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MedUni Vienna pioneer in postgraduate university courses

With university courses in Gender Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine, MedUni Vienna is setting new landmarks in the European university landscape. Like the renowned courses in "Toxicology", "Clinical Research" and "Interdisciplinary Pain Medicine," the two university courses aim to train top-level experts.

(Vienna, 05-08-2010) With university courses in Gender Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine, MedUni Vienna is setting new landmarks in the European university landscape. Like the renowned courses in "Toxicology", "Clinical Research" and "Interdisciplinary Pain Medicine," the two university courses aim to train top-level experts.

With a total of 15 postgraduate university courses ranging from Clinical Research and Toxicology onto Interdisciplinary Pain Medicine, Dental Hypnosis and Health Care Management, the advanced courses at MedUni Vienna are right at the top of what European educational institutions can offer – both in terms of quantity and also quality. In the coming weeks two new courses are also starting which are unique in Europe: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Gender Medicine.

Gender Medicine experts
Competences in Gender Medicine, both in the field of basic research and also in the area of public health and health policy, will be taught in the course headed by Univ. Prof. Dr. Alexandra Kautzky-Willer. The comprehensive postdoctoral medical training in the field of "Gender Medicine" teaches extensive knowledge of women's and men's health according to the bio-psycho-social model of health and disease as well as gender-sensitive attitudes and clinical skills. Here usability in practice is just as important as the high scientific level.
The aim of the four-semester training course for experienced professionals with medical training is to teach the knowledge which, in research and also in the clinical area and daily practice, helps the students focus better on the individual, gender-specific health needs of women and men and therefore to make a lasting improvement in quality. The qualification when the course is completed is a Master of Science (MSc.).

Evidence-based TCM
Unlike in Western medicine, in Traditional Chinese Medicine, which has been practised for thousands of years, diseases are diagnosed according to a holistic principle and corresponding therapies are based on this. This knowledge and the underlying principles are now going to be taught as part of the new university course headed by Priv. Doz. Dr. Yan Ma. It will explore the differences to Western medicine but also complement it. The modern approaches of TCM will also be presented and the quality standards of the individual herbal mixtures and preparations will be discussed within the framework of applicable legislation.
"It is vital that universities teach TCM," explains Yan Ma, who has not only completed a TCM programme but also boasts a doctor's degree in biochemistry, "because translation errors and half-truths abound outside of educational institutions run by the State."
The part-time course lasts for five semesters and graduates also finish with a Master of Science.

With these current courses MedUni Vienna is adding two new fields to its extensive further education programmes and will be the only educational establishment in Europe providing these at such a high scientific level. This is also the case with the Toxicology course which has been available at MedUni Vienna since 1993, however, and is one of the most internationally renowned programmes.

Toxicology at the highest level
Thanks to the high level of training in this MedUni Vienna course, successful graduates work in areas including the pharmaceutical/chemical industry, international authorities and institutions. After a total of at least five years of toxicological activity, it is also possible to apply for national and international recognition as a "Registered Toxicologist" by ASTOX (Austrian Society of Toxicology) and as a "EUROPEAN Registered Toxicologist" by EUROTOX.
During the six-semester course, which is concluded with a Master of Science (MSc.), the carefully selected international teaching staff impart theoretical and practical knowledge to enable the students to discover and assess potential harmful effects of chemical substances on humans and their environment, to determine the probability of damage occurring (risk assessment) and to develop effective protective measures (risk management). Here Toxicology or "the science of chemical safety" relies on specialists from many different activity fields such as drug development, the food and drink industry, and occupational, forensic or environmental medicine.

It is still possible to apply for individual courses. You will find an overview of all postgraduate courses available at MedUni Vienna with additional information at

» University courses at MedUni Vienna