Pre-semester medicine: is it necessary?

Henry Hildebrandt

Advisor at futuredoctor

Reading time: 5 Minuten

Last updated: 13 August 2024

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Pre-semester medicine: is it necessary? You would like to Study medicinebut have great respect for the degree programme? Then you've probably already thought about taking part in a pre-semester so that you don't get lost in the first few semesters. You may even be hoping that this will give you better chances at universities if your NC is not quite as good. In this article, we will help you decide whether the pre-semester is really necessary.

Pre-semester medicine: Which provider?

First of all, it should be mentioned that there are various providers of pre-semester programmes. For example IFBM a 4-month preparatory course in Cologne, as well as the Leipzig Medical School. It is difficult to judge whether these are more or less "good" in terms of quality. We cannot make an exact statement at this point, as we only have experience with one preparation course. We don't think there are any major differences in terms of content, which is why we would opt for the cheapest option.

This brings us to the next point: the price.

Preparation courses: How expensive are they?

The prices of the individual offers naturally vary somewhat. It also depends on which course you choose. On the one hand, there are 4-month courses that teach you both the popular Natural sciences schools, as well as on the TMS prepare. On the other hand, you can also take just one course for the TMS book.

We look at the prices of complete courses that prepare you for admission to medical school and the content of the medical degree programme. The prices for a pre-semester vary between €2,000 and €4,000. This is by no means cheap! It is therefore very important that you think carefully about whether this money is the right investment for you.

Pre-semester medicine: Is that necessary?

It all depends on you and your sixth form. If you didn't take chemistry, biology or Physics in the sixth form? If so, we would probably advise you to repeat these subjects a little before starting your studies. Are you someone who finds independent learning, discipline and organisation easy?

• If so, we advise you not to take part in a pre-semester!
• If not, then it might make sense to consider a pre-semester.

If you are only missing one of the subjects mentioned above that you did not have in the upper school and you have taken the basics of the other two, then we would also advise you not to do a pre-semester. You can catch up on the basics of the missing science quite well on your own with 2-3 weeks, 3 hours a day.

In general, you shouldn't worry too much about the basic subjects. In medical school, everyone starts from 0! This means that very little prior knowledge is required and this can be caught up on quickly. So don't let the "fear" of failing determine whether you take part in a pre-semester. If you would like to read more about how good you need to be in maths, chemistry, physics and biology to study medicine, take a look here: What subjects do you need to study medicine?.

Does a pre-semester improve the chances of getting a place on a medical degree programme?

Another rather important point: Do state universities recognise a pre-semester and does this mean that you have better chances?

Unfortunately, the answer is no. The universities in Germany have very specific Criteriawhich they attach importance to in the application. The CV does not play a role at this point. The state universities only look at whether you fulfil the relevant criteria.

So if you have your NC then a pre-semester is not the right choice. If you want a good plan and the best strategy for your NC, read here:

All information about your chances of getting into medical school in one e-book

Choose the right e-book for your Abi cut and find out about your options.

To the e-books

Universities abroad: Recognition of previous semesters?

However, if you want to improve your chances of Other EU countries If you want to get a place at university, the right pre-semester can make all the difference! For example, at the University of Pecs in Hungary, you can complete a pre-semester that will definitely improve your chances there.

At this point, however, you need to look carefully at which previous semesters are recognised at which universities abroad.

Pre-semester medicine: Conclusion

Pre-semester medicine: is it necessary? We don't think it will give you a particularly big head start in terms of content compared to your fellow students. However, if you need some self-confidence and security for the start of your studies, then a pre-semester can be the right choice.

We would ultimately make it dependent on whether you have the financial means to do so. Whether you need to improve your NC (if so, we would advise against a pre-semester, other strategies are better). And how good your knowledge of the natural sciences is.

We don't think an extra preparation course for the TMS is particularly good, as it's all about repeating and practising. This is best done on your own and there are plenty of instructions on the internet.

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