General Objectives

This programme of study provides students with the opportunity to receive high quality education in Medicine. The general programme objectives are to:

1. Train students to become highly competent physicians and equip them with the knowledge, skills and attitudes that will enable them to respond to the challenges of modern medicine.
2. Produce competent and caring graduates, safe to practise initially as junior doctors, and with the potential to develop fully their careers in their chosen branch of medicine.
3. Provide each student with the evidence-based knowledge and experience necessary to advance both scientifically and humanistically in the care and treatment of those who are ill including immediate care of medical emergencies.
4. Foster the development of lifelong commitments to scholarship and service toward individual patients and the community.
5. Encourage students to practise medicine holistically including ethical, legal, psychological and social considerations.
6. Promote health and wellness through disease prevention and research.
7. Contribute toward the establishment of Cyprus as a regional centre of excellence in medical education.

Programme Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Upon completion of the programme students should be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of the basic, clinical, behavioural & social sciences, ethics and jurisprudence which are relevant to the study of medicine and be able to apply such knowledge in clinical practice e.g. in health promotion, disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of the principles and practice of public health in both individuals and populations, and acquire the ability to implement appropriate measures, independently and with others in the promotion of health, the prevention of illness and the treatment of disease.
3. Demonstrate problem-solving, critical thinking, and analytical skills in basic and clinical sciences, including research and evidence-based medicine needed for decision-making in the practice of medicine.
4. Exhibit ability to integrate socio-economic and ethical issues along various phases in learning related to the practice of medicine and management/ treatment modalities.
5. Recognise the importance of the therapeutic nature of the patient-doctor relationship and the impact on that relationship of the individual characteristics of both patient and doctor.

Skills

Upon completion of the programme students should be able to:

1. Communicate clearly, sensitively and effectively with patients and their relatives, with colleagues from relevant multidisciplinary professions and with communities.
2. Impart appropriate, relevant and correct information to patients, colleagues and communities in a coherent and clear manner.
3. Listen effectively to patients, respond to their communication needs and explore their concerns and expectations.
4. Demonstrate competency in a range of clinical and investigative skills safely, sensitively, independently and with confidence, to a predetermined standard.
5. Demonstrate a logical approach to solving patient problems, from history data, physical examination findings and results of investigations, and use this information to make differential diagnosis and form management plans.
6. Keep accurate clinical records based on their own observations and communicate their findings to others clearly and concisely.
7. Demonstrate skills in the recording, organisation and management of information including the use of appropriate information technology.
8. Recognise and manage life-threatening conditions and provide immediate care of medical emergencies, including First Aid and resuscitation.
9. Prescribe drugs safely under supervision, including dosage calculation, prescription writing and administration
10. Critically appraise information extracted from appropriate information from a diverse range of resources, including library and on-line information (internet, intranet, on-line databases), with emphasis on evidence-based or best practices.
11. Recognise and fulfil the obligation to educate patients, colleagues and the communities.
12. Work with members of a multidisciplinary team and understand their own personal roles and responsibilities within the team, as well as those of the other healthcare professionals.
13. Show qualities of organisation, including prioritisation of workload and time management, with a sense of entrepreneurship.
14. Demonstrate strategies for preventing, and coping with, stress.

Behaviour

Upon completion of the programme students should be able to:

1. Ensure the care and safety of patients is central to their everyday practice.
2. Accept the moral, ethical and professional responsibilities involved in providing care to individual patients and communities, including concern for confidentiality and respect for individual autonomy
3. Respect patients, regardless of their lifestyles, culture, beliefs, religions, race, colour, gender, sexuality, disability, age, and social or economic status.
4. Respect the right of patients to be fully involved in decisions about their care, enabling patients and families to make informed decisions in relation to their treatment, including the right to refuse treatment or to refuse to take part in teaching or research.
5. Recognise own limitations, accept criticism when justified and know when to ask for help.
6. Adopt an empathic and holistic approach to patients and their problems.
7. Understand and uphold principles of honesty and trustworthiness.
8. Recognise a duty to protect patients and others by taking action if a colleague’s health, performance or conduct is putting patients at risk.
9. Behave in a professional manner at all times, by being punctual, reliable, honest, respectful, courteous, and well-presented.
10. Recognise the impact of your own health on your ability to practise medicine, and respond appropriately.
11. Keep up-to-date through self-directed learning and recognise that medical education is a lifelong process.
12. Work cooperatively as a member of a team, accepting and providing leadership as appropriate.

