University of Parma (Medicine)

3.25

IMAT

In the city of Piacenza, not Parma

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2nd Year Student at Parma

Review from: Teaching Level category
Overall, I would rate the quality of teaching and learning 4/5.

In regards to the level (and quality of education) I would say that this course has highs and lows.
For the most part lectures are delivered frontally, with the professor speaking and the students occasionally posing questions. In every course I’ve attended up to now, student participation, debates and questions have always been very well welcomed, if not encouraged.
In the first semester of the second year, many....professors have started including problem-based solving in their lectures, letting the class divide into groups of approximately 8-10 people and give a small presentation or speech at the end of the lecture to confront the ideas of each group between themselves and with the professor.
Some professors notoriously struggle more than others in giving presentations, the main problem definitely being the language barrier. One thing I’ve noticed is that the professors of more prominent subjects that “weigh” more in terms of CFU and therefore have longer courses (e.g., 120-130 hours) tend to have better English than those with smaller courses (e.g., 20-30 hours). Maybe it is just a coincidence, but it does make sense, because it grants a higher level of comprehension for subjects that are more difficult to approach in every medical school.
Every professor here likes to use PowerPoint presentations. Some prefer to have lengthy slides where everything they say is written down and they just formulate it differently when speaking and maybe add the occasional detail here and there. Some professors prefer to actually read from the slides without adding anything, this is unfortunately not very stimulating for the students and focusing on the lecture while the professor approaches the subject so passively is very hard, at least in my opinion. However, some professors definitely have a completely different style of teaching, with minimal slides that just present the topic, some pictures and a couple of sentences to briefly explain the basics. The rest will be explained orally, so these lectures are the ones worth focusing on because there is more chance of missing some parts.
The books are always very much recommended by the professors and they say exactly which books to take into account when studying at the beginning of the semester (first lecture of each course).
Almost every professor tends to post the slides in advance, so students can take notes on them in class, but that is at the discretion of the single professor. Asking for slides at the beginning of the course is advised.

Overall, I would rate the quality of teaching and learning 4/5.

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2nd Year Student at Parma

Review from: Exams category
occur mainly at three times of the year,

The exams take place in the exam sessions, which occur mainly at three times of the year, plus two extraordinary sessions in between. The regular sessions are in the months of February, June-July and September with the possibility to take every exam twice in the span of one month. The extraordinary sessions are in April and December, with just one possibility for each exam. That means that for every subject,....there’s the possibility to take the exam many times a year. There is no limit to how many times you can take an exam, but some are prerequisites for others. This means that a student won’t be able to access some exams until the previous ones that count as a prerequisite for it have been completed.
Since attendance is mandatory in medical school, attending class is to be taken seriously. If you don’t meet the attendance requisites, you won’t be able to access the exam.
So far, most exams have been multiple choice questions, with some also presenting open questions, the oral exams are not as frequent, although still present. This is as far as the course has gone now, which is the first and second year.
I found exams to be average, not extremely difficult, but definitely not easy. This also depends on the student’s learning methods and tools. The multiple-choice questions usually don’t have any point detraction for wrong answers and each question grants you one point. The time given for each exam is around one hour, but all of this information can vary based on the professor(s).
Some courses include learning objectives and some questions during the course or at the end, as well as mock exams to assess the level of students and show the exam type.
Exams are booked on the personal page of the student in a defined time span, on the same page results will be available, as well as a summary of every exam with date, grade and number of credits.
One can decide to accept or refuse the grade of the exam. Accepting means the grade will be written on your “libretto” which is the official document that states every grade you got in every subject until graduation, refusing means you’re not satisfied with the grade and have decided to take the exam again.
I would rate this 4/5.

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2nd Year Student at Parma

Review from: School Organisation category
I believe that the school could be organised better.

