GUMed Campus and Medical University of Gdansk: How to Survive Your First Year of Medicine and Pharmacy?

MAIN CAMPUS (Gdańsk Aniołki, 7 Dębinki Street)

• Collegium Biomedicum (CBM): Histology, Physiology, Biophysics
• Order of Normal Anatomy: Collegium Anatomicum (Prosecatorium)
• UCK Hospital (CMI / CMNI): Clinical Classes, Dentistry
• MUG Main Library: Round-the-clock quiet learning zones
• FACULTY OF PHARMACY (Wrzeszcz Dolny, al. Hallera 107): Chemistry, Pharmacy

How to move between buildings?

• Main Campus (Dębinki / Aniołki Street): Good tram connections (Medical University stop at Zwycięstwa Street). It takes only 5 minutes to drive from the Gdańsk Główny Railway Station.
• Getting to the Faculty of Pharmacy (Hallera Avenue): The fastest way to get from the Main Campus to Hallera is by tram line 2, 3 or 5 (Reja or Mickiewicza stop).

Subjects-sieves in the 1st year of MUG – Anatomy, Histology and Biophysics

The first year in the field of Medicine, Medicine and Dental, Medical Analytics and Pharmacy is considered to be the most difficult in terms of adaptation to the volume of material.

1. Normal Anatomy and the Legendary “Pins”

Anatomy takes place at the Department of Normal Anatomy (Collegium Anatomicum). Classes in the prosecatorium require absolute respect for corpses (donors of the Conscious Donation Program).

• What does “Szpilki” look like? In the prosecatory room, there are several dozen stations with anatomical preparations (bones, organs, vessels, nerves). A pin with a number is stuck into each structure. At the bell signal (every 30-45 seconds), you move one station and enter the precise anatomical name (in Polish and Latin) into the answer card.

• The main tip: Learn based on the atlases of Netter and Sobotta, but spend most of your time with the preparations in the pin shop – no drawing can replace the three-dimensional view of a natural preparation!

2. Histology with Embryology and Cytophysiology

It is conducted in the modern halls of Collegium Biomedicum (CBM).

• Challenge: In each class, the ability to recognize tissues and organs under a biological microscope is assessed and the written entry in knowledge of the cell cycle and the micromachine of organs is assessed.

A first-year student’s must-have – What do you need to buy before October 1?

Don’t buy everything in August under the influence of emotions. Here is a list of things that are absolutely required from the first week of classes at MUG:

LIST OF LAYETTES FOR A STUDENT OF THE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF MUG:

• 2x Long doctor’s apron (100% cotton, fastened with press studs/buttons, long sleeves)
• Medical variable footwear (e.g. non-slip clogs / flip-flops with white soles)
• Simple anatomical tweezers (for classes in the prosectorium)
• Safety glasses (for chemical laboratories on CBM/Haller)
• Non-washable marker for signing test tubes

What NOT to buy right away? Stethoscope! You will need a stethoscope (e.g. Littmann) only from the 3rd year of classes in internal medicine and clinical diagnostics. In the 1st year of physiology, the university’s didactic stethoscopes are used.

Where to study on campus? (BG MUG, CBM and quiet learning zones)

Learning to pins in Anatomy and colloquia in Histology in a noisy dormitory room or dormitory can be impossible. MUG has facilities designed for individual and group learning.

1. Main Library of MUG (BG MUG at Dębinki Street)

A modern medical library offering:

• Quiet study rooms and lockable sides for work in year teams.

• Access to paid international medical databases (AccessMedicine, ClinicalKey, PubMed, Scopus) from university computers and remotely via a PROXY server from home.

• 24/7 Zone: A special study room available to MUG students around the clock during the winter and summer exam sessions!

Mastering a huge volume of anatomical scripts, ticket schedules, calculating ECTS points, controlling expenses at the station in Wrzeszcz and entering schedules for casual work requires order. See how the comprehensive application for students Student360 works – it helps you plan your class schedule at MUG, store scans of notes and atlases on a 5 GB cloud drive, settle apartment bills with roommates and track progress in credits.

Housing and logistics around MUG

Where is the best place to live while studying at MUG?

• Gdańsk Aniołki / Wrzeszcz Dolny / Siedlce: Districts within walking distance of the campus at Dębinki Street.

• MUG Student Dormitories (DS 1, DS 2, DS 3, DS 4 at Dębinki Street): Located a 2-minute walk from CBM and UCK Hospital. This is the cheapest and most convenient option for first-year students.

Organizing the student budget, controlling fees for boarding and taking care of order in university affairs allows you to avoid burnout in the 1st year. Install the Student360 application that facilitates the organization of studies, which supports the management of daily budgeting, tracking ECTS credits and the secure storage of academic documents.

Sanitary-Epidemiological Examinations and Occupational Medicine – Formal obligations before going to the Prosectatorium

Before you cross the threshold of the prosecatorium at the Department of Normal Anatomy for the first time or enter the hospital wards of the University Clinical Center (UCK), you must complete rigorous occupational medicine procedures.

The lack of complete medical documentation results in an absolute ban on entry to autopsy and clinical classes!

CHECKLIST OF MEDICAL FORMALITIES FOR A FIRST YEAR STUDENT OF THE GUMED SCHOOL:

• Carrier test (Sanepid): WSEZ in Gdańsk (Dębinki 4 Street – right next to the CBM!)
• Hepatitis B vaccination: Anti-HBs antibody test (min. 10 IU/ml)
• Occupational Medicine Certificate: University Center for Marine and Tropical Medicine / Polyclinic

1. Carrier test (WSEZ Gdańsk, Dębinki 4 Street)

The issuance of a certificate for sanitary and epidemiological purposes requires a test for the carrier of Salmonella and Shigella.

