UniGuide: NEW Medicine and Surgery - MEDTECH course at the University of Padua

Starting with the 2026/2027 academic year, the University of Padua is launching a brand new single-cycle Master's degree: Medicine and Surgery: MedTech. It's a six-year, English-taught program that blends traditional clinical training with biomedical engineering, bioinformatics, data analysis, and artificial intelligence. It's designed to train doctors who don't just use new technologies, but truly understand their possibilities, limits, and implications in clinical practice and research. The course offers a great opportunity to achieve a double degree!(explained better below).

A disclaimer before you dive in:

Since the 2026/2027 cohort will be the very first ever admitted to this course, there isn't much track record to draw on yet. This guide is built from the University of Padua's own official presentation of the course, combined with information from our existing article on the "regular" Italian-language Medicine and Surgery course at the University of Padua — on the assumption that MedTech students will share the same facilities, services, and campus life. As the course develops, some details (schedules, specific buildings, services) may evolve, so always double-check with the university directly when in doubt.

What is MedTech?

"Medicine and Surgery - MedTech" is a new single-cycle Master's degree in Medicine and Surgery, falling under the ministerial class LM-41. It integrates clinical and biomedical training with bioengineering, bioinformatics, statistics, digital health technologies, and artificial intelligence. The program follows international standards set by the World Federation for Medical Education and keeps the doctor-patient relationship and person-centred care at its core, even as it pushes into more technical territory.

The course promotes transdisciplinary training, strong ties to biotechnology and bioengineering research, and a genuinely international outlook, with internships and research opportunities built into the path.

Important: While the "standard" English-taught Medicine and Surgery course at Padua is relocating to Venice, MedTech is opening specifically in Padua. If you're choosing between the two, don't mix up the campuses.

Course overview

A double degree option

One of the most distinctive features of MedTech is the chance to earn extra credits alongside your medical training in order to graduate with a second degree, either in:

• Biomedical Engineering (L-8/L-9), or
• Biology of Human and Environmental Health (L-13)

This means students can leave Padua not just as qualified doctors, but with a formal, additional qualification in one of these related technical fields — a genuinely unusual offering for a medicine program.

What you'll study

Beyond the core medical curriculum, MedTech weaves in:

• The use of artificial intelligence in medicine and clinical research
• Digital health technologies
• Bioengineering
• Biomedical data analysis and statistics
• Bioinformatics

The idea isn't to turn students into engineers or data scientists, but to make sure future doctors are fluent in the tools that are increasingly shaping diagnosis, treatment, and research — while never losing sight of patient care.

Career opportunities

Graduates are qualified to practise as medical doctors and can go on to specialisation schools, doctoral programs, and university Master's degrees. Beyond hospitals and clinics, the technical grounding of this course opens doors to:

• Public and private healthcare facilities (as employees or in private practice, solo or as part of a team)
• Research centres and universities
• Healthcare organisations
• Biomedical and healthcare companies

...both in Italy and internationally, combining a clinical approach with the ability to interpret and apply technological and digital innovation in medicine.

Admission

Like all English-taught medicine courses in Italy, admission is via the IMAT (International Medical Admissions Test). Since this is a nationally programmed course with 80 available places for the first cohort, expect competitive entry.

Timetables and course schedule

Lecture timetables tend to change fairly often. The University of Padua provides an internal scheduling tool where you can select "MEDICINE AND SURGERY – MEDTECH" and "Year 1" to get constantly updated weekly timetables.

Life in Padua and at the University

Everything below is based on our existing coverage of the Italian-language Medicine and Surgery course at Padua. Since MedTech is a new addition to the same university, we're assuming, but cannot yet confirm firsthand, that MedTech students will share these same facilities and services.

A university with history

The University of Padua was founded in 1222, making it one of the very first universities established in Italy, right after Bologna and Modena. In fact, Padua owes much of its existence to Bologna: it was founded by a group of students who left the University of Bologna in search of a more open, dynamic academic environment, free from the rigid controls placed on student communities elsewhere.

The university's motto, "Universa Universis Patavina Libertas" ("Paduan freedom for everyone, in everything"), reflects this founding spirit — a long tradition of freedom of thought, religion, and political opinion, even in historical periods when scholars suspected of heresy were persecuted elsewhere. Students at Padua historically held real institutional power, even serving as Rectors and taking on managerial roles within the university.

And, on a lighter note: studying in Padua also means studying in the birthplace of the Spritz, the now-globally-famous aperitivo cocktail, still just a few euros here, and a fixture of student life (especially on university Wednesday nights out).

Campus buildings and facilities

First-year students typically attend lectures at the Fiore di Botta campus, while later years are spread across multiple departments and buildings.

• Fiore di Botta (Via Pescarotto, 8): A brand-new biology campus with plenty of classrooms, histology and computer labs. Some communal spaces are underused, but the labs (histology in year one, pathology and others in later years) are well equipped. There's also a well-liked bar serving coffee, pastries (pistachio brioches recommended), sandwiches, and a spritz for just €2.50.
• Policlinico Universitario (Via Giustiniani, 2): The "central" hub of the medicine department, home to the department secretariat. It hosts lecture halls (Morgagni, Vesalio, Ramazzini) used mostly for extracurricular activities, plus first-year practical sessions in blood draws and suturing.
• Polo Vallisneri (Via Ugo Bassi, 58b): Formally the biology hub, this interdepartmental centre houses labs and classrooms shared with Biology, Molecular Biology, Mechanical Engineering, and Medicine courses. Students tend to start using it from the third year onward.

