The Medical School is situated on the main university campus in the heart of Thessaloniki.

Physical Infrastructure and Learning Environment

• Campus Layout: The Medical School is integrated within the main AUTH campus, which is centrally located in the city.

• Medical Education Facilities: Features large lecture halls, seminar rooms, and dedicated laboratories for preclinical teaching.

• Simulation Center: Maintains functional Clinical Skills and Simulation Facilities for hands-on procedural training.

• Anatomy Facilities: Features dedicated Anatomy Laboratories with resources for practical study and dissection.

• Laboratories: Well-equipped research and teaching laboratories for foundational sciences.

• Central Library: Access to the specialized Medical Library and the large AUTH central library system.

• IT Infrastructure: High-speed Wi-Fi access and excellent IT support across the campus.

Clinical training is provided through the largest network of public hospitals in Northern Greece, all located in Thessaloniki.

Clinical Facilities and Exposure

1. Primary Teaching Hospitals: AUTH is affiliated with numerous major public hospitals in Thessaloniki, including:

   • AHEPA University General Hospital (AHEPA is the main tertiary center)

   • Hippokrateio General Hospital

   • Papageorgiou General Hospital

   • Thessaloniki General Hospital "Georgios Papanikolaou"

2. Affiliated Hospitals: Rotations occur across this vast network, ensuring exposure to diverse subspecialties and complex cases across Northern Greece.

3. Patient Load: Exposure to a high volume of diverse regional pathology is guaranteed, serving the entire Northern Greek population and surrounding regions.

4. Bed Capacity: The affiliated hospital network provides substantial bed capacity for teaching and clinical rotations.

5. Clinical Exposure Model: Students gain clinical exposure from the intermediate years onward, with intensive clerkships throughout the later years.

6. Training Method: Emphasis on bedside teaching, clinical reasoning, and supervised procedural practice.

7. Language Application: Fluent Greek is an absolute requirement for clinical rotations involving patient interaction.

As a public university, fees for EU/Greek citizens are minimal or free. Non-EU international students generally pay tuition, but the official policy and precise fees must be verified due to government subsidies and specific quota rules.

Financial Commitments

1. Annual Tuition Fee (Non-EU): Greek public university fees for non-EU students are generally low or moderate.

   • Estimate: Could be in the range of €5,000 – €10,000 EUR per year. (Verification with the university is mandatory).

2. Cost of Living (Annual): Moderate. Thessaloniki is significantly more affordable than Athens but offers a vibrant urban life.

   • Estimate: Approx. €7,000 – €10,000 EUR per year (excluding tuition).

3. Accommodation (Annual): Affordable private rental or limited university housing.

   • Estimate: Approx. €3,000 – €5,000 EUR per year for housing.

4. Mandatory Charges: Includes registration fees and medical insurance.

Thessaloniki is the second-largest city in Greece, a major port on the Aegean Sea, and the cultural and economic capital of Macedonia.

Life in Thessaloniki

1. General Atmosphere: Thessaloniki is famous for its vibrant nightlife, rich history (Byzantine and Ottoman), and beautiful waterfront promenade (the Paralia), centered around the iconic White Tower. It has a youthful, cosmopolitan feel.

2. Safety Profile: The city is generally regarded as safe for students and residents.

3. Student Life: Highly dynamic and engaging, driven by the massive student population of AUTH. Social life is focused on the city center and the waterfront cafes.

4. Climate: Experiences a humid subtropical climate with hot summers and cold, wet winters.

5. Transportation: Served by an efficient and affordable local bus system. The city center is easily walkable.

6. Famous Food: Known as the food capital of Greece, famous for its sweet pastries (like bougatsa), excellent coffee, and Mediterranean cuisine.

7. Indian Food Accessibility: Moderate to High. As a major city, there are a growing number of international and Indian restaurants and specialty grocery stores.

8. Language in Daily Life: Greek is the exclusive language of daily life and public services.

9. Cost of Living: Moderate compared to Athens, offering a high quality of life for students at a lower cost.

Thessaloniki offers a vibrant, historic, and highly engaging student life environment.

Residential Details and Student Life

1. Accommodation: The university provides limited student accommodation. Most students rely on the private rental market, which is reasonably competitive but generally more affordable than Athens.

2. Self-Catering: All accommodation options support self-catering, and local grocery costs are reasonable.

3. Safety: Thessaloniki is generally regarded as safe for students.

4. Climate: Experiences a humid subtropical climate, with hot summers and cold, wet winters.

5. Student Amenities: Extremely active student life, known for its dynamic social scene, seaside promenade, and numerous cafes and bars.

Key Student Obligations & Career Pathways

1. Admission Selection: Extremely difficult for non-EU students outside of specific government agreements. Admission for international students often depends on a limited quota system, typically requiring very high academic scores.

2. Language Requirement: High-level fluency in Greek (modern Greek language certification) is almost always a mandatory requirement for admission or successful continuation, as the program is taught in Greek.

3. Internship Requirement: Students must successfully complete the 6-year program to receive the MD degree.

4. NExT Eligibility (India): Graduates must successfully complete the full 6-year MD program to be eligible for the NExT exam and licensure in India.

5. Career in Greece/EU: Graduates are eligible for residency programs across the EU.