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Preclinical study cycle
The pre-clinical study phase comprises the first two years of study. Here you will receive a solid education in the basic scientific and medical subjects.
Contents
The pre-clinical programme begins with the macroscopic anatomy course; as a first-year student, you will dissect a cadaver and learn about the structures of the human body. From the second semester onwards, the subjects of anatomy, biochemistry and physiology are taught on an interdisciplinary basis. For example, the topic "Cardiovascular system" is taught in a thematic unit of lectures, seminars and practical training in all three subjects and you will establish interdisciplinary and clinical connections.
You will gain initial experience with patients, anamnesis and physical examination during internships and in student-lead tutorials. At the same time, you will gain the theoretical and practical knowledge of medical psychology and sociology in lectures and seminars across all semesters.
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In Heidelberg, a great deal of emphasis is placed on learning examination techniques, anamnesis and the correct way to deal with patients right from the pre-clinical stage on. This means that preclinical and clinical content is interlinked from the very beginning. In addition, the teaching programmes and examination formats in Heidelberg are very diverse and innovative.
Teaching methods
The teaching methods in the pre-clinical phase of the degree programme include "traditional" lectures, practical exercises and seminars. You will also encounter innovative forms of teaching and examinations at an early stage, such as virtual teaching, peer teaching, problem-based learning, "alive anatomy" and internships in teaching practices.
Special features of the preclinical curriculum
The amount of material on the one hand and the limited practical work on the other are the challenges of this stage of the programme. The preclinical curriculum at Heidelberg Medical Faculty is therefore designed in such a way that practical units take place alongside theoretical lessongs and interdisciplinary teaching is emphasised. These different forms of teaching alternate. In sonography courses, communication training with standardized patients or lessons on patients, you can practise and immerse yourself in professional activities right from the start. Small groups of 20 students make this possible for each individual student.
The content of the pre-clinical programme is partly taught in an integrated manner. In the subjects of anatomy, biochemistry and physiology, there are joint lecture series in which organs and disease patterns are studied as a whole. These also conclude with integrated examinations at the end of the semester and thus prepare our students well for the first state examination.
HeiPrax A
The HeiPrax A practice programme of the Department of General Medicine and Health Services Research includes courses on career exploration and an introduction to clinical medicine. Within this programme, students are also introduced to practical medical skills in internshipts, seminars and tutorials. This is accompanied by the student-lead tutorial programme AaL Plus ("alive anatomy") over the first four semesters with seminars on anamnesis, physical examination and basic practical skills.
