Medicine

The curriculum leading to the Doctor of Medicine degree at the Zagreb Medical School comprises mandatory general premedical courses, as well as four major groups of professional courses in basic medical sciences, pre-clinical medicine, clinical medicine and public health. When compared to other medical schools in neighboring countries, our advantage is an early integration of public health and health management courses in the undergraduate studies curriculum. Along with regular academic courses, electives are carried out solely by studying significant problems in medical practice. As far as the teaching is concerned, the focus has shifted from lectures to other, more practical forms of teaching, such as practicals, seminars, demonstrations, consultations and clinical audits, where students gain experience in clinical settings, as well as at the facilities of local health centers. Integrated case-based modules (special study modules) have also been included in the curriculum.The study of pre-medical disciplines comprises an introduction to the physical, chemical and biological bases of life, whereas in basic medical courses students acquire knowledge and understanding of the structure and function of the human body. The program of pre-clinical courses comprises the understanding of disease mechanisms, studying their effects and causes on cadavers, drug action and the approach to and examination of patients. The clinical courses focus on various diseases, methods of their detection (diagnosing), prevention and therapy. Relevant to public health courses are matters concerning environmental and social health factors together with the physician’s role in the prevention and treatment of diseases. Students also gain insight into elementary research methods, statistics and medical informatics.Professional ethics is given special coverage throughout the whole course of study with a separate course offered in the third year. Students are required to learn the Croatian language during the first two years in order to be able to communicate with patients at the clinical stage of their study.In the final diploma exam taken at the end of the study, prospective physicians are expected to have gained knowledge and understanding of the most common diseases, their treatment and the patients’ rehabilitation.