I believe that the school could be organised better.
When I enrolled I had 5 days, in which I was told (by a student that was already enrolled that I reached out to) I had to send an email to get them to "open my career" before being able to officially enrol. This process was very confusing and took a couple of days. It was very stressful but I....managed to enrol in the end.
If you were already enrolled in another university in Italy, you can decide to have the credits transferred to your current career, but that also takes weeks and it is not granted that everything will be accredited.
Lectures start and you have to make sure you take attendance for every lecture, in order to have access to the exams. There should be a gap between the lectures and the exams, but we don't really have it. Lectures end on January 31st and exams start the first week of February. It is quite frustrating because lectures start at 10.30 am and finish at 5.30 pm, so you don't have the whole morning to study, but you also don't have the afternoon time.
This means that your time management must be optimal for you to succeed.
I also think it is not very efficient that the exam dates are not automatically put on the website at the beginning of the course, but rather that students have to wait for them approximately until before Christmas break.
The bright side here is that every year welcomes 100 students at maximum capacity, so it is very easy to communicate problems and be taken into consideration.
I would also like to reiterate that the course is new and probably just needs a while to settle and get everything functioning smoothly. Some measures are already on their way to make the experience smooth and easy for everyone.

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2nd Year Student at Parma

Review from: The City category
Piacenza is not a very big city, so it is easy to go around.

Piacenza is not a very big city, so it is easy to go around. You will see many people (especially students) walking or biking everywhere. In the school court there's a few bike racks too, so people decide to come to class by bike and leave it there, locked. Coming to school on foot is also a very common and safe option, although the school is quite far from the....city centre so it might be a long walk for some. Since the university for our course is directly in front of the Cattolica University, there is a bus stop right next to school and another one on the other side of the road.The bus you want to take to get directly to the lecture building is called MB. From this year, the school and the public transportation service of the city of Piacenza have made an agreement, making the subscription fee for the bus available at lower prices for the students. The subscription, as well as tickets for the bus can be bought at the bus station not far from the city centre, but you can also pay with a contactless card on the bus or buy a ticket with coins. The single ride costs 1.50 euros.
Buses connect the city pretty well and are usually on time or slightly late. The bus service stops at night, after 8:30 pm. From that moment, you can call a service called "tuobus", which will provide you with a minibus, you can pay the same fee as the regular bus if you don't have a membership; however if you do, the service will be free.
The weather in Piacenza is extremely humid, as it is close to the biggest river in Italy: fiume Po. This means that it is really cold in winter and really hot in summer.
The downsides of the city are that it can be unsafe, especially at night, I would strongly recommend staying in the city centre at night and/or avoiding isolated areas.
The night life is also very faint, even though it is a city full of students and universities. There are a few bars and clubs that you can go to but nothing too much. It is an old city and it doesn't have much to do.
I would say it is not a very expensive city for Italy, definitely not like Milan or Rome.
I would rate Piacenza 3/5.

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2nd Year Student at Parma

Review from: University Services category
I like to bring my own lunch to school

Personally, I don’t go to the cafeteria because I like to bring my own lunch to school, but many of the students go to the cafeteria daily and have lunch there. You can decide among a selection of first and second courses (you can also have both), as well as a drink and fruit. This costs around 5-10 euros for the single lunch based on what you decide to have.....
There is not a gym in the university, but there is a gym that allows students to have a discount on the monthly fee. Most students decide to go there because the discounts are very convenient.
Since Medicine and Surgery takes place in Piacenza and not in Parma, most of the activities for the students, as well as the teams, are not available in the city. However, from the train station in Piacenza, you can reach Parma in half an hour, more or less. The campus there has many services.
Although the University doesn't have a public library, Piacenza has one public library, which is called Biblioteca Passerini-Landi. This library is quite big, with different rooms on two levels. There is a quiet room with tables and electric outlets. In this room there must be silence and noise is not allowed, so it is not recommended to go there as a study group. The rest of the library provides rooms that allow groups and noise a bit more (as much as a library can tolerate noise!), all these rooms have electric outlets and various spots. The library is open almost everyday from 9 am to 9 pm, but times can vary based on national holidays. I suggest checking on google just to be sure. The library can be very full at certain times of day, so it is not always granted to find a spot, as students from all universities go there.
I rate the services 3/5.

