Academy of Silesia: The Medicine Curriculum

Six years in Katowice, fully in English: which subjects you take each year, where you train clinically and how you graduate as a Lekarz (MD).

Overview

Studying medicine at the Academy of Silesia at a glance

The Academy of Silesia in Katowice offers medicine entirely in English. The curriculum follows the Polish national framework curriculum for medicine, and clinical training takes place at teaching hospitals in Katowice and Zabrze.

Duration

6 years, 360 ECTS

Studies start in October.

Language

English

Plus Polish courses.

Pre-clinical

Years 1 to 3

Foundations and pathology.

Clinical

Katowice and Zabrze

Teaching hospitals in the region.

Internship year

In year 6

Rotations in the main subjects.

Degree

Lekarz (MD)

Medical degree recognised across the EU.

Tuition fees, recognition and life in Katowice are covered on the Academy of Silesia page.

Curriculum

The medicine curriculum year by year

Open a year to see its subjects.

Year 1: Foundations

Subject	Focus
Anatomy	Structure of the body
Histology, Embryology	Tissues and development
Biophysics, Chemistry	Science foundations
Cell Biology, Genetics	Cells and inheritance
Polish, First Aid	Language and emergencies

Year 2: How the body works

Subject	Focus
Physiology	Organ functions
Biochemistry	Metabolism
Microbiology	Pathogens
Immunology	Immune system
Polish	Medical communication

Year 3: Pathology and disease

Subject	Focus
Pathology	Organ pathology
Pathophysiology	Disease mechanisms
Pharmacology	How drugs work
Internal Medicine Propaedeutics	History taking and examination
Surgical Propaedeutics	Surgical foundations

Year 4: Clinical subjects I

Subject	Focus
Internal Medicine	Core internal medicine subjects
Surgery	General surgery
Neurology	Nervous system
Radiology, Dermatology	Imaging, skin
Infectious Diseases	Infections

Year 5: Clinical subjects II

Subject	Focus
Paediatrics	Child health
Obstetrics and Gynaecology	Women's health
Psychiatry	Mental illness
ENT, Ophthalmology, Urology	Smaller specialties
Oncology, Forensic Medicine	Cross-disciplinary subjects

Year 6: Internship year

Rotation	Focus
Internal Medicine	Ward and outpatient clinic
Surgery	Ward and operating theatre
Paediatrics	Children's hospital
Obstetrics and Gynaecology	Labour ward and ward
Psychiatry, Emergency and Family Medicine	Further compulsory rotations

Exams and graduation

How you are assessed at the Academy of Silesia

Subject exams

Every subject ends with a written or oral exam, in many subjects with a practical part.

Interim tests

Colloquia and tests during the semester show you early on where you stand.

Clinical exams

In the clinical years you are examined at the bedside and in practical station exams.

Graduation

After the internship year you receive the title Lekarz, the medical degree recognised across the EU.

FAQ

Questions about the curriculum at the Academy of Silesia

Do I need to speak Polish?

No, teaching is in English. You learn Polish in accompanying courses so that you can talk to patients in the clinical years.

Where does clinical training take place?

At the teaching hospitals of the Academy of Silesia in Katowice and Zabrze. There you learn in small groups directly on the ward.

How is the Academy of Silesia different from the Medical University of Silesia?

Both are in Katowice and follow the same Polish framework curriculum. The Academy of Silesia is a private university with smaller intakes; the Medical University of Silesia is a large state university.