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Jacobs Mednat Program
 

Medical Natural Sciences - International Students


The Medical Natural Sciences program specifically prepares students for later studies in medicine at a German state university. This preparatory program combines modules in natural sciences, life sciences, and medicine with German language courses. The foundations in the natural sciences are laid in science modules, comprising a series of lectures in disciplines such as biology, chemistry, and physics with two corresponding lab courses. Students will also become familiar with basic concepts of life sciences and medicine in specialized modules. The medicine module will include an introduction to the German health care system. Students will be offered tailor-made German classes.

The Medical Natural Sciences program is a new program that has started successfully in 2015.


Program Structure and Content

Year 1
There are three mandatory modules in the MedNat program as listed below.

Intensive German I (CH17-IntGermI)
Intensive German courses are offered according to the language competency of the individual student. The first of these courses is already offered a month before the official start of the term. MedNat students who are not yet in Germany in August have the chance to take this course in the intersession between the first and the second semester. These two courses will be complemented by a lecture series on Germany and its regions which will introduce the new home country away from home. Students will not only get a introduction to Germany’s geography, but also historic perspective, and an introduction to the different stakeholders and organizations in Germany. Many aspects of everyday life in Germany will also be discussed.

Principles of Chemistry and Physics (CH05-PrincChemPhys)
The bi-functional module “Principles of Chemistry and Physics” provides an introduction to basic concepts of Inorganic/General Chemistry and selected topics of Physics. Two introductory lecture courses (“General Chemistry” (focus on atomic structure, stoichiometry, reactions, periodic table, gases, bonding, liquids, solids) and “Thermodynamics and Optics” (focus on thermodynamics from physics perspective and on basic optical phenomena and instruments) are complemented by laboratory courses (General Chemistry Lab and Thermodynamics and Optics Lab) to develop fundamental practical and experimental

Foundation in Medicine I (CH19-FoundMedI)
Two lectures will introduce students to Biology/Physiology and Anatomy by giving a comprehensive overview about these topics. Topics will include the design and built in Medicine, covering cellular architectures, communication in multicellular organisms, organ morphology and anatomic features of the human body. Two 2.5 ECTS lab courses will complement these lecturesby training students in key techniques in Molecular and Cellular Biology, and Anatomy, featuring amongst others dissection principles and techniques.


Year 2
Three mandatory modules are offered within the MedNat program.

Intensive German II (CO43-IntGermII)
As a continuation of Intensive German I, the language courses are offered according to the language competency of the individual student. These courses will be complemented by a 5 ECTS lecture series introducing the German Healthcare System (Das deutsche Gesundheitssystem). This will be a course completely taught in the German language. The different organizations and stakeholders in the medical sector in Germany will be introduced by experts from the relevant fields. This seminar will thus provide a concise overview of how healthcare is organized in Germany and provide MedNat students with all the required information to later work as medical doctors.

Cellular Biology (CO44-CelluBio)
Cell Biology is an introductory module giving a comprehensive overview about cellular structure and physiology. It will explain cellular architecture and organization and how cells need to interact and communicate in multicellular organisms. This module will thus provide insight into both, the organismal organization and specialization of cells as well as the underlying molecular processes, e.g., gene expression and intracellular transport. Two lectures are complemented by a 5 ECTS combined seminar and lab course in Histology (Histologie), offering practical training in key techniques applied in modern Histology. This German language based lab course is planned for the intersession between the 3rd and 4th semester.

Foundations in Medicine II (CO45-FoundMedII)
This addresses in two lectures Microbes and Infection, and Immunology respectively. It combines the fundamentals of microbiology with an overview about the human immune system. Students will learn how microbes act in the environment and on human health, and how scientists investigate and control microbial pathogens. The immune system will be explained and how it identifies and eliminates cancer cells, viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Immune evasion mechanisms of pathogens will be elucidated as well as therapeutic approaches. In a 2.5 ECTS lab course, students will learn to isolate, handle, characterize, and taxonomically identify microorganisms using classical and state-of-the-art technologies. This lab course in Microbiology (Mikrobiologie) will be taught in German, as will be the seminar Immunology (Immunologie), in which students train to address and solve immunological problems.


Year 3
There are two different options:

1. World Track
In the 3rd year students follow the World Track by default.
5th Semester

  • Internship at a Medical School.

6th Semester

  • Intensive German III
  • Foundations in Medicine III
  • Bachelor thesis


2. Campus Track
Students who do not enter the World Track follow the Campus Track.
5th Semester

  • Biomedicine
  • Choose courses (5 ECTS) from the Constructor University Track

6th Semester

  • Intensive German III
  • Foundations in Medicine III
  • Bachelor thesis