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2nd Year Student at Parma

Review from: Population category
Italian people tend to be friendly and welcoming

Italian people tend to be friendly and welcoming, however, not everyone in Italy knows English. This is especially seen around older people, who haven't really learned English in school; younger people also present this issue very often, knowing little English, especially if they don't study in an international course in school/university.
Generally, the cities that offer Medicine and Surgery courses are used to having students from all over the....world, so people in stores have some knowledge of English.
In Piacenza, there are many international students, as it is the city of other universities such as Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and Politecnico di Milano.
The main issue would probably be when finding an accommodation, since many renters are private and some of them are not very fluent or are elderly people. Having a landlord that doesn't speak a language that you understand can be tough, but the official services like banks, post offices and everything that an international student might need have English-speaking employees.
Looking at the bright side, Italians want to be understood and will try to put together some English or make themselves clear in some way, so communicating might be hard sometimes but not impossible.
Another thing that I would like to mention is that I've noticed that in my year, everyone is very open to help other students, so Italian speakers will make calls for/ go alongside the international students to appointments or events. Medicine and Surgery in Piacenza is a very warm and kind environment among students.
The student office and the secretaries at the University also show kindness and helpfulness towards students, while enrolling and after, following the process and issues that may arise for each student. The two secretaries available, as well as the professor who is also President of the Medicine and Surgery course, are all very fluent in English and very helpful.
I would rate this a 4/5.

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2nd Year Student at Parma

Review from: Accommodation category
There are a few accommodations available in Piacenza.

There are a few accommodations available in Piacenza.
Since there are many students from multiple universities, people often look for flats/flatmates. There are some WhatsApp groups in which international students post news on accommodations, as well as other useful info and questions of general interest. The main source of updates for flats and people looking for someone to share their place with is Facebook groups.
If you’re looking....for a place you can also look on websites like www.idealista.it or similar ones that provide apartments for rent. Some places here are managed by private renters, others are under the organisation of an agency. Remember that if you go through with the contract when an agency is involved, you will have to pay a fee that is usually the same amount as one month of rent. But it is also a safer option because you’re more safeguarded.
Dorms are also a very common option in Piacenza, there are many. Dorms are usually provided with private rooms and bathrooms for every host, while the kitchen and common rooms are for everyone to use. Prices for a dorm are usually around 300 euros per month, utilities included (light bill, gas bill, water bill). Prices for a flat usually float around 500 euros per month, the utilities in this case are excluded, so you have to take care of the bills yourself. Obviously many people decide to split the rent with flatmates, so the overall cost per person doesn’t surpass the dorm’s cost by much. Usually at the entrance of the lecture hall there is a table where you can find a list of all the dorms and messages of people who are looking for someone to rent their house to or flatmates. You can also find notice boards around sometimes.

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Cole Faulkner’s Review – First Cycle in Parma

Review from: Teaching Level category
we are challenged with difficult content

I will give the level of education a 4, because we are challenged with difficult content and we have a lot of expectations for us while still being reasonable. The professors have very impressive CVs and they are very well respected in their field, the language barrier can sometimes prove to be an issue but for the most part the professors can speak English well enough or the University will....scout for international professors from all over the world. I find that the lessons can be a bit slow paced but I am a native English speaker so maybe it is just me. The presentations are usually enough to study from without the book in some courses, however there is always 1-2 profs who forget to translate their slides or don't upload them on time, etc... Most lessons are clear but they can be a bit difficult to follow because we can have up to 6 hours of the same lesson per day (ex. 6 hours of anatomy), so towards the end it is difficult to follow and the professors are also tired. We have also been told that our University is seen as one of the more difficult medical programs in Italian, so it is reassuring to know that the University is known for its rigorous teaching.

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Cole Faulkner’s Review – First Cycle in Parma

Review from: Exams category
For the most part, the exams have been fairly reasonable.

For the most part, the exams have been fairly reasonable. There are some classes (ex. genetics and molecular bio) where everyone has struggled to pass however I think that this is one of the exceptions. There are 9 different exam sessions over the year and if you fail an exam you just rewrite it at a later date. This gives us flexibility but if you are not careful they can....quickly pile up. Being the first year in the course and during covid, we had a bit more disorganization than normal. We had online exams the first semester that was written, then we had some written in person, and starting from the second-semester first year, the exams become mainly oral. This can take some getting used to but the professors are generally fair and give you a chance to show what you know. Another thing that students may not be used to is that some questions are non-negotiable to pass, meaning if you cannot answer a question that is supposed to be straightforward and essential, even if you get everything else right then you may not pass (Why? The professors explained by saying: You cannot be a doctor if you do not know about the heart). Anyways, just to summarize I would say that the exams are generally fair, and any issues arise from lack of communication between profs and admin, but this will be smoothed out since it is only the course’s first year.

