Human Medicine

The studies of medicine last 6 years and are divided into two three-year stages: the Bachelor and Master degree programmes.

The Bachelor programme focuses on the basic medical sciences. In addition, students learn the basics of doctor-patient communication and clinical examination. They are sensitised to the psychosocial and social dimensions of their future professional practice.

The Master programme focuses on clinical experience. The University of Fribourg offers an innovative programme geared towards family medicine, at the heart of it is the interaction with the patients. Medical students are actively involved in their own learning process and are introduced to the challenges of the medical profession through interactive teaching formats, practical courses, guided self-study and integration into a clinical environment.

Every year, 120 students are admitted to the Bachelor programme and 40 to the Master programme. Inter-university conventions ensure that students can also continue their studies at Master level at the medical faculties in Basel, Bern, Lausanne or Zurich.

The Bachelor and Master degree programmes in Medicine at the University of Fribourg were accredited by the Swiss Accreditation Council in December 2021. The accreditation guarantees the quality of the programme in accordance with the requirements set out in the Medical Professions Act (MedBG) and the Higher Education Funding and Coordination Act (HFKG). The accreditation decision and report are published on the website of the Swiss Accreditation Council.

• Training goals and career prospects

  The training objectives of university training are defined at federal level in the Medical Professions Act. These have been formulated by the faculties in a "catalogue of learning objectives", which describes practical situations that a young doctor should master at the start of their hospital training.

  After successfully completing university education, students take the federal examination in human medicine. On passing, they can work as a clinical assistant doctor in hospitals and medical practices and begin further training to become a specialist doctor. Additional training is compulsory for doctors in private practice.

  The main professional perspectives are:

  • Independent practitioner: specialist in general medicine or in another specialisation

  • Medical doctor in an employment relationship, usually in a hospital

  • Medical doctor in research (university, industry, etc.)

• Freiburg: a good choice

  • Small cohorts from the first year of study and promotion of cooperation between students, due to admission restrictions

  • Broadening of horizons thanks to a bilingual degree programme

  • Inter-university conventions guarantee the continuation of medical studies in Fribourg or at four other Swiss universities

  • A Master programme geared towards family medicine with an innovative assessment system for a cohort of 40 students

• Mission of education in human medicine at the University of Fribourg

  The mission of basic medical education (BMed and MMed) is to provide the necessary foundations for the practice of human medicine in accordance with the requirements of the Medical Professions Act (MedBG). The Bachelor and Master degree programmes must contribute to the development of students' personality, self-care and social skills to enable them to meet future professional demands and to fulfil the various roles expected of a doctor. Students will need to be able to apply and continuously improve the competences required in their future professional activities. The BMed aims to provided students with the tools to continue their Master studies at the highest level of performance in the various programmes in Switzerland. By providing an in-depth understanding of primary care, the MMed aims to train future assistant doctors to pass the federal examination, pass their first years in the clinic with flying colours and develop a successful clinical career.