Medical development in Europe and the EU, 4.5 credits

60 ECTS-credits from the Study Programme in Medicine

The objectives of the course
The main objective of the course is to give the student knowledge and insights in the medical development in Europe and particularly within the EU. Subjects covered include medical and public health problems, solutions, organizations, historical and future directions in regard in different regions of Europe. To present the leading health problems, major diseases and public health issues within the EU. Evidence based medicine will be introduced as a concept and the students will study the application of EBM in three different regions of Europe in a supercase within the course. Organization and function of the EU will be covered and a visit to the EU commission is included in the course. The course gives a concise introduction to international medicine.

Expected outcomes:
During the course the students should attain the following competencies:
* Know the major health problems in Europe at large (S2) and in more detail in the regions visited during the course (S3).
* Give account of the pathogenesis, prevalence and incidence, major clinical features, principles for treatment and prognosis for the most important major diseases in Europe (within the course syllabus) (S3).
* Describe the current efforts by EU and the visited regions health systems in combating diseases within the following categories: cardiovascular diseases, tuberculosis and HIV, traffic related trauma, suicide, obesity and the metabolic syndrome, selected malignancies, alcohol- and tobacco abuse and care for the elderly (S2-S3).
* Understand the organization of health care and social services socioeconomic factors of importance for health in the visited regions (S3).
* Understand the organization of medical education and the working conditions for doctors and nurses in each of the visited regions (S2).

* Understand principles for the organization and performance of medical research and leading current research fields in the visited regions as well as the principles for research funding by the EU (S4) and in some detail the principles for applications for research grants from EU (S3).
* Show basic competence to use official health databases within Europe (such as the EU health porta (M3)l and the WHO health database system (M2) as well as national health registers) (M2) and understanding of basic principles of vital statistics and evidence based medicine (EBM) (S3).
* Gain experience of hospitals in each visited region and personally attend clinical rounds and/or clinical demonstrations (M2). Meet health professionals, teachers and students from the respective regions (S2).
* Show basic insight in the cultural, social and economic realities in each of the regions (S3).

Course description:
The course is three weeks in four modules that can also be attended separately to some extent. The first part of the course is located to Karolinska University Hospital in Huddinge, Stockholm. It contains lectures, seminars, demonstrations and visits to clinical activities at the hospital and at the European Centre for Disease Control. This part of the course focuses on public health in Sweden and Europe at large, specific diseases of particular importance for public health e.g. tuberculosis, HIV, cardiovascular disease. An introduction to evidence based medicine and population statistics is included as well as lectures from medical- and research fields of particular interest at the Karolinska Institutet. The second part is located to a medical university in Kaunas or Berlin and includes lectures, seminars, demonstrations and clinical visits. Areas covered will be leading causes for disease in the area and profile scientific and medical areas for the visited university. At the end of this part the course is moved to Brussels and focuses on the EU and health issues within the union. Areas covered are research funding by the EU, health initiatives within EU as well as history and future plans for the union. The Bologna process and higher education directives are covered and the current issues relevant for the course will be covered depending on what is on the EU agenda at the time of the course. During the visit to Brussels also one of the medical universities in Brussels or the medical school in Gent will be visited. Finally during the fourth part the course moves to the southern European region by travelling to Florence and the University of Florence. During this period of the course seminars and lectures on public health issues and profile medical and scientific competencies of the university will be covered. The history of European medicine and the cultural origins of western society will also be a subject including visits to cultural landmarks. The final exam of the course is performed here. During the course the students perform a supercase focused on the use of EBM in the visited regions and also use official health databases in a supercase context.

Presentation of supercases on EBM to other students in the course and the teachers complemented with oral examination on each of the course objectives.

Obligatoriska moment:
All clinical demonstrations, visits, and seminars are mandatory. Lectures outside of Sweden are mandatory. In case of absense from a mandatory activity the course leaders will decide on adequate replacement activity.

Course-hours: Full time studies during 3 weeks. Some time for travel outside of course hours partly at students expense.