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Cole Faulkner’s Review – First Cycle in Parma

Review from: School Organisation category
There is the normal way to organize things, and then there is the Italian way.

There is the normal way to organize things, and then there is the Italian way. I would give the organization a 2 out of 5, and some may even see this as generous. Any medical student in Italy will soon learn that they do things differently here, they seem to care more about the little things like making sure your documents are in perfect order, and then for other things....they are not so organized with, like sometimes we get an email at 10:00 am that a class at 10:30 am is cancelled, and the professors all live an hour away in Parma, so you would think that they would know much sooner. I know that this is a common theme around Italy, however, it is something I am not used to coming from abroad. One thing I will praise is that the administration for our course is in Piacenza itself, and if you need to make an appointment with them, you can find them right beside the lecture room. They are very welcoming to students who need help.

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Cole Faulkner’s Review – First Cycle in Parma

Review from: The City category
The city is pretty charming, the buildings themselves are super nice and the city center is really nice,

The city is pretty charming, the buildings themselves are super nice and the city center is really nice, they host a lot of events here (ex. markets twice a week). The buildings are usually pretty old though, and the thin walls and poor insulation can really make the extreme heat or cold feel 10 times worse. The social life is what you make of it, in the first year I....was kind of bored, but the more connected you become, the more you will see the various events going on. You can usually find live music on weekends, and Friday nights with around 100 people standing in the centre outside bars with a drink, and there are a few discos around depending on how far you want to travel. The costs of going out are actually kind of expensive compared to what I have seen in some places in Italy. There is a student night Wednesday with some discounts for students but usually, a beer is 5 euros and cocktails are 8-10 (not the most expensive but there is for sure cheaper in other places). The weather is not great, the winter is extremely cold and dark and the summers are hot due to how humid it gets. Having good heating and air conditioning is almost a must. The public transport is alright, it can be a bit confusing but it is not too expensive (120 euros per year with a student discount). You need to be careful though because they take paying for the bus very seriously and they are handing out fines for even simple mistakes. Overall I would give the city a 3/5.

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Cole Faulkner’s Review – First Cycle in Parma

Review from: University Services category
Pretty bad

We have a Mensa (cafeteria) that is run by the private University across the street. It is alright, maybe a 3/5 in terms of food, but it is clean and reliable. The building where we eat can be found to find places as we get more and more students. In terms of University facilities, I can only give a 1 out of 5. We have no University campus only classrooms,....so we have to pay extra for mediocre gyms, and we have no other sports facilities. We don’t even have our own library, we go to a single library in the centre that is often full (but is nice if you can find a spot). We also struggle a bit to use facilities like this outside of school due to our long hours in class (you are lucky if you can get 2 hours in the library before it closes at the end of the day).

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Cole Faulkner’s Review – First Cycle in Parma

Review from: Accommodation category
I live in a monolocale (1 room apartment with kitchen and bathroom)

I live in a monolocale (1 room apartment with kitchen and bathroom) and the prices are generally between 400-550 euros a month for this type of accommodation. If you do not mind roommates then you can easily find something between 300-400 a month. The rent isn’t bad but the utilities are extremely expensive, and they can range anywhere from 60-120 for electricity bimonthly, and an additional 40-150 bimonthly for gas.....If you are sharing an apartment, this is split but might be higher. The city is cheap usually for rent but other than that it can be pretty expensive. The quality is generally alright but as mentioned before the walls are very thing and the insulation is poor, so winters are cold and loud neighbours can be frustrating (I have an opera singer in my building and I, unfortunately, get free concerts). Overall I rate the accommodation 3 out of 5.

