must obtain ECFMG certification, which involves passing the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Steps 1, 2 CK (Clinical Knowledge), and 2 CS (Clinical Skills). They must provide primary source verification of their medical degree. After ECFMG certification, graduates must apply for residency programs via the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).
• CANADA → The process in Canada is similar to that in the US. Graduates must pass the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE), and complete the National Assessment Collaboration (NAC) Examination. After these exams, they can apply for residency positions through the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS).

After graduation

After completing their medical studies in Italy, students have many opportunities. The most obvious next step is entering a residency program, and becoming a Specialist doctor, but that is not the only career path. Many medical graduates pursue a research career, or in academics (for example, applying for a PhD).

If you’re interested in learning more about life after you get your Italian medical degree, you can read our article: What can I do after I graduate in Medicine in Italy?

Life in Italy as a Medical Student

Life as a medical student in Italy combines rigorous academic demands and rich cultural (and more specifically, culinary) experiences. Italy’s rich history, art, and culture are integral to student life. Italy hosts numerous festivals and public events annually, offering a vibrant social life outside of academic commitments. In addition, universities often have various student organizations and clubs , providing opportunities to meet friends, participate in student life, and build a social network.

Cost of living and accommodation

The cost of living in Italy can vary significantly depending on the city. Larger cities like Rome, Milan, and Florence are more expensive, while smaller cities like Pavia, Padua, and Siena are more affordable. Students can exp ect to spend around €800 to €1,600 per month depending on the city. This includes accommodation, food, transportation, and other personal expenses. Eating out is relatively affordable, with meals at a modest restaurant costing around €10-€20. Public transportation is also efficient and relatively inexpensive.

Concerning accommodation, a student has many options:

• Many universities (or publicly funded regional bodies for the right to study) offer dormitories or student residences, which can be more affordable and provide an opportunity to meet other students.
• Renting a private apartment or shared flat is another common option. Costs vary by city, with prices ranging from €350 to €900 per month for a single room in a shared apartment (with the highest peaks being Milan, Rome and Bologna)

The following table can give you a more in-depth view of the cost of living variation between the different Italian cities that have a course in Medicine and Surgery:

Med school in Italy: a balancing act

One of the distinctive features of the Italian university system is the flexibility in exam scheduling. This system allows students to plan their study schedules according to their personal pace and preferences. However, it requires a high level of self-discipline and organization.

Balancing academic responsibilities with personal life is crucial. Italian culture strongly emphasi zes enjoying life, socializing, and experiencing its rich cultural heritage. For this reason, effective time management is key . Being disciplined in keeping track of exam dates, study sessions, and social activities is vital. Joining study groups can provide motivation and support, making it easier to stay on track with coursework.

Taking advantage of university facilities, such as study rooms and libraries , can be a good way to stay focused and off social media.

Finding a sport you like and practicing it routinely can be a great tool to safeguard your mental health as a student.

In conclusion, one thing’s for sure: as a medical student in Italy, you’ll never be bored !