1. Formal Requirements

 

Prerequisite - Second Component of the Medical Exam

You must take and pass the second component of the medical exam (M2-Neu) before the PJ. You can find information about the M2 exams on the homepage of the Landesprüfungsamt in Düsseldorf.

On those pages you can download the registration form and so-called application for admission to the second component of the medical exam about two months before the actual registration deadline (January 10 and June 10 respectively).

Trimesters and Start Times

Starting in 2014, the PJ will begin during the second half of May and November. You can find the exact times below in the download section. The PJ is broken down into three training components (trimesters), each lasting 16 weeks:

  • Internal Medicine
  • Surgery
  • Elective

The templates for the trimester certificates (Germany) are below in the download section. Trimester certificates for abroad can be found under V. PJ Abroad.

Electives

The following electives are offered at the RWTH Aachen Faculty of Medicine:

General Medicine Anaesthesiology Ophthalmology Dermatology
Gynecology and Obstetrics

Vascular Surgery

 Otolaryngology Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Neurology Neurosurgery Nuclear Medicine
Orthopedic Medicine Pediatrics Palliative Medicine Plastic Surgery
Psychiatry Radiology Radiation Therapy Cardiac and Thoraxic Surgery
Urology Accident Surgery

Absences

You are allowed to miss a maximum of 30 training days due to illness, vacation, etc. No more than 20 of these days may fall within a single trimester. A maximum of five absences are allowed per split trimester for trimesters lasting only eight weeks (see V. PJ Abroad).

If your training continues to be interrupted due to an important reason (e.g. pregancy, child rearing, etc.), trimesters that you have completed for the Practical Year can be credited as long as they were completed within the past two years. The interruption must be approved by the LPA. Please contact the PJ Office in this case.

Part-Time Models

In prior and timely agreement with the PJ Office, the PJ can be completed in one of two part-time models (50 or 75 percent), as long as there are enough part-time training positions available. In both options the entire PJ must take place in the selected part-time model.

Duration of PJs at 50 percent part-time: total of 96 weeks (32 weeks per trimester)
Duration of PJs at 75 percent: total of 64 weeks (21 weeks per mandatory trimester, 22 weeks for elective trimester).

Please note that you may have to wait after completing the PJ before taking the final exam, if you choose the 75 percent part-time option.

Remuneration/ Allowance

Since the Practical Year is part of medical studies and not a job per se, there is no remuneration provided for the PJ. However, you do receive an allowance at the UKA and teaching hospitals.

Logbook

In accordance with the medical licensing regulations, PJ training must follow the standards set by a faculty's own logbook. There is a logbook for every subject. They are mandatory for both training at UKA and at the teaching hospitals. Logbooks are handed out by the PJ Office. If you complete external trimesters at other German universities, please use their logbook.

Mobility Expansion within Germany

If you are completing a PJ trimester at another German university, you must remain enrolled at RWTH Aachen as a primary student without interruption. You will also complete your final exam at UKA or one of our teaching hospitals. Aside from surgery and internal medicine, you can only take elective subjects at other universities that we also offer.

You might have to enroll at the host university as a cross-registered student for the external trimester. You will learn about this and all other formalities regarding the application process from the respective host university.

In any case, medical students in our model course of study participate in our PJ allocation process like normal (see II. PJ Selection and Allocation Process)

A special application process applies to interested external students from other universities. More information is available at IV. Info for External Persons.

Final Exam – Third Component of the Medical Exam

The third component of the medical exam (M3-neu) is a final two-day oral-practical exam, which takes place in May and June for the spring rotation and November and December for the fall rotation. You must register in advance with the Landesprüfungsamt in Düsseldorf for this oral exam. The registration deadlines are January 10 and June 10, respectively. You can find the registration documents on the LPA homepage.

 

Downloads