University of Padova

The University of Padova is one of the oldest top universities in Europe. It was founded in 1222 to advocate and defend academic and teaching freedom. The best majors in Italy are physics, pharmacy, agronomy, veterinary science, industrial engineering, information engineering, psychology, economics, and statistics. Professor Galileo Galilei taught at the University of Padua in 1592-1610; Elena L. Cornaro-Piscopia graduated from Padua in 1678, becoming the world’s first female graduate. The University of Padua is the world’s leading research university: it has been consistently ranked as “the university with the highest quality research results” in two reports so far by the National Agency for Evaluation of Italian universities and research institutions (ANVUR). The number of academic articles cited by the university is in the top 10% among the best universities in Europe.

In the 2020 US News World University Rankings, the University of Padua is ranked first in Italy, 45th in Europe, and 116th in the world. In Times Higher Education University’s 2019 Impact Rankings, the University of Padua is ranked 16th in the world. In the latest 2020QS World University Rankings, the University of Padua is ranked 6th in Italy and 234th in the world and is among the top 25% of the world’s best universities.

The university currently has approximately 60,000 students enrolled, 3% of whom are international students. The university has 8 colleges, 32 departments, 80 undergraduate departments, 93 master’s departments, 31 libraries, 1 university hospital, and 1 experimental farm. On December 7, 2018, the Guangzhou International Sister Cities University Alliance was established in Guangzhou, and the University of Padua is one of the founding member universities of the alliance.

The University provides a one-of-a-kind learning environment that is intertwined with the town’s layout. Its research centers, departments, and schools are spread throughout the city, and its students make up more than a third of the population.

The University’s worldwide missions are supported by a large and vibrant international community of staff, students, and alumni. The university is a member of prestigious international networks, and its research and teaching projects include lecturers from around the world. Internationalized curricula and numerous studies abroad opportunities are available to students.

Medical School of Padova

The University of Padua is one of the oldest in Europe and looks back on more than 750 years of tradition. Its medical school is considered to be one of the best in Italy. Big names shape the university’s history: The English doctor William Harvey (1578–1657) discovered blood circulation and experimented on blood circulation. The Flemish anatomist Andreas Vesalius (1514–1564) and the German doctor Johann Georg Wirsung (1589–1643), who discovered the pancreatic duct, studied there.

The degree in Medicine and Surgery aims to raise the international profile of the medical doctor by utilizing internationally validated teaching methods and a gradual approach to clinical practice beginning in the first year. We plan to train a doctor with a holistic view of the human being, focusing on health promotion, preventive medicine, and global health.

Course Structure

First-year Courses

• Biological Molecules 1
• Biological Molecules 2
• The Building Blocks
• Cell Function, Cell Physiology, and Architecture
• Other Linguistic Activities
• Internship
• The Approach to Patients

Second-year Courses

• Biocomputing
• Principles of Basic Research
• The Human Body in Action
• The Nervous System
• The Human Body
• Infection and Immunity

Third-year Courses

• Therapeutic Molecules: General Properties
• Patient Visit and Medical Internship
• Diagnostic Testing
• Physical Signs and Clinical Methodology
• Infectious Diseases
• Mechanism of Diseases 1: Molecular Insight 
• Mechanism of Diseases 2: Organ Dysfunction
• Emergency Room
• Advanced Biomedical Technologies

Fourth-year Courses

• Blood Diseases and Clinical Pharmacology
• Clinical Rotations – Surgical
• Clinical Rotations – Medical
• Clinical Rotations – Neuroscience
• Heart and Lung Diseases
• Gastrointestinal and Urinary Tract Diseases
• Head and Neck
• Clinical Neurosciences
• Pathology
• Electrocardiogram Interpretation

Fifth-year Courses

• Mother and Child
• Muscle and Bones
• Internship for Medical License I – Medical Area
• Internship for Medical License II – Surgical Area
• Organ Transplantation
• General Surgery
• Soft Tissue Diseases
• Public Health
• Reconstructive Robotic Surgery
• Sutures and Surgical Techniques

Sixth-year Courses

• Clinical Oncology
• Internship for Medical License III – General Medicine Area
• Clinical Rotations
• Clinical Medicine

Admission Requirements

You can look at our “Admission Requirements for Medical Schools in Italy” article for detailed information.

Tuition Fee

As it is often said nothing is free even in free town, everything comes with a price. The same applies to you coming to the University of Padova to study medicine. Although there are fee waivers and several available scholarships. Nevertheless, you should a  good source of funding if you will be coming to the University of Padova to study medicine. You can look at our “Tuition Fee for Medical School in Italy” article for detailed information.

Student’s Life in Padova

You can look at our “Student’s Life in Padova” article for detailed information.

Tuition Fees

As it is often said nothing is free even in free town, everything comes with a price. The same applies to you coming to the University of Padova to study medicine. Although there are fee waivers and several available scholarships. Nevertheless, you should a  good source of funding if you will be coming to the University of Padova to study medicine.