University of Messina

What you'll study

The Medicine and Surgery programme is an integrated curriculum that balances pre‑clinical scientific training with extensive clinical experience. Teaching typically covers the biomedical foundations in the early years and progressively moves to hospital‑based rotations, clinical skills and supervised internships.

• Pre‑clinical modules: anatomy, histology, physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics and cell biology. These provide the scientific basis for later clinical reasoning.
• Translational and systems medicine: pathology, microbiology and immunology, pharmacology, clinical biochemistry and laboratory medicine.
• Clinical core: internal medicine, surgery, paediatrics, obstetrics & gynaecology, psychiatry, geriatrics, emergency medicine, anaesthesiology and intensive care.
• Primary care and public health: community medicine, preventive medicine, epidemiology and health promotion with attention to regional and rural health needs.
• Clinical skills and professional development: early patient contact, simulation‑based training, communication and teamwork, clinical reasoning and medical ethics.
• Research and final project: training in research methods and biomedical statistics, leading to a final dissertation or equivalent project work required for the integrated master degree.
• Structure: the programme is delivered over six academic years with a mixture of lectures, small‑group tutorials, laboratory practicals, problem‑based learning and progressively longer clinical placements in affiliated hospitals and community settings.

Entry requirements

Admission to the Medicine and Surgery programme is selective and follows the national regulations for access to medical degrees in Italy. Applicants should be prepared to meet academic, language and regulatory requirements:

• Secondary school qualification: a recognised high school leaving certificate that qualifies the holder for university admission in their home country (for Italian students the Esame di Stato or equivalent).
• National entrance test: successful performance in the Italian national medical admissions test required for access to medicine degree courses (the national medico‑scientific admission procedure).
• Language competence: proficiency in Italian is required because teaching and clinical placements are carried out primarily in Italian; international applicants must demonstrate adequate Italian language skills or complete an accredited language pathway.
• Health and regulatory checks: fitness to practise declarations, immunisation requirements and any background checks required for patient contact and placements.
• Additional documentation: certified transcripts, identification documents and proof of any equivalent qualifications; specific documentation for international applicants (Visa, residency requirements) where applicable.

Career prospects

Graduates receive an integrated master degree in Medicine and Surgery which is the standard qualification to proceed to professional registration and postgraduate specialist training. Typical career pathways include:

• Clinical practice: hospital doctor roles and primary care; after graduation candidates normally sit national licensing requirements and then apply for residency (Scuola di Specializzazione) to become consultants in a chosen specialty or general practitioners following the appropriate residency pathway.
• Specialist training: entry into competitive specialty training programmes in surgery, internal medicine, paediatrics, obstetrics & gynaecology, emergency medicine, psychiatry and other disciplines.
• Academic medicine and research: roles in clinical research, teaching or pursuit of doctoral studies and research careers within university departments or biomedical institutes.
• Public health and healthcare management: positions in local and regional health authorities, preventive medicine, occupational health and hospital administration.
• Alternative paths: medical education, medical consultancy, pharmaceutical and biomedical industry roles, and international health organisations for graduates with additional qualifications.

Why study at University of Messina

The University of Messina offers medicine students direct clinical exposure through its network of regional hospitals and the university's affiliated teaching hospital, providing a high level of patient contact across diverse clinical settings. The programme emphasises practical skill development through simulation facilities and supervised internships while embedding training in public and community health relevant to the Mediterranean context.

Students benefit from a faculty with clinical and research expertise, opportunities to participate in locally‑focused research projects, and a learning environment that integrates small‑group teaching and hospital‑based mentorship. The campus location also supports clinical placements across a range of urban and rural services, preparing graduates for practice in both hospital and community settings.