Russian Medical Schools

Many Russian universities offer medical educational programmes. Studying medicine in Russia includes the basic stage (usually, a Specialist’s degree) and the stage of a narrower specialization, which includes medical residency and a postgraduate study.

The study for most medical professions builds upon the specialty programmes and lasts for 5-6 years. Except for the Nursing Care course – it needs only 4 years of Bachelor’s programme. It’s possible to get a Nursing and healthcare specialty with an access to additional programmes for getting second education in the MSMU or at Fundamentals of patient care course with a chance to continue training on Master’s Degree in the RUDN University in Moscow.

For applying to a medical university, you will usually have to pass chemistry, biology and Russian language tests.

There is an option available for foreign students to study in English – such programmes are offered by top medical universities, such as, Novosibirsk State University, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, RUDN University or Kazan Federal University. The required level is English medium.

Specialist’s Degree

Medical Specialist’s degree is designed to get a fundamental scientific education. General Medicine is one of the basic programmes of the medical Specialist’s degree. The education takes 6 years, and then the graduate becomes a qualified General Physician. After that, he/she may continue his/her education, take up scientific work or apply for some medical positions (in this case he/she is not authorized to manage a patient’s treatment individually without completing the medical residency programme). Also in the specialty one can study on the Pediatrics (6 years) and Dentistry (5 years) programmes.

Medical Residency

The medical residency course offers a student a more in-depth specialization; he or she can become, for instance, an ophthalmologist, a surgeon, a cardiologist, an oncologist and so on. Besides, only a student who has completed the medical residency course is authorized to manage a patient’s treatment and work independently, and not under the supervision of senior colleagues. The medical residency course usually lasts from 2 to 4 years.

Tuition Fee

Tuition fee in medical specialties varies from RUB 80,000 to RUB 580,000 (USD 1300-9650). Studying in the best educational institutions in Moscow or Saint Petersburg is, traditionally, more expensive, while regional universities and institutes offer more affordable prices. Courses in English also tend to cost more than their Russian equivalents.

Top Medical Universities

The Russian medical university ranking is topped by the oldest and the largest Russian medical university – I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, also known as the “First Med”. Other Russian medical schools, universities, and departments traditionally included into the priority list are Novosibirsk State University, RUDN University, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University and located at the Russian Far East (Vladivostok city) Far Eastern Federal University. Project 5-100 University in Kazan – KFU is also should be recommended for those who are going to be a doctor. Here are General Medicine (6 years) and Dentistry (5 years) education programmes that can be conducted in Russian and English.

For the full medical programmes list in Russian universities, use our search service.