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1st Year Parma Student

Review from: Teaching Level category
Some of them only consist of graphs and microscopic pictures

Professors use PowerPoint or pdf formed presentations in the lectures. some of them only consist of graphs and microscopic pictures and some contain every detail mentioned in the class. So when studying, you have to be careful whether the professor adds things on the PowerPoint or only reads from them. because they ask whether it is on the materials provided or not. the materials that we use in the lectures....are uploaded to a system of Universita di parma called 'elly'. you log in with your university credentials and there you can see extra videos, PDFs, and ppts used in class. some professors add more questions or readings to elaborate on topics such as histology professor adds quizzes for every subject so that we can get ready for the finals. most of them upload the PPTs just before class so that we can take notes. For statistics, we mostly use online systems and solve questions together (systems like Kahoot but more professional ones). For the main courses like histology, genetics, and molecular biology the English levels of professors are pretty much adequate. for classes of 1CFU, the professors tend to have more emphasized accents and have a hard time explaining some complex questions. but the administration informed us that in the upcoming years, the English adequacy will be checked thoroughly. Classes start around 10:30 am every day for first-year students and end at 5:30 pm every day. we get to have an hour of lunch break in between 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm. Classes are 3 hours long but most professors tend to give breaks every hour or hour and a half. We tend to have the same class for the morning and afternoon classes for example histology for 6 hours or genetics for 6 hours. classes with fewer credits tend to have only 1 class instead of 2. Chemistry would be in the morning and physics would be in the afternoon. We are not given assignments to do other than one project we did for public health class. the first semester is focused on learning the basics of everything such as chemistry or applied biology. we take around 7 to 10 classes in the first semester and in the second semester we focus deeply on the medical classes such as anatomy.

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1st Year Parma Student

Review from: Exams category
Examinations for first year students are written exams.

The questions are not simple and you need to study the details to be able to pass. we usually take each class as integrated modules so if you fail molecular biology you also fail genetics. you take both exams at the same time. integrated modules can be tough sometimes because some of them include 3 branches of subjects and you have to do 3 exams in a day. good thing....about is that they take the weighted average of the classes inside the modules so you have a good chance to cover up your bad examination mark with a good one. we are allowed to take an exam 9 times per year but the examination dates for different classes are usually on the same date so we need to choose which one to take first (which eliminates a date out of 9 classes).
we register to the exams on our own portal and before registration we must do a survey rating the professors and how well the course was managed.

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1st Year Parma Student

Review from: School Organisation category
The organization is scary!

but this is not my first time seeing this problem. I also went to Tor Vergata in Rome and they had the same problem so I believe it is more of a general disorganization rather than the school itself.
we only have one student secretary which is definitely not enough for 300+ people. but the good thing is that they are trying to solve the issue for next years.....the registration process is quite confusing and slow. most people had to wait weeks in order to get their personal university emails and passcodes. we are usually not informed until the last minute and the timetables of second semester are not uploaded any time before it starts so we cannot plan ahead of time.
they have told us that next year it will be better as we have just moved to our new building palazzo portici. they have better rooms and equipments now to actually organize themselves so we are hopeful at last.

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1st Year Parma Student

Review from: The City category
I am absolutely in love with the city

It is a small and pretty safe one. you can find most of your needs in the city center or you can order online it will be delivered to you fast. the public transportation surprised me in a good way because after visiting many cities I was pretty sure that the busses were arriving whenever they want. but in piacenza, nearly all of the busses are on time and....you are able to check their place online as well.
the bus card for annual subscription is moderately expensive 245 euros but with the student unipr discount you can get it to 120 euro for the year. most first year students are unable to get the discount on time as they arrive after christmas and the validation date for the discount passes.
there are not a lot of pubs or clubs but there are a few that all students hang out in. there are parties that students organize such as pre exam party or post exam session parties.
if you have adequate italian, there are lots of activities to do in piacenza.
rents have a range from 300 to 700 according to where and how well the building is. it is a cold area of italy so you burn a good amount of gas so your gas receipt may be pricy in the winter.
there are around 3 to 4 dorms for students. collegio morigi dorms are the best quality out of most but their price range is a bit higher than the other dorms. they have two buildings which one is old and one is newly renovated.
there is also a catholic church dorm available as well.
there is one library in the center but it is nearly always full so it is not a dependable option.
like myself, I prefer to use the study room in the dorm.

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1st Year Parma Student

Review from: University Services category
Half of the building is still on construction!

we have just moved to our new building called palazzo portici. the half of the building is still on construction so we dont have anything other than the classes at the moment. we have a coffee and drinks vending machine.
we are allowed to go to the cattolica's lunch service and caffeteria which is 1 minute walk as we are right next to them. it costs a lot to....eat (7 euro per meal which is expensive if you eat everyday). most students bring their own lunch to eat in the break time.

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1st Year Parma Student

Review from: Population category
I can go around in piacenza safely without a problem of language.

people in piacenza are lovely. most stores have at least one server who knows English.

