Hungarian medical school to offer training in Germany

Medical students at the well-respected Semmelweis University can now choose to complete their clinical studies in either Hungary or in Germany at the newly opened Semmelweis University in Hamburg, reports daily Népszabadság.

This program is unique for medical schools in Europe, though other masters' programs such as the Erasmus Mundus degrees do offer multi-campus experiences. But Semmelweis is no stranger to international programs - particularly since for the last 25 years the university has offered medical degrees with the language of instruction in Hungarian, German, and English. What's more, the university's student body has more foreigners enrolled than Hungarians.

Gusztáv Stubnya, the university director at Semmelweis, said English and German-language training are already ten times oversubscribed.

This program will connect the medical school with the Hamburg-based Asklepios Kliniken, one of Germany's largest clinical centers. Students will first receive two years of basic coursework and training in Budapest before completing clinical studies in Hamburg with professors from Semmelweis University. After graduating, they can practice anywhere in the EU without taking further exams.

Stubnya said he thinks the initiative will help build the reputation of Semmelweis and Hungary as a place to get a "basic" medical training.

Hungary is already a popular destination for medical students given the quality of the universities and the reasonable cost of living. There are an estimated 5,000 foreign students in Hungary, and over two-thirds are studying to become doctors, dentists and pharmacists.

Within the EU, holders of a Hungarian medical diploma can practice without taking further exams, and the Hungarian medical system is well respected worldwide. In Central and Eastern Europe, Semmelweis University is a leading medical school; only Krakow and Prague have competing programs.

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