Part 1 - UniPadova Medicine & Surgery
Timestamps
What Are the Timetables like?
The day starts early at around 08:00am until 12:30pm every week day. The 1st Semester starts October 1st, with the 2nd semester ending around June. There is no distinct time division between class and exam periods, however exams are usually held during certain seasons. There will be a total of around 6 attempts to do an exam divided between a winter and summer session. Professors decide throughout the year consulting with students what day to do an exam, based on polls that are spread.
What is the Clinical Experience like?
Padova starts their clinical experience quite early even if it is not directly working with patients. The time on the wards starts early in 1st year with a rotation in the radiology department, ensuring a separation of theoretical work and practical work quite early on. At the moment due to the pandemic their internships are online, but it is built into their timetables. These are usually scheduled in the afternoons a few days of the year.
How do the Exams Work?
University of Padova does their exams in quite a unique way compared to the rest of Italy. Their exams are completely written. Almost all of Italy operates on the modality of oral exams, including Pavia (all of their exams are oral starting in 3rd year), however Padova like with other things seems quite unique that all of their exams (so far) have been written. Additionally their written exams are done on computers in university instead of via paper and pen. 70% of the exams are multiple choice, whereas 30% will be open ended or essay style questions.
Does Padova do Cadaver Dissections?
It seems that Padova does actually do cadaver dissections which is an incredibly unique thing in Italy. It’s hard to confirm this at the moment as due to the pandemic students have not gotten a chance to do it yet, but they have been assured by the university that they will be doing a dissection eventually.
What are the Average Tuition Fees?
The maximum fees that would be paid to the university is around 2000 euro a year, however Veneto region and University of Padova are both incredibly generous with their benefits, scholarships, and grants. There are scholarships for almost any student, but even with no scholarships, the maximum fees work out to be 2000 euro a year which compared to the rest of Europe is quite cheap.
What are the Scholarship Options?
There are many merit based ones depending on average grades, but also many grants based on familial income. Padova University also rewards an incredibly high sum of money to the students who attains the top score on the IMAT amongst their applicants. We unfortunately cannot disclose the amount we were told, but we can assure you that the top scorer will be having a very comfortable lifestyle. Family income is proven via a document called the ISEE, and can not only help with a reduction in fees, but also an annual sum of money to be paid to students to assist with their living and eating costs.
How much does Student Accommodation Cost?
The university does offer some accommodation with public & inexpensive student dorms that students can choose from however it is very much tied to class performance and grades, so most students opt for private options. Private housing can range from around 250-350 euro a month for a shared room, while a small private house averages around 500 euro.
Class Dynamics & Quality of Professors
The classes are around 60 people with 90% of students being Italian and mainly locals to the Veneto region. The students are very helpful and collaborative, and try to speak English as much as possible, which can be problematic in some other universities. While the Italian or Veneto accent might be tough for international students with a lower level of English to understand, the professors can more or less always be understood, as they all have international experience.
Sports & Canteen Facilities
While there might be sporting facilities for university students, the English course is generally not too aware of them. Regarding canteen facilities, there is a canteen that offers food of high quality for cheap to students, and for absolutely free for students that have scholarships. There are also vending machines found in the buildings used for teaching.
Teaching Facilities & Libraries
There are plenty of libraries and study rooms open to all students to choose from so that you are not limited to your departments study facilities . The city has a diffuse campus so there are many to discover while walking around. There are very modernised labs all around the city, and state of the art histology labs for medical students to prepare for exams.
Concerns with Being a New Course
It is sometimes difficult being a brand new course, especially since there are no upper classmen to ask questions to or get advice from. Additionally there is no database of past exam questions to refer to when preparing and studying, but the overall collaboration from the class and clear communication from the professors of what’s expected during the exam makes this easier to navigate. Of course there are some really frustrating points like the fact that there is no course secretary or dedicated office to ask questions to or go to with problems, but class representatives and professors try to help as much as possible.
Part 2 - All about Padova City
Timestamps
How Did You Prepare for the IMAT?
Hakan had 2 years of experience before starting in UniPd as he previously attended a year of pre-med, and the 1st year of an English Medical Programme in a different medical school located in Hungary. While the science sections were fine, it was the logical section that made the biggest difference in the score. There are 3 books that were recommended that we will be writing an article on soon. As always it is highlighted and highly recommended to always solve past exam questions.
Why Study in Padova?
The population of Padova is almost 1/3rd made up by students, so is a massively student oriented city. There is a nice balance of city life without being too crowded or quiet. There is a lot to do with a lot less chaos so feels a lot more calm compared to a city, but not as isolated as a small village. Students who enjoy a calmer & smaller town aesthetic with the possibility to travel to bigger cities would be a perfect fit.
Do You Need to Know Italian?
There is no English level in Padova. Students need to learn Italian as soon as they get here. Of course there are people who speak English, but you cannot depend on it. The International community is quite nice considering it’s a massive student city and many erasmus students choose to spend a semester or year here. However learning Italian is a must, as it is not a touristic city, it is much more industrial and for students. Please start learning Italian now.
A Brief Overview of the City
It is a calm and reserved town as the people of the north, are a bit more reserved. There are plenty of activities to do and amenities such as shops, bars, restaurants, gyms etc. While is is a small city that isn’t very touristic, it offers amazing architecture and views. There are a variety of museums and churches to visit and take in the Italian scenery.
The Weather
The weather is more in line with the northern climate, being colder, rainier and duller year round compared to the sunny south, however the summers are nice and warm.
Getting around Padova
If you live in the city it is much more common to cycle everywhere, regardless of age as the city is covered in amazing cycle paths. Even car owners tend to take bikes everywhere they go, or alternatively you can walk to most places. It is however possible to get something called the Veneto pass which allows you to travel to other towns and areas found within the region such as a 40 minute train ride to the touristic city of Venice. There is also a tram that connects the urban areas of the town, with also many bus routes and taxis as a last resort.
Cost of Living in Padova (In General)
The cost of living is not on either end of the spectrum of high or low. The higher average of being located in the north is brought down due to the fact that it is not a big city, but being a part of a rich region in the North does mean that the cost of living is higher as the average wages tend to be higher as well. The price of housing varies massively between the size and number of people. A huge apartment with a living room and 2 rooms can be up to 1000 euro a month, whereas a shared room with another student which is quite common in Padova can be as low as 250 euro a month including utilities.
A Warning to Students Considering Italy
University life in Italy is a lot more isolated compared to other countries. There are not a lot of student societies, clubs or coordinated and planned events. While students are friendly and collaborative, the experience is a lot more individual instead of being pushed towards group connections especially once you leave classes for the day. Even local young people find it hard to integrate international people who don’t speak Italian into their groups.