Programme in Medicine

The program leads to a medical degree that qualifies graduates to apply for a medical license from Socialstyrelsen. During the program, students acquire the knowledge and skills required to work as licensed physicians and become well prepared for foundation training and specialist education. Furthermore, the program provides the basic eligibility for studies at the doctoral (research) level.

General eligibility and Biology 2, Physics 2, Chemistry 2, Mathematics 4 or Mathematics D, or Biology level 2, Physics level 2, Chemistry level 2, Mathematics continuation level 2.
Other entry requirements are specified in the respective course syllabus.

The program leads to a Degree of Master of Science in Medicine.
The courses within the program have medicine as their main field of study.

The Medical Programme comprises 360 credits, divided into three stages, and is structured around semester-based courses. Teaching is conducted at the undergraduate level during the first six semesters and at the advanced level during semesters 7 through 12. The programme is offered as full-time studies. Certain courses may include distance or online components, which require access to a computer, webcam, and internet connection.

The education takes place within a comprehensive academic environment with strong links to research, in close collaboration with the healthcare sector and society at large. The programme includes clinical placements guided by defined learning outcomes. Throughout the programme, subject-specific teaching runs in parallel with training in professional development (PU).

Teaching aims to promote students’ responsibility for their own learning and to foster reflection and critical thinking. The programme is based on a broad pedagogical approach founded on student-active learning, employing a wide variety of learning activities such as lectures, laboratory sessions, group exercises, simulation-based training, clinical skills training, and in-depth projects.

The structure and implementation of the programme ensure progression in students’ knowledge, skills, and professional attitudes, providing both breadth and depth within the different subject areas. Basic biomedical and clinical subjects are integrated within the courses.

The clinical components of the programme are conducted in close collaboration with the healthcare services of the Västra Götaland Region and Region Halland. Clinical placements are carried out at all hospitals and primary healthcare centres within these regions. Training and assessment of students’ professional activities—which encompass essential knowledge, skills, and professional behaviours required at graduation—are conducted in accordance with the national competency framework Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA), both during clinical placements (VFU) and in simulated environments.

Students have the opportunity to complete parts of their studies abroad.

The study progression is fixed, meaning that courses must be taken in the order prescribed in the programme syllabus below.

Stages and Course Sequence

Basic Sciences and Clinical Introduction

Semester 1
Basic Sciences and Early Professional Contact 1, 30 credits

Semester 2
Basic Sciences and Early Professional Contact 2, 30 credits

Semester 3
Basic Sciences and Clinical Introduction 1, 30 credits

Semester 4
Basic Sciences and Clinical Introduction 2, 30 credits

Clinical Theory and Practice

Semester 5
Clinical Theory and Practice 1, 30 credits

Semester 6
Clinical Theory and Practice 2, 30 credits

Semester 7
Clinical Theory and Practice 3, 30 credits

Semester 8
Clinical Theory and Practice 4, 30 credits

Semester 9
Clinical Theory and Practice 5, 30 credits

Professional Application and Specialisation

Semester 10
Degree Project, 30 credits

Semester 11
Professional Application and In-Depth Studies 1, 24 credits
Elective Course, 6 credits

Semester 12
Professional Application and In-Depth Studies 2, 30 credits

Professional Development (PU)

A continuous component throughout the programme is Professional Development (PU), divided into six thematic areas:

• Communicative ability and self-reflection
• Leadership and teamwork
• Ethical approach
• Human rights and gender perspectives
• Scientific approach
• Sustainable development

Teaching aims to strengthen students’ professional maturity alongside the development of their medical competencies. During the early semesters, a theoretical foundation is established, and throughout the programme, continuous teaching is provided through activities such as thematic days. In addition, learning mainly occurs in integration with clinical placements (VFU). Strong emphasis is placed on students’ capacity for reflection and professional conduct.

Course Descriptions by Semester

Semester 1

Basic Sciences and Early Professional Contact 1, 30 credits
The course includes an introduction to university studies and to the basic biomedical subjects of biochemistry, cell biology, histology, and anatomy. Teaching provides an overview of the structure of the human body from the molecular to the organismal level. Early professional contact is introduced through clinical placement (VFU), where students begin to practise physician–patient collaboration. The clinical placement takes place in primary healthcare (1.5 credits).

