Causes of Diseases

Causes of Diseases concerns that part of the educational programme in which you acquire your medical knowledge. The programme has an integrated structure and consists of different themes. Each theme covers 3 to 4 weeks and focuses on a different clinical picture. This clinical picture is presented at the start of the week in a patient lecture. All the knowledge needed to understand the origins, treatment and progression of a medical condition will be discussed in that week accompanied by relevant practicals in anatomy or physiology. Under the supervision of a tutor, 10 students work together to deepen their medical knowledge. Each theme is concluded with a partial exam.

In the first year of the bachelor's degree programme, you will obtain a comprehensive overview of the medical field: all major fields of medicine are broached in the first year, including cardiology, nephrology, geriatric medicine, immunology and endocrinology. Moreover, this first year includes a care internship and a scientific internship each lasting two weeks. A lot of time is spent on the basic subjects and you will have to pass a Basic Life Support course. At the end of the first year, you must have obtained at least 45 out of 60 credits to meet the requirements of the Binding Study Advice.

In years 2 and 3 of the bachelor’s degree programme, deepening in medical knowledge takes place. The first semester of year 2 focuses on internal medicine and oncology. Autoimmune diseases and the development and treatment of tumors are discussed. The content of the second semester is introduced by the departments obstetrics, gynaecology and pediatrics and concern the first 1000 days of a child. Elective education also takes place in year 2 and you can choose how to complete this educational part. For example, you can participate in a course in Anesthesiology or Neurosurgery and attend surgery. There is also a possibility of an individual project and you can decide in which medical discipline you want to delve further.

In the first semester of year 3, you will study the structure and physiology of the nervous system and you will learn about neurological and psychiatric disorders. The acute medicine and the bachelor project form the final piece of the bachelor in semester two of the 3rd year. This will prepare you for your transition to the master. The bachelor project offers you the opportunity to work on a – possibly self-invented – medical research question in collaboration with some of your fellow students. It is possible to carry out a bachelor project abroad. During your bachelor project you will be supported by a (medical) specialist and / or a researcher with knowledge in the field. You will write a bachelor's thesis and translate the results of the study into a relevant medical product. You will present the product in the Academic Theatre to the academic community and it can be selected for practical application.