Medicine Schools and Programs in France

Medicine Studies in France

You can study medicine in France at the Université Francois Rabelais.

France has an amazing medical tradition that is recognized globally thus making it the best place to pursue one’s education and career in medicine. The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health oversee the admission and organization of medical studies in the country and the studies are carried out by the medical faculties of the learning institutions and cover both theoretical and practical aspects of medical studies.

Application for medical studies in France

The application process to a medical university in the country depends on where a student is from. If a student is from the EU/EEA (European Economic Area), he or she will not need a study visa and can send his or her application directly to the university of his or her choice. If a student is a non- EU/EEA member state, he or she will need a student visa which can be acquired either via Campus France or at a French consulate.

Studying medicine in France

Medical studies in the country are divided into three cycles; PCEM, DCEM, and other specialties or general medicine residency. These cycles lead to a State Doctor of Medicine Diploma. PCEM (Premier Cycle d'études Medicales) takes two years to complete. DCEM (Deuxième Cycle des Etudes Médicales) takes four years to complete. For students to proceed to the third cycle, they need to have finished the second cycle and performed well in the theoretical course exams. They also need to have taken part in all the required seminars and validated all in-hospital training periods. At this level, students get to do a nationally ranked examination which gives access to a specialty. The choice of the specialty is determined by the acquired rank. The third cycle is made up of two programs; general medicine or other specialties. Both lead to a Diplôme d’Études Spécialisées (DES: Specialised Studies Diploma)

Students who pursue general medicine are expected to do a 3-year internship and it includes a six-month placement with a practitioner and hospital service as well. The residency or internship for other specialties lasts for four to five years depending on the field. The DES programs can be followed by an additional specialized training program which leads to the Diplôme d’Études Spécialisées Complémentaires (DESC, Further Specialized Studies Diploma). This takes between twelve and eighteen months to finish. The DESC can be merged with a short thesis in medicine, leading to a global state diploma in medicine (MD).

General practitioners or specialists who have attained their medical degrees abroad can earn an advanced specialized or specialized diploma in France. These group of students have to register for the DFMSA (Diplôme de formation médicale spécialisée approfondie: Further Specialized Studies Diploma) or DFMS (Diplôme de formation médicale spécialisée: Specialised Studies Diploma) and the registration forms can be acquired from the cultural offices as France’s embassies.

Medical universities in France

Below is a list of some of the medical universities and faculties in France to choose from:

• Université Francois Rabelais, Faculté de Medicine
• Université Franche-Comté, U.F.R. des Sciences médicales et pharmaceutiques
• Université du Droit et de la Sante, Faculté de Medicine Henri Warembourg de Lille
• Université Denis Diderot, Faculté de Médecine Xavier Bichat
• Université Denis Diderot, Faculté de Médecine Lariboisiere Saint-Louis
• Université de Reims at Champagne-Ardenne, Faculté de Médecine
• Université de Poitiers, Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie
• Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Faculté de Médecine