Healthcare has continued to be one of the most aspiring higher education options for generations. And now, we can see those trends step over into international education too. Every year, scores of international students flock towards highly-rated medical courses in European institutions. From the UK to Turkey, and from Ukraine to Portugal, Europe has built a strong reputation for industryinclined degree programs, coming from internationally awarded/top research faculty, and a very bright career outlook. Interestingly enough, the course offerings are not restricted only to conventional medical science, but also extend to emerging fields of computational biology, genetic engineering, biotechnology, forensic sciences, clinical psychology, and healthcare administration.
Steeped in History
European countries have been considered to be hubs of medical research and education for centuries now. Tracing its history as far back as 1100 AD in Northern Italy, professional doctors and surgeons were trusted for everything ranging from tooth pain to complex surgeries. The focus of institutions in Europe towards medical study can be gauged from the fact that Leiden University, Netherlands, was one of the earliest destinations in the world to offer full-time medical courses, wherein students were required to submit a full-fledged research dissertation. Currently, there are 440 medical schools spread across Europe which have a student population of 70,000 individuals!
A Range of Universities
Europe is home to stellar medical institutions renowned for their repository of extremely well-designed degree programs catering to students hailing from a very diverse set of backgrounds. With names such as the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge as well as upcoming universities like Erasmus University in Netherlands, these institutes have an increasingly blooming Indian diaspora as well. Further, dual degree options combining multiple disciplines or offered through multiple universities also add to their international appeal.
Cost-Effective
Cities of Warsaw, Budapest, Kiev and St. Petersburg, amongst others are frequently named amongst the most affordable cities for student education and living because of their favorable tuition fee rates and other additional allowances. From health insurance to accommodation and travel allowances, to on-campus jobs, enrolled students enjoy a wide range of advantages. For instance, tuition fees for studying in Bulgaria comes out to be somewhere around US $5,800 to US$9,300 - an absolute bargain when compared to its more popular counterparts in the US & Canada. Moreover, there are innumerable scholarships offered by the European Union and national agencies that support international students during their education - like the Erasmus Mundus scholarship, DAAD, Chevening, and many more.
English-Taught Courses
A considerable amount of degree programs offered at European countries are either taught in English or a combination of English and a foreign language. This is a major contributing factor towards the growing interest of the international community. Moreover, universities offer language courses to support students' acclimate into a new environment as well as to aid them in the future occupation which may require interacting with students and other medical professionals. A lot of Pathways providers are making this experience even more engaging and beneficial for international students.
Unparalleled Emphasis on Medical Research
Throughout their history, European medical universities have had a strong inclination towards research - both in core medical areas as well as other multifarious novel & multidisciplinary fields. This shows not only in the peerless designing of Ph.D. courses but also throughout the levels of education, including but not limited to bachelor, masters. These courses have essential components of research projects, trainings, assistantships and options of fast-track pathways to a Ph.D. For instance, Nordic nations encourage students for the combined MD-PhD under a professor wherein a large part of studies is aimed at dissertation and paper publishing.
Flexible Entry Requirements
While a prior background in science-related courses is recommended if you wish to enter core medical courses like Bachelor of Medicine, a heavy majority of programs operate with highly flexible eligibility conditions. Fields like public health, psychology, health communication, healthcare management, international health law, health rights issues and a host of other areas are open to individuals from all qualifications and backgrounds. In addition to this, experience in the industry is also counted towards the evaluation of candidature.
"Europe is home to stellar medical institutions renowned for their repository of extremely well-designed degree programs catering to students hailing from a very diverse set of backgrounds"
Vibrant Career Opportunities
With several of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies such as Bayer, Roche, Novartis and GlaxoSmithKline, headquartered across European cities, students have ample opportunities to gain a practical edge. Additionally, Europe is home to some of the most noteworthy research organizations in the world like European Science Foundation, European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network, Pasteur Institute. These offer a range of avenues for vibrant career building, both in professional as well as research capacities.
Pursuing medical education in Europe is an enriching experience both in terms of quality of education as well as opportunities afterwards. It provides students with all the necessary ingredients for success, in turn, gearing them up for a rewarding career in the medical field.
Akshay Chaturvedi, Founder & CEO
Akshay is the Founder and CEO of LeverageEdu, which is transforming access to higher education and accelerating exponential career growth, by democratising mentorship. The platform has over a 1000 mentors who help kids with college admissions, career guidance, mentorship and more. Incubated in Tim Draper's Draper U, in Silicon Valley, Leverage Edu began operations in April 2017 and in a brief timeframe, has evolved as one of the leading companies in the Indian Ed-tech space, backed by two of India's leading VCs - DSG Consumer Partners and Blume Ventures.
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