Integrated undergraduate and graduate university study of Medicine

Students of the Integrated undergraduate and graduate university study programme of Medicine in English language complete their studies by writing a graduation thesis and passing the graduation exam. Students do not have to defend their thesis publicly. However, the thesis is evaluated by the Graduation Thesis Evaluation Committee.

The graduation exam is organized twice in the academic year, in July and September. Students can apply for the graduation exam after passing all the exams of the study programme and receiving a positive grade for the graduation thesis.

The final grade is the sum of the average grade of the positively graded graduation thesis and the passed graduation exam. The student’s graduation date is the date of passing the graduation exam.

Psychological medicine is a clinical discipline that helps doctors and patients improve the ways to deal with the disease and the treatment process. This is important in all medical disciplines because no clinical practice can ignore the psychological and emotional reactions of patients and doctors. Psychological medicine emphasizes the position of the patient as an integral human being, in a specific social environment, through different life phases and in all life circumstances. The main goal of the course is to develop the sensitivity and understanding of the psychological aspects of physical illness and the ability to observe and recognize emotional interactions between patients and doctors.

Course objectives are: Understanding the relationship between patient – physician - disease; identifying the psychological components of the disease; explaining and defining transference and countertransference; assessment of the factors that shape attitudes towards the disease and the patient; explaining the significance of empathy; explaining the psychological reactions to the disease; explaining the psychological factors that contribute to the onset of the disease; explaining the psychological factors as the disease modulators.

Upon completion of the course the student will adopt communication skills and conduct an interview with a patient; assess and describe the psychological condition, symptoms of anxiety, stress, crisis, and mourning reactions; identify transference and countertransference reactions. 

Expected outcomes and competencies are: communicating with patients and colleagues and conducting medical interviews; identifying difficulties in relationship doctor-patient; identifying transference and countertransference phenomena; recognizing anxiety in a patient; recognizing the type of patient psychological response to the disease; identifying the patient's cope mechanisms.