Innovative and Modern Curriculum

Accreditation

The MD programme is accredited by the Cyprus Agency of Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education (CYQAA).  CYQAA holds Recognition Status by the World Federation of Medical Education (WFME) and the MD programme is thus assessed against the rigorous standards for Basic Medical Education of WFME. The framework for WFME accreditation has been developed jointly with the World Health Organisation. This ensures that the quality of education is at an appropriate and comprehensive global standard.

This global mark of recognition enables our graduates to pursue a career in their chosen field of medicine around the world. For example, beginning in 2024, the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) will only extend certification to international medical graduates of medical programmes that meet WFME standards. ECFMG certification is required for international medical graduates to pursue residency in the United States and thus practice medicine. Students are advised to check with their own individual national authorities if they wish to practise in their own country. The Careers & Alumni Office provide individual student career support, starting as early as Year 1.

The MD programme meets, and exceeds, the requirements of the EU Directive on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications (2005/36/EC) enabling graduates to have their award recognised, and be eligible to practise in EU and EEA member states, following graduation.

You may also find the programme listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS).

Curriculum and Delivery

The curriculum of the MD Programme is innovative and is based on the most recent research in the field of medical education. In addition to compliance with the WFME standards, this curriculum has focused on the guidelines of professional bodies, such as the General Medical Council of the UK (GMC).

The MD programme is discipline-based and has been designed to encourage spiral learning. Topics covered in earlier years are revisited in subsequent years to build on prior experiences. The programme allows students to develop a strong background in the basic and biomedical sciences, during the pre-clinical years (Years 1-3). In parallel, the programme allows early patient contact through integrated clinical practice courses and short clinical placements starting as early as Year 2, which enable students to familiarise themselves with the clinical environment, in preparation for clinical practice years. The curriculum is additionally enriched by courses in social sciences, such as, medical psychology, medical ethics and medical sociology in order to allow students to practise medicine holistically, encompassing ethical, legal, psychological and social considerations. Year 4 represents an important transition point within the students’ learning experience. As part of Year 4, students complete junior clinical rotations which further familiarize them with learning in a clinical environment, in preparation for Years 5 and 6, which are almost entirely based in a clinical setting. Years 5 and 6 enable students to gain experience in all major areas of medicine. Furthermore, the MD programme places emphasis on interprofessional learning and education, which allows graduates to work effectively within multi-disciplinary teams for patient care.

The Medical School maintains a student-centred learning environment, which promotes the active participation of learners. The multitude of active curriculum delivery methods prepares the students to be life-long learners. The instructional learning methods utilized are based on well-founded pedagogical principles of medical education, including experiential learning, social cognitive theory, adult learning, self-directed learning, situated learning and learning in communities of practice.

The delivery methods used include large-group teaching, small-group tutorials, flipped classroom, clinical and communication skills sessions, role playing, workshops, individual and group work, laboratory practicals and bedside teaching. The MD programme promotes reflective practice and students are expected to maintain a reflective portfolio throughout the programme, which allows them to gain further insight from learning opportunities. The use of a wide variety of teaching activities ensures that the programme caters for diverse learning styles and needs.

Programme Structure

The programme is structured around 12 academic semesters over a period of 6 years. In each semester students are required to take 30 ECTS credits, completing 360 ECTS credits after 12 semesters of full-time tuition.