Semester 2

Basic Sciences and Early Professional Contact 2, 30 credits
This course provides instruction in physiology, cell biology, and immunology, focusing on the body’s functions from the cellular level to organ systems, laying the foundation for understanding the development of illness and disease. Clinical placement (VFU) continues through early professional contact, introducing a person-centred approach to healthcare. The clinical placement takes place in hospital care (1.5 credits).

Semester 3

Basic Sciences and Clinical Introduction 1, 30 credits
Teaching covers clinical anatomy, radiology, developmental biology, cell biology, pathology, and consultation skills. Clinical anatomy provides the foundation for physical examination and is integrated with training in practical examination techniques and interpretation of radiological images. The clinical placement component comprises 3 credits, of which 1.5 credits take place in primary healthcare.

Semester 4

Basic Sciences and Clinical Introduction 2, 30 credits
Subjects included in the course are pathology, genetics, pharmacology, and consultation skills. Students study disease mechanisms and their expression in tissues, as well as genetic aspects of disease. Treatment of diseases with pharmaceuticals is also included. The clinical placement component comprises 3 credits, of which 1.5 credits take place in primary healthcare.

Semester 5

Clinical Theory and Practice 1, 30 credits
During the fifth semester, instruction is given in infectious diseases, immunology, microbiology, allergology, venereology, and rheumatology. Teaching integrates basic and clinical sciences, with emphasis on the diagnosis and treatment of common, serious, and acute conditions within these specialties. Clinical placements take place in infectious diseases, rheumatology, and clinical microbiology (6 credits) and in primary healthcare (1.5 credits).

Semester 6

Clinical Theory and Practice 2, 30 credits
Subjects included are general internal medicine, emergency medicine, diabetology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, hepatology, haematology, cardiology, pulmonary medicine, nephrology, general practice, clinical pharmacology, clinical chemistry, clinical physiology, and radiology/radiation protection. Teaching focuses on the management of common, serious, and acute internal-medicine conditions. Clinical placements comprise 15 credits, of which 3 credits take place in primary healthcare.

Semester 7

Clinical Theory and Practice 3, 30 credits
The course consists of theoretical and practical components within surgery (gastrointestinal, breast, endocrine, hand, vascular, and plastic surgery), including trauma and elements of gastroenterology and hepatology. The course also covers orthopaedics, urology, anaesthesiology with intensive care, radiology/radiation protection, and oncology. Students must be able to diagnose and treat common, serious, and acute conditions within these areas. Clinical placements comprise 18 credits, of which 3 credits take place in primary healthcare.

Semester 8

Clinical Theory and Practice 4, 30 credits
The course includes clinical neuroanatomy, psychiatry, neurology, otorhinolaryngology, and ophthalmology. Within these fields, students must be able to diagnose and treat common, serious, and acute conditions. The course also provides training in leading and coordinating medical management within an interprofessional team in a simulated environment. Clinical placements comprise 15 credits.

Semester 9

Clinical Theory and Practice 5, 30 credits
The course includes paediatrics (with subspecialties such as paediatric allergy, cardiology, gastroenterology, immunology and rheumatology, endocrinology and diabetes, nephrology, oncology, neurology and habilitation, and neonatology), paediatric surgery, paediatric orthopaedics, child and adolescent psychiatry, gynaecology, obstetrics, reproductive medicine, clinical genetics, and dermatology.

Students must be able to diagnose and manage common, serious, and acute conditions in these fields and describe the psychomotor development of children. The course provides knowledge of global health systems and international health conditions. Learning outcomes include understanding health determinants and their importance for individual and population health. Clinical placements comprise 18 credits.

Semester 10

Degree Project, 30 credits
This course aims to provide an in-depth understanding of research processes and a scientific approach. Students carry out an independent scientific project within a medically relevant research question. The project may be experimental, epidemiological, clinical, or consist of an analytical systematic literature review.

Semester 11

Professional Application and In-Depth Studies 1, 24 credits
Elective Course, 6 credits
This course includes community medicine, geriatrics, and radiology, together with clinical practice. Community medicine comprises general practice, social medicine, occupational and environmental medicine, and forensic medicine.