• Location: The Voivodeship Sanitary and Epidemiological Station (WSEZ) in Gdańsk is located at 4 Dębinki Street – literally across the street from the CBM complex and the Main Library of MUG.

• Deadline: Samples are submitted in 3 consecutive days. You receive the result after about 5-7 business days.

2. Hepatitis B vaccination verification

Before entering the prosecatorium, you must present a certificate of immunization against hepatitis B (hepatitis B). If you were vaccinated as a child, have your anti-HBs antibody level tested in a laboratory for a fee. If the level has fallen below 10 IU/ml, you must take a booster dose of the vaccine.

1. Why is McMinn’s Atlas more important than Netter?

Netter Atlas contains excellent, clean and colorful graphic illustrations. However, the dissection preparations in the MUG prosecatorium are formalin-fixed tissues – they do not have perfect, bright colors as in the picture.

Older students rely on the Photographic Atlas of Human Anatomy (McMinn/Rohen). It presents actual autopsy photos of the corpse. Learning from a photographic atlas allows you to recognize structures without stress during a real pin.

2. Latin Orthography and Anatomical Denominator

The Department of Anatomy of MUG rigorously enforces the correctness of anatomical terminology.

• If the pin is stuck in the Arteria coronaria sinistra (left coronary artery), typing the name in Polish or making a mistake in the Latin ending (e.g. writing -ae instead of -ia) means 0 points for the position.

• Always check if the question is “Give a name for a structure” (e.g., Sulcus centralis) or “Give a vascularization/innervation of a structure”!

Nursing Summer Internships after the 1st year – How to arrange them in the UCK or in your hometown?

Passing the 2nd semester at the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at MUG does not end your academic year. After the summer session, you are required to complete a 4-week (140-hour) summer nursing internship.

Where to do the internship?

• University Clinical Center (UCK in Gdańsk): You can apply for an internship directly at the MUG Clinical Hospital at Dębinki Street. Advantage: work on the most modern medical equipment in Poland.
• Hospital at your place of residence: You can download the Agreement on the Organization of Student Internships from the Dean’s Office of MUG and complete a nursing internship in a selected district or provincial hospital in your hometown.

MUG and Moodle Extranet – A digital university system without secrets

Unlike the University of Gdańsk or the Technical University, the Medical University of Gdańsk does NOT use the USOSweb system. MUG has its own, proprietary digital ecosystem.

1. MUG Extranet Portal

This is your main student portal. Here you check the grades entered by the examiners, verify the balance of ECTS credits, submit applications for scholarships and order certificates for the Social Insurance Institution or student loans.

2. Moodle MUG Platform

It is used for everyday learning. Lecturers from the Department of Biophysics, Chemistry and Histology post presentations from lectures, laboratory scripts and conduct weekly entrance tests (online tickets) before stationary classes.

STN MUG and IFMSA-Poland – Scientific work and mobility from the first year

Many first-year students think that scientific activity is reserved for senior students. This is a mistake – the sooner you join scientific circles, the more points you will collect for future recruitment for a medical residency (LEK/LDEK) or foreign trips.

• STN MUG (Student Scientific Society): Scientific clubs at clinics, publications, points
• IFMSA-Poland Gdańsk Branch: International Summer Internships (SCOPE/SCORE)

• Student Scientific Society (STN MUG): brings together over 80 Student Scientific Clubs (SKN) at UCK departments and clinics. As early as the 1st year, you can enroll in the SKN at the Department of Normal Anatomy or SKN Histology, participate in writing your first review or case studies.

• IFMSA-Poland Gdańsk Branch: International Association of Medical Students. By operating in sections (e.g. Public Health or Sexuality Education Program), you collect qualifying points to go on a free 4-week clinical internship abroad (m.in. in Brazil, Japan, Spain or Italy).

Final summary for a medic in the 1st year in Gdańsk

Going through the 1st year at MUG requires consistency and a cool head:

• Take care of medical formalities (Sanepid, hepatitis B, Occupational Medicine) in the first week of September.

• Learn Anatomy from photographic atlases (McMinn) and spend as much time as possible with specimens in the pinhole.

• Use the 24/7 Zone in the MUG Main Library and don’t be afraid to ask for help from older students from STN and IFMSA!

Frequently Asked Questions about Year 1 at MUG

1. How many absences can you have in classes at MUG?

Practical classes, laboratories and seminars at MUG are 100% attended. Any absence (even excused by sick leave) must be worked off with another student group or credited on duty with an assistant.

2. What are Anatomy “pins” at MUG and how to prepare for them?

Pins is a practical exam in anatomy on natural preparations in the prosectorium. Learn by spending as much time as possible in the pin room, learning the names of the structure in Polish and Latin, using professional anatomical denominators.

3. Is it possible to combine studies with casual work in the 1st year of medicine at MUG?

This is extremely difficult due to the number of hours of classes (often from 8:00 to 18:00) and the need to study daily for the entrances in Anatomy and Histology. Most students take up casual work only from the 3rd or 4th year.

4. Do anatomy textbooks (Loaves) have to be purchased as one’s own?

You don’t have to buy all 5 volumes of Loaf new from the bookstore. Most students borrow them from BG MUG, buy used sets from older years on book exchanges or use electronic versions (PDF).

5. How to get to the Faculty of Pharmacy from the Main Campus?

From Dębinki Street, go to the Uniwersytet Medyczny tram stop on Zwycięstwa Street and take tram lines 2, 3 or 5 in the direction of Wrzeszcz. You get off at the Reja or Mickiewicza stop at 107 Hallera Avenue.