1st Year Parma Student

Review from: Accommodation category
Super safe, clean, organized, and quiet.

I live in san vincenzo collegio morigi. it is the best dorm out there. super safe, clean, organized, and quiet. we have a small gym, a quiet study room, and a mensa where we can have lunch. the lunch is included in our rent and it it quite tasty and have lots of options including vegetarian diets. we do also have salads and drinks. most students including myself cover our....bottles of water from the mensa. you are allowed to take the food in your plates and eat it later in your rooms.
the washing machines cost 3 euros and they are 10 kilos of clothes. there are also drying machines which cost 4 euros but most students own their own drying racks.
there are single, double and double-single rooms avaliable in the dorms.
double- single rooms are duplex rooms with an open space. your roommate stays in the second floor and you are in the first or vice versa. you have a living room like enterance where you put the drying racks, shoes, and coffee machines etc of your own. some people even put sofas there. you have your own bathroom. the entrance to the building plus to the rooms are by card so purely safe option.
the bills and costs of everything else is included in the rent. for the double single room the rent is 613 euros with tax included. for the single room solo it is about 650-670 and for double room in one room is around 570 euros. the current prices can be checked by their official website.

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The 50+ Club – IMAT 2024 Online Course, Live Classes and Personal Coaching
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Located in the charming city of Piacenza, the University of Parma is a recent addition to the Italian academic landscape, having started operations in October 2021. This came as a surprise to many students who were previously unaware of the university’s existence. Despite being a new player in the field, the University of Parma has already started attracting students from around the world, particularly for its Medicine and Surgery program, which is taught in English. In fact, Cole, one of our very first students who passed the International Medical Admissions Test (IMAT), is currently studying Medicine and Surgery at the University of Parma. Cole has shared his experience with the university on our website, and you can find his review here.

Studying at the University of Parma is a unique experience, and we have collected information from various sources to bring you a comprehensive guide to this exciting new institution. The University of Parma has lecture halls in different locations around the city of Piacenza, which is a hub for academic excellence, rich cultural heritage, stunning architecture, and exquisite cuisine. Parma is also home to some of Italy’s most celebrated universities, and the University of Parma is quickly establishing itself as one of the top institutions in the country.

To help you make an informed decision, we spoke to Cole, who gave us some insights into his experience studying Medicine and Surgery at the University of Parma. According to Cole, the university has state-of-the-art facilities, excellent professors, and a supportive academic community. He also highlighted the university’s commitment to research and innovation, which he found inspiring.

In the following sections, we will take a closer look at the admission requirements, academic programs, campus facilities, and student life at the University of Parma. We will also share some student reviews to give you an idea of what it’s like to study at this exciting new institution.

Parma IMAT Minimum Scores

YearMinimum Score (Non-European)European Scores (First/Last Round)
2020N/AN/A
202135.5First: 44.5 / Last: 35
202241.9First: 44.4 / Last: 35
202350.1First: 37.6 / Last: 35.3
Parma IMAT Minimum Scores

How Many Seats are Available for Medicine in English at Parma?

If you’re considering studying Medicine and Surgery at the University of Parma, you may be wondering how many seats are available for international students. The good news is that there are quite a lot of seats dedicated to international students, making it an attractive option for students from around the world.

As a new university, the University of Parma is not as competitive as some of the more established institutions in Italy. This, coupled with the fact that there are a significant number of seats available for international students, has allowed for a lower admission score than some other universities in Italy.

For the Medicine and Surgery program taught in English, there are 60 seats available for European students and 40 seats available for non-European students who want to study in Italy. This allocation of seats allows for a diverse student body, with individuals from different backgrounds and nationalities coming together to study at the University of Parma.

It’s important to note that the admission process is competitive, and meeting the minimum admission score requirements does not guarantee acceptance. However, with a significant number of seats dedicated to international students, the University of Parma is an excellent option for those looking to study Medicine and Surgery in English in Italy.

In the next section, we will take a closer look at the admission requirements for the Medicine and Surgery program at the University of Parma.