Within these clinical areas, students must be able to diagnose and treat common, serious, and acute medical conditions. Clinical practice is undertaken in both an internal-medicine and a surgical specialty. In geriatrics, the focus is on structured, team-based patient care. Professional development (PU) is integrated into clinical practice, allowing students to practise and reflect on their professional competencies. The course also includes theoretical training preparing students for the quality-improvement project component in semester 12. Clinical placements comprise 18 credits.

Elective Course, 6 credits
The elective course allows students to deepen or broaden their knowledge in a subject related to the medical field.

Semester 12

Professional Application and In-Depth Studies 2, 30 credits
This course includes general practice, emergency medicine, geriatrics, advanced studies in radiology, and clinical practice. Learning outcomes focus on common, serious, and acute medical conditions. Students practise performing core professional activities of a physician, managing patients, and making medical decisions.

During the course, students complete a quality-improvement project. Clinical placements comprise 28 credits, of which 10.5 credits take place in primary healthcare. The course also includes a 4-week (6 credits) placement in a clinical specialty chosen by the student for further specialisation. Students deepen their clinical knowledge and skills and strengthen their generic competencies through active patient management.

General Learning Outcomes for the Degree of Master of Science in Medicine (Läkarexamen)

According to the Swedish Higher Education Ordinance (see SFS 1993:100, Annex 2, Qualifications Ordinance):
For the Degree of Master of Science in Medicine, the student shall demonstrate the knowledge and skills required for eligibility to practise as a physician.

Accordingly, for the Degree of Master of Science in Medicine, the student shall demonstrate the following:

Knowledge and Understanding

• demonstrate both broad and in-depth knowledge within the field of medicine,
• demonstrate knowledge of the scientific foundation of the field and insight into current research and development work, as well as understanding of the relationship between science and proven experience in professional practice,
• demonstrate knowledge of fundamental scientific methods within the field and insight into the possibilities and limitations of these methods,
• demonstrate knowledge of ethical principles and their application within healthcare and in research and development work,
• demonstrate knowledge of and understanding for societal factors affecting the health of individuals and groups from both national and global perspectives,
• demonstrate knowledge of men’s violence against women and of violence in close relationships,
• demonstrate knowledge of healthcare systems in Sweden, including their organisation and governance, and familiarity with such systems in other countries, as well as understanding of strategies for equitable access to healthcare,
• demonstrate knowledge of patient safety, quality, and prioritisation within healthcare, as well as methods for evaluating medical practice, and
• demonstrate knowledge of relevant statutes and regulations.

Competence and skills

• demonstrate advanced ability to interact professionally with patients and their relatives, with respect for their integrity, needs, knowledge, and experiences,
• demonstrate the ability to critically and systematically integrate and apply knowledge, and to analyse and assess complex phenomena, issues, and situations,
• demonstrate the ability to independently diagnose and initiate treatment of acute life-threatening conditions,
• demonstrate advanced ability to independently diagnose the most common diseases from pathophysiological, psychosocial, and other relevant perspectives, and to manage these in collaboration with the patient,
• demonstrate the ability to initiate and participate in health promotion and disease prevention activities for individuals and groups, and to describe how such work is conducted at the societal level,
• demonstrate the ability to communicate actions and treatment outcomes orally and in writing with relevant parties and to document these in accordance with applicable regulations,
• demonstrate advanced ability to contribute to learning in various groups and to carry out supervisory tasks,
• demonstrate ability in leadership and interprofessional collaboration, both within healthcare and with professionals in other sectors of society,
• demonstrate the ability to initiate, participate in, and conduct improvement work, as well as to demonstrate the skills required to engage in research and development work,
• demonstrate advanced ability to discuss new facts, phenomena, and issues in medicine on a scientific basis with various audiences, and to critically review, assess, and apply relevant information, and
• demonstrate the ability to use digital tools within healthcare as well as in research and development work.

Judgement and Approach

• demonstrate the ability for self-reflection and empathy, as well as a professional attitude,
• demonstrate the ability to adopt a health-promoting and holistic approach to the patient, based on scientific principles and with particular consideration of ethical principles and human rights, and
• demonstrate the ability to identify the need for continual competence development and to take responsibility for such learning.

Independent Project (Degree Project)

For the Degree of Master of Science in Medicine, the student must, within the framework of the course requirements, have completed an independent project (degree project) corresponding to at least 30 higher education credits.

