Medicine
State examination

For german and european applicants university places in medicine are allocated exclusively by the University Admissions Foundation  Hochschulstart : www.hochschulstart.de

Information on the application and admission process via Hochschulstart can be found at: https://www.medizinstudium.hhu.de/studieninteressierte/bewerbung-und-zulassung

For non-european applicants the application must be submitted directly to the Heinrich-Heine-University. The average grade of the university entrance qualification is the only admission criterion in this case. Further information on the necessary application process can be found here: https://www.hhu.de/studium/bewerbung-und-einschreibung/bewerbung-von-studieninteressierten-aus-dem-ausland

In the first two years of study, the focus is on teaching the fundamentals of human biology. For this purpose, four topic blocks lasting about six to eight weeks are offered, which are predominantly organ- or system-related. From the 3rd year onwards, practical modules become an increasingly important part of the course in addition to the topic and study blocks. During the practical modules, you will spend weeks in a variety of clinics at the University Hospital Düsseldorf (UKD). The integrated study and practice blocks in the 4th and 5th year of study further increase the link between theory and practice. The core curriculum of subject, study and practice blocks is supplemented in Düsseldorf by a longitudinal elective curriculum. Students take a total of 14 elective modules, which account for around ten percent of the total number of hours.

Further information on the study content can be found at: https://www.medizinstudium.hhu.de/

Medical studies in Düsseldorf only commence in the winter semester. The standard duration of study is 12.5 semesters.

In contrast to the regular study programmes, we do not have a so-called "Physikum", but an Intermediate Medical Examination. This is formally equivalent to the First Part of the Medical Examination (Staatsexamen). It is completed after the 3rd academic year. The written part of the examination is cumulative and is achieved by passing the 12 block examinations of the first three years of study. After the end of the 3rd year, the oral part of the examination and a clinical-practical part follow.

The Second and Third Parts of the Medical Examination (M2 & M3) take place uniformly throughout Germany. Upon passing the Third Part of the Medical Examination (M3) after the Practical Year (PJ), the model study programme of medicine is completed.

In most cases, graduation is followed by 4 - 5 years training to be a specialist in one of 32 fields (e.g. surgery or anaesthesiology) with subsequent clinical work in a hospital or in a doctor's office.

Other career perspectives lie in research inside or outside the university, in the pharmaceutical industry, in medical technology or in consulting companies.