International MD Program at Vita-Salute San Raffaele University

Author: Brittany Chan

The following post was sponsored by Vita-Salute San Raffaele University

What if you could get your MD in Milan, Italy, with classmates from all over the world? Here's something neat: The International MD Program at Vita-Salute San Raffaele University. This unique new program promotes cultural awareness and humanity as well as excellent medical education in a society of increasing globalization. Half of the available positions each year are reserved for people from outside of the European Union. All classes are taught in English.

Here's some more information about the program:

Vita-Salute San Raffaele University is part of the San Raffaele Foundation which includes Hospitals, Research Centers and the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University.
San Raffaele is well known worldwide for its excellence: it is a highly specialized center for molecular medicine, diabetes and metabolic diseases, as well as biotechnology and bio-imaging.
The Hospital channels many of its resources into cancer treatment, cardiovascular diseases and numerous acute and chronic-degenerative diseases and a very efficient Emergency Department that serves a vast area.

The International MD Program builds on the institution’s solid presence on the international scene: San Raffaele healthcare centers can be found in many countries of the world, including Brazil, India, Uganda, Poland, Chile, Israel, Mozambique and Algeria.


This degree course provides medical-scientific education at the highest level, allowing students to improve their skills and to upgrade their knowledge. It also provides clinical and laboratory research opportunities and additional education in humanities and cultural sciences: philosophy, communication skills, cognitive neurosciences and psychology, which are the building blocks of human society, regardless of social status, race, or creed.

The International MD Program is designed to train a new kind of doctor: someone who possesses the necessary human, cultural and professional abilities to actively participate in healthcare and share ideas in today’s globalized world. Unlike other Medical Programs in Italy where clinical courses are held in Italian, the International MD Program is fully in English, including classes, lectures, practicals and all clinical activities.

Students enrolled in the San Raffaele International MD Program have access to all the facilities of the Vita-Salute San Raffaele Institute and the San Raffaele Scientific Institute, including skills labs for practical training, a library with more than 20,000 books and several thousand scientific e-publications and resources, as well as to the clinical and research laboratories of the San Raffaele Scientific Institute, the largest private research institute in Italy, that further expanded with the inauguration of DIBIT, a scientific facility for basic, translational and clinical research.
DIBIT is part of the largest biomedical science park in Italy, which includes the San Raffaele Hospital, Science Park Raf, created to support the foundation's development, and the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University.

Applicants who wish to enroll in the International MD Program are required to take an Admission Test.
64 places are available for Academic Year 2011-2012:
32 for EU citizens
32 for Non-EU Citizens.

The Admission Test will take place on April 28th 2011 in the following locations:
Milan, (IT)
New York, (USA)
Kuala Lumpur, (Malaysia)

Candidates who wish to take the Admission Test can visit this website for detailed information.

The deadline is April 20th, 2011.
Here are the guidelines on the admission process for A.Y. 2011-2012.

For more information on the International MD Program please visit the following website.


About the author:

Brittany Chan is a second-year medical student at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock, Texas. She is also a candidate for an MBA in Health Organization Management from the Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University. Originally from the Houston area, she graduated summa cum laude with degrees in psychology and general studies from Texas Tech University in 2009. In addition to blogging, Brittany enjoys reading, crafts, and spending time with family and friends.