Europe’s Leading Medical Universities For International Students

The demand for medical graduates with cross-cultural competencies has never been greater.

More than 200 countries worldwide have signed up to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With one health goal and over 50 health-related targets, it’s an ambitious agenda that aims to save 29 million lives by 2023.

There’s no doubt that remarkable progress has been made on several fronts in recent years: a successful cure found for HIV, under-five mortality rates have halved since 1990, decreasing numbers of death by heart diseases, and the list goes on.

But huge challenges remain.

Ageing and growing populations are testing the limits of public health systems. Chronic diseases, or even antibiotic resistance, are threatening the progress the scientific community has achieved thus far, with the ramifications most severely felt by the world’s most marginalised. At the same time, exponential advances in innovative digital technologies now exist but are too costly to bring solutions fast enough.

As a result, healthcare demand is booming. The World Health Organization (WHO) projects up to 40 million new health sector jobs will be created by 2030, mostly in middle- and high-income countries. “But despite the anticipated growth, there will be a projected shortage of 18 million health workers needed to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in low- and lower-middle-income countries, fuelled in part by labour mobility, both within and between nations,” it said.

It’s not just numbers that need filling. The quality of future medical professionals is crucial to meeting the world’s healthcare needs, too. While having the know-how and practical experience to meet the requirements of an MD qualification were once thought sufficient, today’s medical professionals need much more than this.

The future challenges of healthcare require professionals with the skills to adapt to this highly-charged, rapidly-innovating industry. Central to these skills is the ability to handle the social and cultural factors that now play increasing roles in health and illness. Cultural competencies are what differentiates an average healthcare provider to one that respects patients’ values and habits, and to bridge gaps in understanding their concerns. Diversity in medicine has numerous and measurable benefits that play key roles in ensuring the world achieves its healthcare goals.

And it all starts with medical universities. A highly diverse student and faculty body goes a long way in building a truly global medical community. Studies show that graduates from diverse medical schools are more comfortable treating patients from a variety of backgrounds.

According to the International Journal of Medical Education, “Medical schools should be the primary agents of change by taking the necessary steps in their institutional setup, curriculum development, and delivery of medical education.” – SI News