Local Learning Outcomes

• demonstrate understanding of the concept of sustainable development from a health perspective, and be able to discuss its relation to planetary health, as well as demonstrate the ability to identify how potential health synergies can be created through sustainability efforts within healthcare at local, national, and global levels,
• demonstrate knowledge of human rights and everyone’s right to the highest attainable standard of health, and discuss the application and realisation of these rights within healthcare from local to global levels.

The learning outcomes for the Degree of Master of Science in Medicine are further specified and elaborated in the course syllabi of each semester course.
Upon completion of the programme, students shall be able to independently perform a number of profession-specific activities (Entrustable Professional Activities, EPA; see Appendix 1) and manage a number of clinical situations (see Appendix 2).

Students admitted to the Medical Programme, 330 credits (M2LÄK), have the opportunity to apply for transfer to the Medical Programme, 360 credits, through a course place application. Selection for a course place in the 360-credit Medical Programme is made according to a specific order of priority. A transfer to the 360-credit Medical Programme entails an extended period of study for the student.

During clinical placements (VFU), certain healthcare providers may require students to present an extract from the Swedish criminal records register. It is therefore important that students always possess a valid extract that can be shown upon request. In some settings, identity verification of students may also be required.

During clinical placements, the regulations on confidentiality and secrecy of the Västra Götaland Region and Region Halland apply.

Requirements regarding dress code and hygiene follow healthcare regulations.

The Sahlgrenska Academy maintains exchange agreements with several foreign universities. As part of the internationalisation efforts, certain courses may be conducted in English.

Clinical placements take place within outpatient care, inpatient care, and primary healthcare within the Västra Götaland Region and Region Halland. Some parts of the clinical placement may entail travel and accommodation expenses for the student.

Certain clinical placements are scheduled during evenings, nights, and weekends.

An examiner may, with immediate effect, terminate a student’s clinical placement or equivalent training if the student demonstrates such serious deficiencies in knowledge, skills, or professional conduct that patient safety or public trust in healthcare is at risk. If a clinical placement is terminated in this manner, the student fails the current component, and one clinical placement opportunity is considered used. The reason for terminating the clinical placement must be documented, and an individual action plan shall be established specifying the activities and assessments required before the student may be given a new clinical placement opportunity. A student who has failed during a clinical placement is entitled to one (1) additional placement opportunity within the course.

Follow-up and evaluation of the programme are conducted in accordance with the Policy for Quality Assurance and Quality Development of Education at the University of Gothenburg.

Internationalisation

The Sahlgrenska Academy is an active partner in numerous international collaboration agreements and promotes internationalisation that reflects the Academy’s research profile. Through exchange agreements, students at the Sahlgrenska Academy are also provided opportunities to study abroad.

Through high-quality international partnerships, students of the Medical Programme gain increased preparedness for a multicultural healthcare environment and labour market, as well as a broader global understanding of their profession.

By engaging in quality-assured exchanges with carefully selected partner institutions, students gain new perspectives and a deeper understanding of other healthcare systems and cultures. The Medical Programme in Gothenburg strives to be an attractive education where students are given the opportunity to gain new perspectives in an international context through agreements in the Nordic countries, Europe, and beyond. Students may travel to partner institutions with which the Academy, faculty, and regional hospitals have often established long-term collaborations and agreements.

International student exchanges within the programme are primarily available during the later years and through elective courses, but exchanges may also occur during other semesters. Through various types of exchanges, students may complete an entire course or part of a course abroad, or pursue further study within a specific specialty during elective courses or the degree project.

By offering elective courses in English during the final year of the Medical Programme in Gothenburg, the University serves as an attractive partner institution for international universities, where incoming exchange students are integrated with Swedish medical students. This contributes to “internationalisation at home” and broadens the international perspective for a larger number of students.

Bachelor’s Degree Project, 15 credits

A student who does not intend to complete the full medical degree (Läkarexamen) has the opportunity, after completing the first five semesters, to apply for an individual study plan in order to later apply for a Degree of Bachelor of Medical Science, 15 credits. The Bachelor’s degree project may not be taken concurrently with any other course within the Medical Programme. The individual study plan requires that all examinations within the courses of the first five semesters have been passed.