Years 1-3 (Basic Medical Sciences)

During Years 1-3 students gain knowledge in the basic medical sciences: general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, biology, anatomy, histology, biochemistry, physiology, genetics, microbiology and virology, immunology, pharmacology, medical genetics, general pathology, medical sociology, medical psychology, medical ethics, research methods in medicine and essential medical statistics.

Students also take courses in integrated clinical practice where they develop the important clinical and communications skills required for medicine. Under supervision, students will have the opportunity to meet selected patients in local hospitals and clinics to practise these basic skills.

Year 4 (Integrated Studies – Basic and Clinical Sciences)

Year 4 represents a transition year from preclinical studies to clinical studies.

During Year 4 students take courses in haematology, systematic pharmacology, epidemiology and public health, and clinical pathophysiology. They also carry out a research project.

Furthermore, the students take a course in integrated clinical practice in which they build on the clinical and communication skills they developed during the previous years. The students will visit local hospitals, clinics and the community to further practise the skills they have learnt and gain first-hand experience of how medicine is practised in these settings. Students take part in clinical attachments in medicine, surgery and primary care.

Years 5-6 (Clinical Studies)

The objectives of Years 5 and 6 are to provide students with extensive experience in the clinical environment, mainly in hospitals but also in the community, so that they can utilise their learning over the previous 4 years to practise their clinical, communication, diagnostic and reasoning skills on real patients, and to learn about the management of patients, from a medical, therapeutic, surgical, psychosocial and caring perspective.

Students take part in clinical attachments in Cardiology, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Respiratory Medicine, Thoracic Surgery and Breast Surgery, Gastroenterology and GI Surgery, Nephrology, Urology and Transplant Surgery, Rheumatology and Dermatology/Plastic Surgery, Neurology, Neurosurgery and Palliative Care, Psychiatry, Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Emergency Medicine and Intensive Care, Orthopaedics, Otorhinolaryngology & Ophthalmology, Therapeutics and Prescribing, General Practice and Geriatric Medicine.

Students also do a Clinical Attachment Elective, spending four weeks on a chosen activity or medical specialty of their choice. Students are encouraged to broaden their experiences by undertaking their elective in a different environment. This includes the option of going abroad for their elective.

Students remaining in Cyprus for clinical training will need an appropriate knowledge of Greek so that they can better communicate with patients. The Medical School provides Greek-language lessons throughout all years of the course to prepare students for this requirement.

Semester Breakdown

Assessment

The assessment in the six years of the medical programme is designed to thoroughly evaluate the knowledge and skills the medical students will need to attain to allow them to practice medicine.

In the six years of the programme we assess the students’ professionalism, academic knowledge and practical skills following the UK General Medical Council (GMC) recommendations for the three categories of outcomes, namely Professional Values and Behaviours, Knowledge and Skills.

Professionalism is assessed:

1. As part of individual courses (starting year 1)
2. By Workplace Based Assessments (WBAs) (in years 4,5,6)

Academic knowledge is assessed by:

1. Lab reports
2. Coursework
3. Written papers
4. Posters
5. Oral presentations
6. Midterm exams
7. Final exams
8. End of Year exams (EYE)

Practical skills (Clinical and communication skills) are assessed by Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs). OSCEs are practical exams that assess the students’ clinical and communication skills with involvement of real and simulated patients in a setting similar to clinical practice. OSCEs are marked by trained examiners, many of whom are clinically qualified.

The details of assessment for each year of the MD Programme are thoroughly described in the Scheme of Assessment which is available to the students upon enrolment on the programme.

Assessment of the Highest Quality

In the MD Programme several mechanisms are in place to ensure assessment is of the highest quality. All faculty of the MD Programme are trained to ensure the development of high-quality examinations. The exam papers are blueprinted against the curriculum and thoroughly reviewed by Internal Moderators and an Assessment Panel. The results of each exam are reviewed during Results Meetings.

