Study Medicine in Austria: 7 Things You Should Know

It is amazing how many children when asked what they want to become when they grow up, will mostly say that they would want to be a doctor. This proves how doctors are the most popular role models of children because of what they are doing or basically because of their job description. In children’s eyes, medical practitioners, especially doctors, are heroes and saviors because they heal the sick and save people’s lives. This is when children’s mind takes over as they idolize their heroes, eventually telling them to follow the career path of the people they look up to. Now, you can see the impact of how being a professional could also become the solution to increase the current number of professionals.

But, even though being a dreamer is enough to pursue what you want, you must also have the dedication and commitment to finish whatever you have planned on starting. Getting on the career path of medical studies will need most of your time and you should be committed and flexible to attend to it. Aside from these, if you want to be a proper medical professional, you got to have the best and widely diverse education that you could get. The next question would be where should you find that education. Many countries could offer you the best medical courses that you could think of and one of those countries is Austria.

Among the countries in Europe, Austria is one of the leading countries in the field of academics and research as told by the world university rankings in Europe. So, this is the best country to take your first step in your medical career if you want to be successful. Not only the quality of education but also the state-of-the-art facilities and modern equipment available and ready to be used for all students. So, here are some of the things and tips about studying medicine in Austria that you should know if you want to pursue your dreams in the country.

1. Can you study medicine in Austria as an international student?

Very much so! In Austria, foreign students especially those who are in the field of research are very much welcome to study medicine in Austria. Particularly in the field of medicine, there are global universities that even offer scholarships to help the students with their finances. Moreover, many universities in Austria are part of the Erasmus+ program where many students from around the world get to experience education offered in Europe and invite them to pursue their further studies in the continent. There are many global medical universities in Austria and some of those are the Medical University of Vienna and the Medical University of Innsbruck.

2. How do you enroll in Austrian medical schools?

Usually, the requirements needed to submit to study medicine in Austria is a lot similar to the requirements need for studying other fields of study in Austria and other countries. However, some of the documents that you will need to send may vary according to your nationality and what country you are from. Still, there are absolute documents that they will be requiring from you like a copy of your passport or birth certificate, the records of your previous academic background such as report cards and the certificate that you graduated, and of course the application forms that you need to fill out online and admission fees you need to pay.

Moreover, studying in Austria, particularly in Vienna, requires the student to learn German. If you are an international student and you are not familiar with the language, aside from the courses in your curriculum, you will be required to add German classes for a year.

3. What do you learn in Austrian medical schools?

The components of a common medical curriculum in a medical degree program in a university in Austria include the structure of the medical degree, clinical training or clerkship, and lastly, clinical internship going to residency. Just like other curricula in medicine, the period or number of years to study in medicine in Austria is six years or twelve semesters. For the first weeks or semesters, the curriculum will tackle the basic knowledge and introductions of several branches of medical science. As the years pass by, the curriculum will progress into more complex concepts and will enter the clinical training programs. In summary, the clinical training will compose of 18 weeks of clerkship and another 48 weeks of internship.

4. In what language do you study medicine in Austria?

The language of instruction in some of the medical schools in Austria is English but most of the universities in the country require students to be proficient in their local language, German to study medicine in Austria. Most of the university official websites included that international students who wish to study any course in Austria, in general, must have the knowledge to converse in German. One university with this requirement is the Medical University of Vienna.

5. How many medical schools are in Austria?

There are only a few medical schools that can be found in Austria, mainly because a university in the country must be eligible to teach medicine before they could offer anyone a degree in that field. Currently, the total number of global medical schools in Austria is seven. This is a small number compared to other countries but since the demand for health professionals was very high, it is expected to rise.

6. How difficult is it to study medicine in Austria?

There is no exact percentage record of the dropout rate in Austria but they have approximated that it is at most 9% of the total population of medical students in the country, including international students. In contrast, only a few of these students have dropped out of their degree programs. In the usual cases, these students have only delayed their studies because of some factors that affected their studies.

7. How do you practice as a doctor in Austria after studies?

As you attain your medical degree from your university in the country, you will need to apply to register to the General Medical Council in Austria if you want to work and be a medical practitioner in the country. Of course, to verify your eligibility, you will need to take a licensure exam. If you pass that final obstacle, you will then be considered as a Doctor of Medicine and further your studies if you want.

 

I hope that this article was helpful. If you are interested, visit the Europe Scholarships Page.