Studying At The Charité

Guide for International Students from Overseas

 Studying At The Charité - Guide For International Students From Overseas

Edited by: Charité International Cooperation (ChiC)

Incoming section

Version: 11th modified edition – January 2016

Department: Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Charité International Cooperation (ChIC)
Kapelle-Ufer 2
(Building : Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung/BMBF)
10117 Berlin - Germany

Cover picture: Front entrance A of the Charité at Schumannstraße

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 Studying At The Charité - Guide For International Students From Overseas

Table of contents

Introduction............................................................................................................... 4
Charité International Cooperation ........................................................................... 4
Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin ......................................................................... 5
History of the Charité ................................................................................................ 5
Academic authorities and organisation of the Charité .......................................... 6
General information about life in Berlin as a student............................................. 7
Accommodation and Housing ...................................................................................... 7
Language skills (and test) at the Charité and Language schools in Berlin .......... 8
Study facilities.............................................................................................................. 8
CIPom - Access to the Internet for free ....................................................................... 9
Meals and restaurants ................................................................................................. 9
Sports at the University ............................................................................................... 9

Health insurance coverage ..................................................................................... 10

Opening a bank account ........................................... Fehler! Textmarke nicht definiert.
Fixed-line telephone services .................................................................................... 10
International student card .......................................................................................... 10

Special groups for students and social life .......................................................... 11

Erasmix-Gruppe and Erasmus-Freunde .................................................................... 11
Cinema, theatre, and opera houses in Berlin............................................................. 11

Travel ........................................................................................................................ 12
Berlin by bike ............................................................................................................. 13

Campus maps………………………………………………………………………….14-16
Before leaving for Berlin ........................................................................................ 17
After your arrival ..................................................................................................... 17

Study Options and clinical rotations………………………………..……………..18-19

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 Studying At The Charité - Guide For International Students From Overseas

Introduction
Welcome to Berlin! We would like to compliment you on your decision to spend part of medical training
at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin - Europe's largest university hospital system.

Within the last few years not only did the merger of the medical faculties of the two universities of
Berlin take place but also a new curriculum was established at our university. So there were and still
are a lot of changes to cope with. In order to make your stay as smooth as possible, we have created
this guide book. It was created by students for students.

Please get back to us if you find any mistakes – we are always open to suggestions. Please read
through the booklet carefully and make your choices with consideration. Also make sure that you
explore our website (www.charite.de/chic) – it holds a lot of useful information and is always kept up to
date. Furthermore please take into account that all information are subject to change!

Your Charité International Cooperation Team

Charité International Cooperation

The Charité maintains an extensive network of cooperations, especially within the framework of the
European ERASMUS LifeLongLearning Programme. It continues under the new Erasmus+
programme (2014-2020)
There are many more bilateral cooperations and programmes with medical schools worldwide in which
the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin is involved. Charité International Cooperation (ChIC) is the
division of the academic administration that coordinates and organizes the international medical
school activities and exchange programmes for medical students.

Departmental Coordinator Dipl.-Päd Ulrike Arnold

and Head of ChIC Tel.: +49 30 450 576031
Email: [email protected]

In charge of incoming students Angelika Cernitori

Tel: +49 30 450 576002
Email: [email protected]

Coordinator Assistant Nikola Lepom

Tel: +49 30 450 576129
Email: [email protected]

Office-hours:
Tue 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm
(admission possible until 05:30 pm)

In charge of outgoing students Birgit Heller

Tel.: +49 30 450 576088
Email: [email protected]

www.charite.de/chic

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 Studying At The Charité - Guide For International Students From Overseas

Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin

The Charité is one of the oldest hospitals in Germany and among the largest university hospitals in
Europe today. With a history spanning almost three centuries, the Charité has produced eight Nobel
prize winners and has a worldwide reputation for excellence in medicine and research. Currently, with
a staff of about 10,400 employees, the hospital handles about 130,000 inpatient and almost 500,000
outpatient cases a year in more than 100 clinics and institutes – concentrated in 17 centres on 4
campuses.
The four Charité campuses are Campus Mitte, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Campus Benjamin Franklin
and Campus Berlin-Buch.

The Charité is one of the most prestigious medical schools in Germany, since 2003 serving as the
medical faculty for both Humboldt University Berlin and Free University Berlin. Currently, more than
7,000 students are enrolled in the various study programmes which include human medicine,
dentistry, medical and nursing pedagogy/nursing sciences as well as numerous postgraduate study
programmes.
In 1999, the Charité launched Germany's first reformed curriculum track (“Reformstudiengang
Medizin”). This programme is run parallel to the regular track with a small number of students. The
reformed curriculum track focuses on problem-based learning and interdisciplinary methods in
medicine. A model curriculum which integrates both programmes has been established since winter
semester 2010/11. After the temporary regulation will be expired in winter semester 2015/16 only the
model curriculum will be offered.