The USMLE Step 1 Examination

The Medical School places great emphasis on ensuring that its graduates are highly competitive in securing the postgraduate training posts of their choice, based on the quality of medical education and opportunities afforded to students during the course of our programme. Students in the MD Programme have the opportunity to take the USMLE Step 1, although this is not a requirement.  For those students interested in this option, the Medical School provides resources such as one-on-one support for USMLE preparation as well as USMLE Step 1 Practice Tests, which are offered through the National Board of Medical Examiners. The questions in these practice tests are derived from the USMLE Bank of Questions, which is used to generate the official USMLE Step 1 Examination.

Admission Requirements

1. High School Leaving Certificate

High School Leaving Certificate with 90% overall score (Ί8/20 overall in the  Greek/Cypriot High School Leaving Certificate), to include similar grades in Biology and one of either Chemistry, Physics or Maths.

Or: GCE A’ Levels with grades ABB, to include Biology and one of either Chemistry, Physics or Maths, and one more subject.

Or: International Baccalaureate with 32 overall and a combined score of 16 at Higher Level, to include Biology and at least one of either Chemistry, Physics or Maths.

Candidates are reviewed holistically, so all grades will be reviewed including in Chemistry, Physics and Maths to ensure your knowledge and achievement in these areas meets the demands of our curriculum.

The Medical School may also consider applicants from other education systems. For any other qualifications please contact us so we can assess your eligibility.

Candidates who hold a Bachelor’s Degree in a field relevant to Medicine can be considered for admission to the first year of the course.

2. English Language Requirements:

6.5 overall in the IELTS (with 6.5 in writing and a minimum of 6.0 in all other elements),

Or: 79 in TOEFL iBT

Or: grade 5 in the GCSE (or B with the old grading system),

Or: a score of 5 in English in the International Baccalaureate Standard Level (SL),

Or: a score of 8 in English in the European Baccalaureate.

Students whose native language is English and who originate from the UK, Ireland, USA, Australia and New Zealand, are exempt from this requirement.

Students from English speaking provinces  in Canada are required to provide an official letter from their high school that confirms that the language of instruction was English. Otherwise, they are required to provide proof of their English proficiency as per our admissions requirements.

3. An online Interview

The objective of the interview is to establish whether you have the appropriate skills and attributes to complete the course successfully and to practise medicine professionally.

Applicants need to demonstrate through volunteer experience that they have an understanding of the biological, psychological and social dimensions of medicine to support their application displaying suitability for a career in medicine.

You will need to meet academic and non-academic conditions or requirements before enrolment, and a conditional offer may not be converted to an unconditional offer solely based on meeting minimum grade requirements. The Admissions Committee reviews applicants holistically throughout the Admissions process.

*Applicants from accredited Medical Schools, in good academic standing can be considered for transfer into the second or third year of the UNIC Doctor of Medicine programme. This opportunity will be based on a thorough review of the completed courses by an Academic Panel.

For more information, please contact [email protected]

Tuition and Living Costs

Annual tuition is €22,000 per year. Living costs depend on your lifestyle. Students doing their clinical training at our international partner institutions pay an additional supplement during the last two years of the programme, depending on the location.

For further information on the additional supplement, please contact [email protected]

On average, staying in Nicosia for the whole year will cost a minimum of €12,000.

In addition to tuition, the following fees also apply:

*Please note that the above fees may be subject to change.

Financial Assistance

Our Medical School has established a scholarship fund that is designed to assist students in partially funding their studies. Scholarships will be awarded based on demonstrated financial need and can cover up to 20% of tuition costs per year. Students from certain countries may be entitled to financial support from their home governments – our admissions team can advise further.

An applicant must first meet our admissions requirements, successfully complete the interview, and be offered a place, before they can apply for such a scholarship. If you are considering to apply, please review your offer letter for relevant deadlines to ensure you apply in a timely manner, to be considered for a scholarship.