A student who follows the study programme at the prescribed rate of study is guaranteed a place in the compulsory courses offered within the framework of the programme, provided that the entry requirements specified in each course syllabus are fulfilled.

A limited place guarantee applies to elective courses and placements within the programme, meaning that it is not possible to guarantee a student a place in their first-choice elective course.

Appendix 1 – Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs)

Upon completion of the programme, the physician shall be able to be entrusted with the following nationally agreed-upon activities (Entrustable Professional Activities, EPA). Each activity comprises defined subcomponents and boundaries.

These activities require that the student is able to integrate theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and professional attitudes. To clarify the contexts in which these activities are to be applied, the programme has defined 108 clinical situations (see Appendix 2).

• Obtain a patient history and perform a relevant physical examination
• Prioritise a working diagnosis among relevant differential diagnoses
• Establish an initial plan for investigation
• Formulate an initial management plan and carry out treatment
• Identify the need for and initiate preventive measures
• Perform general medical procedures
• Identify patients in need of emergency care and provide primary management
• Document, and issue prescriptions and medical certificates
• Collaborate within healthcare and with professionals in other sectors of society
• Contribute to a culture of safety within healthcare

Appendix 2 – Clinical Situations

1. Aggressiveness and irritability
2. Acute crisis reaction
3. Breathing difficulties
4. Loss of appetite
5. Abnormal diagnostic or incidental findings
6. Deviations from normal child development
7. Child abuse
8. Assessment of functional variation/disability
9. Blood in stool
10. Blood in urine/proteinuria
11. Bloody vomiting
12. Coughing up blood
13. Blood pressure changes
14. Bleeding tendency
15. Burns and cold injuries
16. Abdominal pain
17. Shock
18. Diarrhoea
19. Drowning or near-drowning
20. Death
21. Electrical injury
22. Fever
23. Genital discharge (female/male)
24. Fractures
25. Foreign body
26. Functional assessment in normal ageing
27. Poisoning
28. Confusion
29. Change in skin colour
30. Disturbance in fluid and electrolyte balance
31. Altered bowel habits
32. Changes in disease patterns
33. Forgetfulness/memory loss
34. Heartburn/reflux
35. Hoarseness
36. Palpitations/abnormal heart rhythm
37. Cardiac arrest
38. Cough
39. Skin disorders
40. Headache/facial pain
41. Hair and nail disorders
42. Health promotion measures
43. Hearing loss/tinnitus
44. Nausea and vomiting
45. Itching
46. Loss of strength
47. Convulsions
48. Sensory disturbances
49. Increased susceptibility to infection
50. Loss of smell and taste
51. Chronic pain/ache
52. Disturbance of consciousness
53. Menstrual problems
54. Oral cavity disorders
55. Normal delivery/breastfeeding
56. Nasal congestion/runny nose
57. Involuntary movements
58. Chest pain
59. Sore throat
60. Back/neck/shoulder pain
61. Eye pain
62. Ear pain
63. Anxiety/panic attacks
64. Palpable masses
65. Patient resisting necessary medical care
66. Personality change
67. Pigmentation changes
68. Contraception
69. Mental illness
70. Psychological effects of trauma
71. Reproduction/pregnancy
72. Risk of violence towards others
73. Movement disorders
74. Red eye
75. Screening
76. Sexual dysfunction or loss of desire
77. Pain during defecation
78. Painful and/or swollen joint(s)
79. Speech and language disorders
80. Stings and bites
81. Mood disturbance
82. Substance use and withdrawal
83. Suicide risk/suicide attempt/self-harming behaviour
84. Burning, sores, or itching in the genital area
85. Sweating/hot flushes
86. Fainting/syncope
87. Abdominal swelling
88. Swollen extremities
89. Difficulty swallowing
90. Visual disturbances/visual phenomena
91. Wounds and injuries
92. Sleep disturbances
93. Testicular pain/testicular swelling
94. Trauma (high-energy)
95. Trauma (low-energy)
96. Fatigue
97. Obsessive thoughts and behaviours
98. Thirst/dehydration
99. Vaginal bleeding
100. Delusions/hallucinations
101. Urinary symptoms
102. Weight loss
103. Violence in close relationships
104. Violence/assault
105. End-of-life care
106. Dizziness/balance disturbances
107. Eating disorders
108. Overweight/obesity