The History of The University of Parma

University of Parma

Parma, a Roman colony since 183 BC, has always had political importance due to its central geographical position. During the Byzantine period, it assumed the name of “Chrysopolis,” and it was a fruitful event for Europe since it constitutes the premise of the Palatine Schools, the first contribution to the cultural and political renaissance of the West. There were already schools of liberal arts in the city of Parma in the early Middle Ages showing a propensity for deepening the legal culture. In the 11th-12th century, prominent masters and students from Italy and beyond the Alps flocked to Parma. During the 14th century, with the crisis of the municipal institutions and the affirmation of various lordships, the Studium suffered heavy repercussions. With the advent of the Farnese family, there was a great revival of cultural policy in 1545, and the studium was endowed by Ranuccio I with enormous means, privileges for teachers and students, efficient structures, and institutions that saw their maximum splendor in the 18th century. Today, the University of Parma is a prestigious institution with a focus on agriculture, engineering, medicine, and humanities, among others.

Admission requirements for the Medicine program at the University of Parma

If you’re interested in studying Medicine and Surgery at the University of Parma, it’s important to understand the admission requirements. To study Medicine and Surgery in English at the University of Parma, you will need to pass the International Medical Admissions Test (IMAT). However, if you want to study Medicine and Surgery in Italian, you will need to pass the TOLC-MED exam. It’s important to note that the admission requirements can vary depending on the program and language of instruction.

For the Medicine and Surgery program taught in English, passing the IMAT exam is a requirement for admission. The IMAT exam assesses the general knowledge and skills required for a career in medicine and is designed to be a fair and objective way of assessing candidates’ abilities. The exam covers topics such as biology, chemistry, physics, and critical thinking.

If you don’t speak Italian, we recommend that you focus on the English-taught Medicine and Surgery program. This is because most universities in Italy share professors between the Italian and English courses of Medicine. This means that you will have access to the same quality of education, regardless of the language of instruction.

In addition to passing the IMAT exam, you must also translate documents and apply online. We discussed these steps on our website. Just check the “entrance exam” section of our menu to find out more. 

In the next section, we will take a closer look at the academic programs offered at the University of Parma.

Medicine at UNIPR: Course Structure

The University of Parma started its Medicine and Surgery program only in October 2021, which makes it the second year the course has been in operation. While it’s hard to predict what the future will bring, we have gathered some information about the current course structure from Cole, a second-year medical student at the University of Parma.

According to Cole, the first two years of the Medicine and Surgery program at the University of Parma are focused on pre-clinical subjects such as biochemistry, anatomy, histology, physiology, and pharmacology. These subjects lay the foundation for future studies in Medicine and Surgery, providing students with the fundamental knowledge and skills required for a career in healthcare.

The third and fourth years of the program are focused on clinical rotations, where students get hands-on experience in hospitals and healthcare facilities. During this time, students work with patients, observe medical procedures, and learn from experienced medical professionals. The fifth year is particularly unique, as it is dedicated to studying healthcare systems in other countries, with opportunities for training abroad later in the sixth year. This is a valuable experience that is exclusive to the English-taught Medicine and Surgery program at the University of Parma.

This focus on healthcare systems in other countries is particularly interesting for international students looking to pursue a career in Medicine and Surgery, as it provides an opportunity to gain a global perspective on healthcare. The training opportunities available in the sixth year also provide a unique opportunity for students to gain practical experience in a foreign healthcare system. We are curious to see how this experience will better prepare international students for post-graduate options and specialization training applications.

The Medicine and Surgery program at the University of Parma is taught in English, which can be beneficial for international students looking to pursue a career in healthcare. The program’s structure is designed to provide students with a well-rounded education, combining theoretical knowledge with practical experience in a clinical setting.

The University of Parma’s Medicine and Surgery program is a comprehensive and well-structured course that provides students with a thorough education in the field of healthcare. Here’s a breakdown of the course syllabus and organization:

Semesters 1-3: Morphology, biochemistry, functions

Semester 4: Pathophysiology of diseases and Clinical microbiology

Semesters 5-9: Clinical disciplines and related biomedical technologies

Semester 10: Public health, organization of healthcare systems (in Italy and also countries outside of Italy), reasoned medical therapy, and clinical risk management

Semesters 11-12: Completion of the curricular internship and the qualifying internship + preparation of the degree thesis

Now, let’s take a closer look at the syllabus of the Medicine and Surgery program at the University of Parma:

1st Year – The first year of the program is focused on building a strong foundation in the fundamental knowledge and skills required for a career in healthcare. Students will cover topics such as physico-chemical bases of life, cells and tissues, statistics, research methodology, molecular biology, genetics, and genomics.

