Medicine

The Master of Medicine is primarily taught at Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) or affiliated institutions Theoretical and practical courses are integrated into clinical training modules and focus on clinical procedures and on learning and applying skills in a variety of disciplines, such as internal medicine and primary care, paediatrics, surgery, psychiatry or obstetrics and gynaecology. Some disciplines are crosscutting and studied throughout the programme (e.g. radiology, pathology, clinical pharmacology, forensic medicine and ethics). The third year of the Master´s programme is devoted to clinical practice during which students do rotations to strengthen their skills and gain experience.

Under the new Healthcare Professions Act (LpMed), exams are faculty-based, except those at the end of the third year of the Master´s, which are federal and standardized throughout Swiss faculties of medicine (Swiss federal medicine exam).

Academic calendar

Programme outline

Tableau cf brochure Etudier la médecine à l'UNIGE

Master of Medicine

Introduction to the clinical approach

First and second-year courses, 120 credits

Clinical training

Internal medicine; paediatrics; surgery; obstetrics and gynaecology; psychiatry; community medicine and primary care; otorhinolaryngology; ophthalmology; neurology; neurosurgery; dermatology; emergency and intensive care; crosscutting disciplines; dissertation

Third-year courses, 60 credits

Elective rotations (e.g. internal medicine, paediatrics, surgery)

Swiss federal medicine exam

The dissertation, worth 15 credits, can be based on a research project or case study in areas such as basic medicine, clinical medicine, public health or any other relevant field. Students are required to demonstrate their analytical and communication skills.

Mobility

During the first and second year of the Master´s programme, students may complete part of their clinical training abroad. Third-year students may do clinical internships at foreign hospitals (for up to five months). The Erasmus programme also enables students to do a three-month internship at another university. The Faculty of Medicine offers two-month internships in tropical medicine and international health, including in Cameroon and Nepal.

Career opportunities

Studies in human medicine prepare graduates for specific activities in numerous professional fields. Graduates generally begin their professional careers as junior residents, become senior residents (chef de clinique) in hospitals or outpatient centres, and often go on to do post-graduate work to earn an FMH (Swiss Medical Association) specialist qualification. Many graduates end up working in private or group practices, and some go on to careers in hospitals or at university.

But there are many other professional opportunities as well:

o Positions in international or humanitarian organisations

o Role of expert for insurance and health insurance companies, in connection with legal/employment issues

Positions in medical call centres

Medical journalism

o Research in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries

IT and medical statistics

o Non-clinical teaching/research at university

Contacts

Faculty of Medicine: Centre médical universitaire (CMU), 1 rue Michel-Servet, 1211 Genève 4

Student affairs:

Ms Stéphanie Bagnoud

T. +41 (0)22 379 50 15

Stephanie.Bagnoud@unige.ch

Ms Martine Pernod

T. +41 (0)22 379 50 13

Martine.Pernod@unige.ch

Ms Ariane Favre

T. +41 (0)22 379 50 12

Ariane.Favre@unige.ch

Academic advisors:

Mr Jean-François Balavoine

T. +41 (0)22 379 50 13

Jean-Francois.Balavoine@unige.ch

Ms Barbara Broers (Master 1st and 2nd year)

T. +41 (0)22 379 50 13

Barbara.Broers@unige.ch

Mr Philippe de Moerloose (Master 3rd year)

T. +41 (0)22 379 50 12

Philippe.deMoerloose@hcuge.ch

Level of French required Eliminatory general test for non-Francophones with the exception of the following cases Admission criteria A Bachelor in Medicine and Swiss or European nationality.