Experiencias Significativas, Innovación y TIC

Study Field Outline

Dentistry deals with the diagnosis, pre- vention and treatment of dental, oral and mandibular ailments, dental prostheses (crowns, bridges, plates) as well as tooth and jaw deformities (orthodontics). Dental and orosurgical treatment calls for good eyesight and manual dexterity in handling the complicated equipment and instru- ments properly. In view of the strong increase in tooth and gum ailments (cavi- ties, periodontal disease) and in view of the dentist’s responsibilities in the field of

prevention, they now also play an impor- tant preventative medical role in the health system.

The study of dentistry is governed by the Code on the Practice of Dentistry (Gesetz über die Ausübung der Zahnheilkunde) and the Dental Licence Code (Approba- tionsordnung für Zahnärzte). Studies are divided, much as medicine, into a pre-clin- ical and a clinical section. Besides theoreti- cal instruction, studies focus strongly on the practical training of dentists.

Studies at Universities

Duration of studies: At least 10 semesters (i.e., the minimum time of study before the degree examination can be taken) plus six months.

Practical experience/internships: Work in a dental laboratory recommended before and during the studies.

Pre-clinical studies: Lectures, practical courses and courses in zoology or biology, physics and chemistry, anatomy, physiol- ogy and biochemistry, materials science, technical propaedeutics (preliminaries) and dental prosthesis studies.

Clinical studies: Theoretical and practical training in dental medicine and additional related medical subjects.

Degrees – State examinations (Staatsprü- fungen): Preliminary science examination taken at the end of the second semester, preliminary dentistry examination at the end of the fifth semester and the final den- tistry examination at the end of the tenth semester.

Continuing education and training: After receiving the licence to practise dentistry, further specialist qualification may be gained in oral surgery, in orthodontics or for a career in the public health service.

Programmes in this field

Aachen TH • Berlin HU • Bonn U • Dresden TU • Düsseldorf U • Erlangen-Nürnberg U (Erlangen) • Frankfurt am Main U • Freiburg U • Gießen U • Göttingen U • Greifs wald U • Halle-Wittenberg U • Hamburg U • Hannover MHH • Heidelberg U • Jena U • Kiel U • Köln U • Leipzig U • Mainz U • Marburg U • München U • Münster U • Regensburg U • Rostock U • Saarbrücken U (Homburg) • Tübingen U • Ulm U • Witten/Herdecke U (Witten) • Würzburg U

6.2 Medicine

Study Field Outline

Medicine is the science of the causes, cures, alleviation and prevention of diseas- es. Key medical activities cover the recog- nition (diagnosis) and treatment (therapy) of human diseases, ailments or physical defects, preliminary and follow-up health care, and research.

The study of human medicine is governed by the Medical Practice and Licence Code (Approbationsordnung) for physicians. The revised code above all aims to improve the practical training and to promote the social competence of medical doctors.

Furthermore, greater consideration than in the past is to be given to the holistic view of the patient’s situation and to an interdisciplinary approach to the treatment process. Prevention and health promotion will be integrated as will pain therapy.

Pilot trials are being carried out at the Hum- boldt University Berlin, the private Universi- ty of Witten/Herdecke and, since the winter semester 2003/2004, at the Universities of Köln, Bochum and Aachen, on a “reformed medical curriculum” which, not least, abol- ishes the division between pre-clinical and clinical study sections.

Studies at Universities

Standard period of study: six years.

Practical experience/internships: Three months as a hospital nurse plus first aid training to be completed before the studies begin; if this practical training require- ment is met during the studies, then it must be completed at the latest in the non-

lecture period/recess before registration for the First Part of the Medical Examina- tion taken after four semesters of study (certain types of training may be credited). A four-month clinical traineeship/medical clerkship (Famulatur) must be completed during the non-lecture periods/recess between the First Part and the Second Part of the Medical Examination. This clinical traineeship/medical clerkship involves

prescribed minimum training periods completed at various facilities (hospitals, clinics, medical practices, public health service facilities, etc.). Furthermore, practi- cal exercises and block practical courses lasting between one and six weeks on key medical fields must be completed. Finally, the last year of medical studies involves the Practical Year (Praktisches Jahr) in which students complete 48 weeks in a hospital or clinic.

Studies:The new Approbationsordnung which came into force for medical doc- tors in the winter semester 2003/2004 in particular:

adjusts the studies to take account of changing requirements and standards in medical care. Besides delivering scientific principles, the studies also address coordi- national/interdisciplinary, general medi- cal, pharmaco-therapeutical and health- management questions;

interlinks theoretical and clinical teach- ing by continuously combining theory and practice throughout the studies;

delivers cross-disciplinary and case- related teaching with problem-oriented and interdisciplinary teaching of topic- related content which focuses on the patient;

introduces new study and examination topics, such as pain therapy, palliative medicine, emergency and disaster medi- cine;

provides practice-focused teaching at the patient bedside in the form of patient demonstrations in small groups with a maximum of six students and in the form of patient examinations with a maximum of three students.

To improve students’ general medical and coordinational/interdisciplinary skills and competences, studies and examina- tions will include a much greater propor- tion of general medical training. In addi- tion, students can choose to take general medicine as an elective in the Practical Year.

Degree:The first part of the (state) medi- cal examination is taken after two years of study. The qualifications gained in clinical subjects and interdisciplinary fields over the subsequent three-year study section are assessed by the universities on the basis of graded academic credits. These credits are also the prerequisite for admis- sion to the practical year, which is made up of study sections lasting 16 weeks each in Internal Medicine, Surgery, General Medicine or in another clinical-practical subject area. The second part of the medi- cal examination is taken after a total of 6 years of study.

Continuing education and training: After receiving their medical licence, physi- cians/medical doctors can take a course of continuing education and training leading to qualification as a general practitioner or train as a district physician or take a programme in another specialism or focus area.

Programmes in this field

Aachen TH • Berlin HU • Bochum U • Bonn U • Dresden TU • Duisburg-Essen U (Essen) • Düsseldorf U • Erlangen-Nürnberg U (Erlangen) • Frankfurt am Main U • Freiburg U •

Gießen U • Göttingen U • Greifswald U • Halle-Wittenberg U • Hamburg U • Hannover MHH • Heidelberg U • Jena U • Kiel U • Köln U • Leipzig U • Lübeck U • Magdeburg U • Mainz U • Marburg U • München TU • München U • Münster U • Regensburg U • Rostock U • Saarbrücken U (Homburg) • Tübingen U • Ulm U • Witten/Herdecke U (Witten) • Würzburg U

6.3 Nursing and Public Health Studies, Education