2nd Year – In the second year of the program, students will begin to focus on more specialized areas of Medicine and Surgery, including human physiology, immunology, microbiology, disease pathophysiology, clinical microbiology, pharmacology, and biomedical research.

3rd Year – The third year of the program is focused on laboratory medicine, endocrine, metabolic and gastrointestinal diseases, neurological sciences, psychiatry, hematology, oncology, respiratory diseases, allergology, cardiovascular diseases, and biomedical technologies.

4th Year – During the fourth year of the program, students will study clinical immunology, rheumatology, nephrology, urology, musculoskeletal disease, rehabilitation medicine, dermatology, plastic surgery, geriatrics, and functional patient management.

5th Year – The fifth year of the program is dedicated to public health, international health systems, economics, internal medicine, clinical pharmacology, clinical risk management, pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology, pathology, forensic medicine, and occupational medicine.

6th Year – The sixth and final year of the program is focused on practical training and research, with students completing three clinical rotations in internal medicine, surgery, and community medicine. Students will also prepare a thesis, which is an essential component of the degree.

As you can notice and mentioned before, an interesting aspect of the Medicine and Surgery program at the University of Parma is the focus on studying healthcare systems in other countries during the fifth year, followed by opportunities for training abroad in the sixth year. This unique experience provides students with a global perspective on healthcare, which can be beneficial for those pursuing a career in Medicine and Surgery.

In the next section, we will take a closer look at the campus facilities and resources available to students at the University of Parma.

Practical Experience & Clerkships in Parma

The University of Parma’s Medicine and Surgery program is designed to provide students with a well-rounded education that combines theoretical knowledge with practical experience. The program places a heavy emphasis on hands-on experience, with required clerkships starting as early as the second year. Students will gain experience in a range of healthcare settings, including biomedical research, general medicine and surgery, pediatrics, and gynecology.

One unique feature of the Medicine and Surgery program at the University of Parma is the opportunity for students to complete clerkships abroad. During the sixth year of the program, students can spend a period in European health facilities, with specific agreements activated for this purpose. While it’s unclear if these clerkships are entirely unique to the University of Parma, it’s clear that the program’s emphasis on studying healthcare systems in other countries during the fifth year provides a valuable foundation for this experience.

Here’s a breakdown of how clerkships are structured over the six years:

  • 2nd year: Internship in biomedical research (Biomedical Research Clerkship)
  • 4th year: Clinical internship in general medicine and general surgery (Clinical Rotation 1)
  • 5th year: Clinical internship in pediatrics and gynecology (Clinical Rotation 2)
  • 6th year 1st semester (Clinical Rotation 3): This period can be spent in European health facilities with which specific agreements will be activated.

Fees and Grants Offered for Parma UNIPR Students

The fees for the Medicine and Surgery program at the University of Parma range from €150 to a maximum of €2625, depending on factors such as family income and academic merit. However, the university offers scholarships and grants to help students cover these fees.

According to a pamphlet summarizing the details of the program, there are 100% fee-covering grants available to students who need them. Scholarships are also available, depending on the student’s family income or academic merit, which can reduce fees to nothing.

To estimate the fees for a student, the University of Parma uses an ISEE amount, which is equivalent to the Economic Situation Indicator. All students who wish to request a reduction in the amount of university fees and contributions must complete the application on the ER-GO website before November. Applications will not be accepted after the deadline.

Conclusion

The University of Parma’s Medicine and Surgery program is a unique and exciting opportunity for international students looking to pursue a career in healthcare. With a focus on hands-on experience, a well-rounded education, and the opportunity to complete clerkships abroad, the program provides students with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the field of Medicine and Surgery.

If you’re considering applying to the University of Parma’s Medicine and Surgery program, be sure to check out the reviews from current and former students on their website. With information on minimum admission scores, campus facilities, and student experiences, the reviews can provide valuable insight into what it’s like to study at the University of Parma.

We hope this article has been informative and helpful in your decision-making process. If you have any further questions about the Medicine and Surgery program at the University of Parma, be sure to reach out to the university directly for more information.