The "Molecular Medicine" degree programme offers talented and motivated high school graduates in the natural sciences a modern, attractive and intensive education that combines the strengths of medicine and basic biological research.
What are the differences between the molecular medicine degree programme and medicine?
Both degree programmes deal with medical content, but there are important differences that you should consider when choosing your course:
Molecular medicine
Molecular medicine is designed to prepare you for exciting research at the interface between biology and medicine. The Bachelor's and Master's degrees in molecular medicine are degrees that aim to prepare you for a career as a scientist. You will therefore learn modern techniques and methods of biology, biochemistry, physiology and cell biology, among other things, and gain relevant knowledge from medical specialisms. However, as a molecular physician, you will not be able to work directly on patients; this is reserved for doctors.
Medicine
The aim of medicine is to become a doctor. This means that you will learn to recognise and treat diseases. However, the extensive knowledge you have to acquire leaves little room for research and laboratory work during your studies.
However, if you want to keep open the option of being able to treat patients directly and work as a doctor, then you should definitely choose to study human medicine. You can also become a successful researcher as a medical doctor, but you will make up for any deficits in scientific methods in longer laboratory periods.
A change or lateral entry from molecular medicine to medicine is usually difficult! Molecular medicine is not a side path to studying human medicine.
What should I do if I am unsure which degree programme is right for me?
If your scientific curiosity prevails, you are talented in the natural sciences and interested in medical research topics, but are not looking for direct patient contact, then molecular medicine is the right programme for you. Here you will be specifically prepared for fascinating research in the biomedical field.
If you can imagine both a career as a scientist and a clinical career as a doctor, then it is usually better to choose medicine. The range of careers as a medical doctor is more diverse and you can usually switch from medicine to molecular medicine more easily than vice versa if necessary.
You must apply for medicine via Hochschulstart (external link, opens in a new window).