The degree programme in Human Medicine (N202) in the Medical Curriculum Vienna (MCW) represents a study structure adapted to the requirements of today's world, whereby individual subject areas (arranged in ‘blocks’) are supplemented by regularly appearing, practically oriented elements. The latter culminate in the Clinical Practical Year (CPY) with direct and long-term involvement of students in everyday clinical practice.
Musculoskeletal medicine in block 21
The Clinical Department of Rheumatology is now the curriculum coordinator for Block 21 (BL21), a thematic block that deals with musculoskeletal disease.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) generally classifies musculoskeletal disorders as the second most common cause of disability and incapacity for work. If we subsume the so-called ‘low back pain’ (lumbalgia) alone, it is the leading global cause of incapacity for work/occupational disability (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/musculoskeletal-conditions). In addition, musculoskeletal disorders are by no means a phenomenon of old age, but occur in all age groups. In Austria, an estimated 8.4 million sick days per year are attributed to musculoskeletal disorders.
To summarise, musculoskeletal diseases are therefore not only of great medical importance, but also represent a socio-economic problem that should not be underestimated. With the ever-increasing costs in the healthcare system, efficient and high-quality treatment strategies are more important than ever.
A solid (basic) knowledge of musculoskeletal disorders, but even more so sound clinical skills in terms of physical examination of the patient, allows for a quick diagnosis, at least a suspected diagnosis, and ultimately culminates in patient satisfaction and cost-effectiveness.
The BL21 is based on international standards and builds a bridge from preclinical (anatomy) and imaging to surgical/internal disciplines. To be precise, the BL21's canon of disciplines largely comprises radiology, physical medicine/rehabilitation, trauma surgery/orthopaedics and rheumatology. The medical potpourri is supplemented by anatomy, pain medicine and pharmacology.
The aim of BL21 is to teach students the subject matter in a structured and always comprehensible way through largely interdisciplinary lectures and seminars. Theoretical and practical skills should be taught so that every graduate is familiar with the basic principles of pathophysiology, diagnostics and treatment of the most common musculoskeletal diseases. In other words: ‘We teach what every practising doctor needs to know about musculoskeletal disease.’
Rheumatology in Block 27 (Internal Medicine)
As an extension of the rheumatology lecture in BL21, Block 27 includes a seminar on ‘Special Rheumatology’ and the compulsory elective subject ‘Rheumatology’.
Rheumatology and Clinical Practical Year
CPY students are accompanied by mentors during their intensive, clinical-practical training and work as fully integrated members of the team for up to 16 weeks in our department, where they are mainly assigned to the rheumatology ward 20K, but can also gain insights into the other units of the department, such as the outpatient clinic, acute assessment or day clinic. The spectrum of diseases treated is very broad and the sometimes high incidence of complex internal and, above all, rheumatological diseases, such as systemic autoimmune diseases, means that the CPY students can acquire a considerable amount of practical and theoretical knowledge in a relatively short time.
Diploma students of the Diploma Programme in Human Medicine
The Vienna Medical Curriculum requires students to write a diploma thesis as a basic requirement for graduation. Our department always supervises several theses from basic science or clinical-scientific fields.
Thesis topics can be found on MedUni Vienna's topic exchange (https://www.meduniwien.ac.at/web/studierende/mein-studium/diplomstudium-humanmedizin/diplomarbeit/themenwahl-themenboerse/).