Medical studies Latinum

Neither for admission to the study of human medicine nor during the study programme does a Latinum have to be passed. Although this rumour persists, in fact students who never took Latin at school can study medicine at a university in Germany without any problems, without having to submit a separate application or suffering any disadvantages in the allocation of study places.

Latin is not required for a place to study medicine in Germany

You've probably heard statements like "You can only become a medical student if you've studied Latin for several years at school." . They are wrong. Latin is not required for a place to study medicine in Germany. 

Most universities do not require knowledge of Latin or proof of this in the application process. Although many medical terms are derived from Latin, no Latin course comparable to the scope of a Latinum is required. Other subjects such as biology, anatomy or chemistry have a much higher priority in any case. 

If you are hesitating about applying to study medicine because you don't know Latin, you can now rest assured. Much less knowledge is required than you probably think, and all students of medicine and dentistry are taught this in special lectures anyway.

What exactly is the Latinum?

The Latinum is mainly acquired at school, often in conjunction with the Abitur. It is regarded as proof of a sound knowledge of Latin. The type of Latinum varies depending on the federal state. While Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, for example, differentiate between "major Latinum" and "minor Latinum", the federal states of Bavaria, Berlin and Brandenburg only have the standardised "KSK Latinum" developed by the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs.

For admission to medical studies, it does not matter whether you have Latin and, if so, which one it is. Even if you don't know Latin at all, you won't have any disadvantages in the university admission procedure.

Is Latin really that important for medical degree programmes?

Knowledge of Latin is helpful when studying medicine, but not essential. Medical terms are often based on Latin and Greek. If you already have some knowledge of these, this is certainly a small advantage. In principle, however, you will also be able to learn the required terms without a Latinum or even Graecum.

Although the importance of Latin is sometimes emphasised in the course description, there are far higher hurdles than not having a Latinum. Articles in specialist journals are often published in English. Latin plays no role here.

The "Medical Terminology" course

In one of the first semesters of your degree programme at the university, you must complete the Medical Terminology course. This consists of a weekly lecture and a written examination. The course and the exam are by no means equivalent in scope to the Latinum. Rather, the aim is to understand the basics of specific medical terminology in order to optimally prepare you for your further studies.

In addition to Latin, Greek also plays an important role in medical terminology. For this reason, students who already have a sound knowledge of Latin from their school days must also complete the course. It is therefore not an additional examination, but a compulsory course for which exemption is out of the question, even for someone with top-level Latin.

Supplementary Latin courses in Austria

In Austria, the situation is slightly different to Germany when it comes to Latin. Here you need a Latinum to study medicine or, alternatively, you have to take part in a so-called supplementary Latin course within the first 4 semesters, which concludes with a supplementary Latin exam.

Similar to the subject of medical terminology integrated into the degree programme in Germany, the supplementary Latin course is also taught specifically for the requirements of medical studies. The aim is not to acquire knowledge comparable to the Latinum, but to understand medical terminology. For other subjects such as law, the supplementary Latin courses are organised differently.

If you did not study Latin at school and are planning to study in Austria, you can contact the student counselling service by email or find out more online on the website of the university in question. They can give you more detailed information about the requirements and the extent of the courses as well as the net examination duration, if applicable.

How important is Latin later in your professional life as a doctor?

Latin may be helpful in the professional life of a doctor, but it is by no means essential. The medical language uses many Latin terms, which you will learn during your studies even without knowing Latin well. 

These terms are necessary for communicating with colleagues and understanding specialised literature. As a rule, you will soon be using them as a matter of course, even if you didn't understand a single word of Latin before studying medicine.