Eating on campus

Students can use the ESU university canteen service, with meal prices depending on student status and ISEE (income indicator): a full meal costs €4.70, or €3.50 at the reduced rate. Access is via a QR code generated through the ESU portal.

• Mensa Nord Piovego (Via G. Colombo, 1): Serves the Psychology, Economics, Biology (and therefore Medicine), and Engineering areas. Large capacity, with pizza, sandwiches, and salads on offer alongside the traditional meal. Good for a quick lunch, though quality isn't top-tier.
• Mensa Agripolis (Legnaro, PD - Via dell'Università, 12): Serves students of the Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences courses; a nearby bar offers sandwiches and focaccia, great for eating outside in warmer months.
• Affiliated ESU canteens at the same price point include Ristorazione ACLI·Pio X, Ristorazione Belzoni, and Ristorazione Murialdo.

Study rooms and libraries

Padua has a wide network of study rooms and libraries, including some spaces set aside for group study and reading aloud. The dedicated Medicine library is the Biblioteca Pinali, located inside the Policlinico Universitario. Named after Professor Vincenzo Pinali (Chair of Clinical Medicine from 1857 to 1875), it offers 101 seats for study and reference, plus 21 computer stations.

Studying abroad

Students can take part in Erasmus+ Study and Erasmus+ Traineeship programs, with partnerships across numerous European institutions — though demand often outstrips available places. Students awarded an Erasmus place also receive a free language course the year before departure. The Erasmus grant includes a fixed monthly amount (based on destination country), a variable amount based on ISEE, and a travel allowance.

For Medicine students specifically, Erasmus exchanges are most commonly taken during the fourth and fifth years.

Pros and cons of studying at Padua

Pros

• Well connected by public transport (train/bus/tram)
• Dedicated medical library with computer rooms and group study spaces
• Clinical placements starting from the first year
• Multiple canteens in strategic locations
• Numerous fast, affordable print/copy shops
• Useful ISEE-based discounts, scholarships (regional and national), and other grants
• Strong range of Erasmus opportunities

Cons

• Wi-Fi is widely available but not always reliable
• Very limited free parking, and paid parking is expensive
• Multiple campus locations mean frequent travel between sites
• Few mid-term exams or early exam sessions

Useful contacts

• Course information: medicine.surgery@unipd.it
• Degree/graduation management: graduation.medicine.surgery@unipd.it
• International Desk (support for international students): internationaldesk.medicinachirurgia@unipd.it
• General information (Infopoint): infopoint.medicine.surgery@unipd.it
• Main office: Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova (Policlinico Universitario / Aula Morgagni)
• Phone: +39 049 821 8664

For the full study plan, admission procedures, and enrolment details, always refer to the official Medicine and Surgery - MedTech course page on the University of Padua website.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Where is the Medicine and Surgery - MedTech course held?

In Padua, at the University of Padua. This is an important distinction: the university's "standard" English-taught Medicine and Surgery course is moving to Venice, but MedTech is opening in Padua.

Is Medicine and Surgery - MedTech taught in English?

Yes, the entire course is delivered in English.

How long does the MedTech course last?

Six years, for a total of 360 ECTS credits, at least 60 of which are dedicated to clinical placements/internships.

Does this degree qualify you to practise as a doctor?

Yes. The degree qualifies graduates to practise as a medical doctor, and gives access to specialisation schools, PhD programs, and university Master's degrees in Italy and abroad.

How is MedTech different from a standard Medicine and Surgery degree?

MedTech integrates the usual clinical and biomedical training with bioengineering, bioinformatics, statistics, digital health technologies, and artificial intelligence, preparing graduates to understand and apply new technologies in clinical practice and research, not just use them.

How do you apply, and how many places are available?

Admission is via the IMAT (International Medical Admissions Test), the same entrance exam used for all English-taught medicine courses in Italy. The course is nationally programmed, with 80 places available for the first cohort in 2026/2027.

Can you get a second degree alongside Medicine and Surgery - MedTech?

Yes. By earning additional credits, students can graduate with a second degree in either Biomedical Engineering (L-8/L-9) or Biology of Human and Environmental Health (L-13), on top of their Medicine and Surgery - MedTech qualification.

Is this the first year the course is being offered?

Yes. The 2026/2027 academic year marks the first-ever cohort for Medicine and Surgery - MedTech, so there's limited track record or student feedback available yet.

Will MedTech students use the same facilities as the standard Medicine and Surgery course?

This isn't officially confirmed yet, but it's a reasonable assumption given both courses are run by the same university and department. This guide's information on buildings, canteens, libraries, and Erasmus opportunities is drawn from our existing coverage of Padua's Italian-taught Medicine and Surgery course, on that assumption.