Each country has its own curriculum. We tell you how it is in seventeen nations of the world.
However, it is also true that studying Medicine goes hand in hand with dedicating several years of our lives to pursue a very demanding and, in certain aspects, difficult university career. That is why its duration can vary depending on the country: being such a complex preparation; It is possible to distribute its contents in more or less years, depending on the criteria of the university systems of each nation.
In this article we will see how long the medical career lasts according to the country in which we are, with some comments about the characteristics of the training program for future doctors typical of each region.
How many years does the medical degree last (depending on the country)?
In the following lines you will find the years of duration of the Medicine career, reviewing the cases of the Spanish-speaking countries with more population and some of the non-Spanish-speaking countries with a greater economic power.
Of course, keep in mind that normally finishing the career of Medicine is not enough to practice as a doctor, but you have to continue studying and doing practices. In general, if we add up all the years invested in the career, internships and specialization programs, in all countries it takes more or less the same to be able to practice with guarantees: between 11 and 13 years.
1. Spain
The duration of the Medicine career in Spain is 6 years, but that is not enough to practice as doctors. To do this, we must add the passage through the MIR (Resident Internal Doctor), a selection process based on an exam after which you are doing an internship in the National Health System in Spain.
On the other hand, to specialize in a specific branch of Medicine you have to study for a period that is equivalent to studying a university career from scratch: between 4 and 5 more years.
2. Mexico
In Mexico there is a certain heterogeneity in the duration of the Medicine degree: in most cases it can be completed in 6 years , but in some of them it is done in 7.
Then, it is possible to specialize by opting for different professionalization programs, which last from 2 to 4 years (less in the case of Neurosurgery, which lasts 5).
3. Colombia
The duration of the Medicine degree in Colombia is from 6 to 7 years , that is, from 12 to 14 semesters.
This training path includes a final internship stage, although to specialize it is necessary to continue studying, which usually means spending another 3 or 4 years to continue learning through regulated training.
4. Argentina
In order to get a degree in Medicine in Argentina, you have to study for 6 years .
This period goes through several cycles. The first, biomedical, is based on learning the basics about the human body and its most basic and general functions and processes. The second, the clinical, focuses on training to treat specific ailments and diseases. The last one is the rotating annual internship, in which practices are carried out.
5. Peru
The duration of the Medicine degree in Peru is 7 or 8 years , divided into 4 years of Degree and then another 3 or 4 studying at the School of Medicine. After going through this stage, the specialization lasts for about 3 or 4 years.
6. Chile
To complete the Medicine degree in Chile, it is required to study it for 7 years , to which we must add another 3 of specialization in one of the branches of medical practice.
7. Venezuela
The case of Venezuela is similar to that of Spain in terms of the duration of the Medicine university degree: it lasts 6 years, with some exceptions in certain universities .
8. Bolivia
To finish the university degree in Medicine in Bolivia, the minimum number of years is 6 . After this, it is time to specialize for about 4 years.
9. Ecuador
Let us now turn to some relatively small countries in Latin America. How long does the Medicine degree last in Ecuador? About 5 and a half years , although in practice it is very normal to require more time to complete it.
10. Cuba
Cuba is a country recognized for the quality of its doctors. Well, to complete the university degree that prepares us to be doctors, it is enough to complete it in 6 years , relatively little. Of course, before starting university there are preparatory courses that last more or less a term.
11. Paraguay
The duration of the degree in Paraguay is 6 years (the last one is based on internships), although to this we must add the stage of specializations.
12. El Salvador
In the case of this small Central American country, many practical contents are incorporated into the university course, which lasts about 9 years .
13. United States of America
The American university model is special, because it is divided into two stages: one in which subjects with general content are learned, the Bachelor’s Degree, and then the university degree that prepares us for that profession to which we want to dedicate ourselves specifically.
For this reason, the Medicine career in the USA consists of studying the Bachelor’s Degree for 4 years, then another 5 years to obtain the title of General Medicine , and finally it is necessary to dedicate between 2 and 4 years to specialize in some branch of Medicine. . In total, between 11 and 13 years will have passed. It is never a long time for a profession with so much responsibility.
14. Germany
The duration of the Medicine course in Germany is 12 semesters and one trimester . This learning program is divided into a block of pre-clinical studies and another block dedicated to the clinical context and which includes internships for one year.
15. United Kingdom
The university program required to become a doctor in the UK is similar to the Spanish one, and also takes 6 years .
16. France
The French university system to become a doctor is very demanding and competitive, and the duration of the Medicine degree in France is 9 years just to obtain the title of General Medicine. To this must be added the years of specialization.
17. South Africa
In South Africa, the degree can be completed in 5 or 6 years, to which must be added another 3 years of practice in the clinical context, and then the specialization period of another 3 or 4 years.
References
- Feingold, M. (ed.) (2013). History of Universities, 27(1), Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Lindberg, D. (1992). The Beginnings of Western Science. University of Chicago Press.
- Prioreschi, Pliny (2004). A History of Medicine: Byzantine and Islamic medicine. Horatius Press.
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