Italy is a boot-shaped peninsula located in south-central Europe and surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. Its art, architecture, and culture have greatly influenced the rest of the world. The country is fairly wealthy, mostly thanks to tourism, for in prosperous years there are nearly as many tourists as citizens. The capital Rome is a favorite to many visitors and lovers of history and art.
Apart from the obvious reasons, Italy is the first choice to many international students also because of its affordable public universities. Students who have studied there say that both the professors and fellow Italian students are very friendly and helpful. Many students decide to pursue medicine in Italy, so in this article, we’ll talk about the best medical schools in Italy.
Can Foreigners Study in Medical Schools in Italy?
Yes. In fact, there are around thirteen universities in Italy that welcome international students and offer programs in English. Though the process of applying can be complicated and lengthy, with a bit of time and dedication you can make your way into one of these universities.
Even though it is widely known that Italian medical education is quite rigorous and research-oriented, it is far more affordable than other countries. For EU citizens the tuition per year won’t be more than 4000 EUR, and you can find much cheaper options too. In most cases, these rates apply also for non-EU citizens, but they should check and make sure before applying. Even if they can’t afford it themselves, there are many scholarships available. We should mention that all of the medical schools require the IMAT test for admission.
To familiarize yourself with how an international medical program works in Italy, take a look at this page from the University of Milan.
What is the most prestigious medical school in Italy?
The University of Bologna is often regarded as the most prestigious medical school in Italy ranking highly on many top universities list. However, according to rankings for medical schools, Milan-Bicocca (Bergamo) medical school is the best in Italy.
The school was founded as a collaboration between three universities: the University of Milan-Bicocca, the University of Bergamo, and the University of Surrey, England. The teaching method is considered quite different when compared to other medical schools in Italy. Here, they use a teaching methodology called PBL (Problem-Based Learning). It deals with boosting group collaboration and better team learning. It has also earned several medical achievements awards and its programs are designed in a way that has produced many great medical professionals.
Best Medical School in Italy
1. University of Bologna
University of Bologna (UNIBO) is one of the oldest universities in the world and it is often praised as an exceptional one. It has five schools, one of which is the Medical School. Here, the first three years are theoretical and the second three years are mostly clinical. The lab classes are held in the hospital and the rest of the classes in another building. There are two Italian groups and one English-language group with students from all around the world.
University of Bologna medical school is considered the best medical school in Italy. If this school is your choice, we would recommend you to start preparing for your IMAT as soon as possible, as in 2019, it was considered the sixth hardest school for non-EU citizens to get into.
2. University of Milan
This medical school in Italy has been founded primarily in 2010 as “MiMed”, as a collaboration of the University of Milan and the Humanitas Hospital. In 2014 the hospital established its private school and it was renamed into “International Medical School”. The first two years are pre-clinical and the following four are clinical. The school accentuates problem-based learning, where students work on real-life cases.
One-third of the program slots are reserved for non-EU students. The courses are in English and every student, in order to graduate, has to write and defend a final thesis.
3. Sapienza University of Rome
The Sapienza University of Rome has three main medical faculties, the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, and the Faculty of Medicine and Psychology. In order to proceed in the second year, all first-year students have to pass the following courses: mathematics, chemistry, physics , and biology.
One of the great advantages of studying at this medical school in Italy is that students are familiarized with laboratory work in the early years. This school highly values professional practice and experience, so students have the chance of participating in the hospital services of many hospitals of the educational network.
4. University of Pavia
The medical school at the University of Pavia, one of the best medical schools in Italy, has courses taught in English with the help of English Medical books, used in highly ranked schools in the UK and the USA. The renowned school is praised for its professors, most of which have dedicated many years to research work. Thanks to that, students can be assured that while studying here they will always be up-to-date with developments in the medical field.
Apart from being a degree medical school, the school also offers master’s programs in Medicine and Surgery. The degree is taken mostly in English and it is called Harvey.
5. University of Turin
The program at the medical school at the University of Turin is entirely English based, so international students don’t need to learn Italian, which is the case in many other medical schools throughout the country.
The medical program is done in the San Luigi hospital campus. On the campus, one can find emergency departments, hospitals, lecture halls, and world-class medical research laboratories. It also has several research groups and a special type of lesson where students discuss clinical cases with a course coordinator. The teaching methods and curriculum meet all international standards. Attendance is of great importance here and the testing is performed in writing.
I hope that this article on the top medical schools in Italy was helpful. If you are interested, visit the Medical School Category!