History of the Charité

The Charité was founded in 1710. Originally it was planned to serve as a quarantine home for patients
during a plague epidemic in Russia. This epidemic came to a halt in Prenzlau just outside the city in
front of the "Spandauer Tor". The so-called "Epidemic House" was then converted into a lodge for the
old, crippled and sick.
After 1726 the house served as a Military Hospital. One year later the King of Prussia, Friedrich
Wilhelm I, gave order to train the medical personal as army doctors, and he named the hospital
"Charité".

In 1810 the Berlin University was founded and the Charité soon became its faculty of medicine. The
faculty's first dean was Christoph Wilhelm Hufeland. In the following decades due to the wise political
decisions taken at the Friedrich-Wilhelm Universität a worldwide recognized scientific expansion took
place. As a result of the creative atmosphere among world famous scientists working at the Charité,
Berlin became one of the leading medical centers in the world in the 19th and beginning of the 20th
century. Physicians such as Johannes Muller, Johann Lucas Schonlein, and Johann Friedrich
Dieffenbach contributed to the great development in the medical field.

Many more doctors and medical students from all over the world came to Berlin to absorb the new
skills and scientific knowledge. Until 1933 other famous medical doctors - such as Virchow, Du Bois-
Remond, Helmholtz, Koch, Ehrlich, Behring, Rubner, Abderhalden, Warburg, Kossel, Chain,
Griesinger, Grotjahn, Nicolai, Brugsch, and Sauerbruch -contributed to the high reputation of the
Berliner Schule,. Nine Nobel price winners started their career at the Charité.

During the Nazi regime the Charité suffered from an enormous brain drain. Many of the well known
democratic and Jewish university teachers were forced to leave the country. After World War II the
Charité became the most important hospital in East Germany, the former German Democratic
Republic. It remained one of the most excellent medical schools in the Warzaw Pact region. A high
standard of medical care and excellence in research was achieved. After the reunification the Virchow-
Klinikum was transferred to the Humboldt-Universität and merged with the Charité.

The Charité reflects the situation in the whole of Germany e.g. bringing people of German nationality
together who were separated for more than 40 years. The problems associated with the change from
a communist to a capitalistic system, with all the psychological, organizational and economic
difficulties for both sides, provides an exhausting but fascinating experience.

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 Studying At The Charité - Guide For International Students From Overseas

Academic authorities and organization of the Charité

The chief management body of the Charité, the Board of Directors, makes stategic decisions and
directs operations. The Board of Directors is comprised of three members: the Chair of the Board of
Directors, the Dean, and the Hospital Director:

Prof. Dr. Karl Max Einhäupl Prof. Dr. Axel Radlach Pries N. N.
Chairman of the Board Dean Hospital Director

The Dean, who is responsible for all matters regarding research and teaching, is both a member of the
Board and head of the Faculty Board. The Clinical Director is responsible for the entire area of medical
care and is, likewise, a Board member. In addition, the Clinical Director heads the Clinical Center
Management.
The Berlin university medical law (Berliner Universitätsmedizingesetz) of 2005 requires the
establishment of a Supervisory Board to advise the Board of Directors as well as to monitor the
finances and the quality of the teaching and research conducted at the Charité.

Faculty Board:
The Faculty Board represents the medical faculty of the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin in all
internal and external academic matters and is in charge of setting the scientific orientation and focus.
Responsibilities include strategic planning and implementation as well as the continual evaluation of
the productivity and quality of the research and teaching at the Charité.

The Faculty Board has, to a large extent, financial sovereignty - thus, the Dean is responsible for the
fiscal plan for "Research and Teaching". The Faculty Board proposes this fiscal plan and, upon
confirmation by the Supervisory Board, carries out its implementation. Included are the management
of consumable materials and the concrete allocation of funds for research and teaching.

The Faculty Board of the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin is comprised of four members: the
presiding Dean and member of the Charité's Board of Directors, the Vice-Dean for Research, the Vice-
Dean for Studies and Teaching, and the Head of Finance of the Faculty.

Prof. Dr. Axel Radlach Pries

Dean
Prof. Dr. Christian Hagemeier Prof. Dr. Adelheid Kuhlmey Dr. Helmar Wauer, MBA
Vice Dean of Research Vice Dean for Education Faculty Business Director

Supervisory Council:
The Supervisory Council (Aufsichtsrat) advises the Vorstand and oversees the appropriateness and
the economic feasibility of its decisions.

It controls the implementation of programmes within teaching and research and appoints the Chair of
the Board of Directors and the Clinical Director. In addition, the Supervisory Board decides on the
official annual financial statements and on the use of surplus funds.

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 Studying At The Charité - Guide For International Students From Overseas

General information about life in Berlin as a student

The cost of living is an approximate estimation that might vary depending on your personal situation.
As an estimate, you will need roughly 700 - 1000 EUR a month to cover your cost of living including
rent.

Cost of living is not as high in Berlin as it is in other major cities. Nevertheless, you should think about
the intellectual and cultural challenges which studying in Germany can bring, and that it would be an
additional handicap to have to look for some kind of job from the very start of your studies, just in order
to support yourself. If you receive no financial support from home, for example parents or family, or if
you do not have adequate financial resources, very soon other problems will start to occur.

This total is made up of:

Expenditures for EUR
Rent 300 - 600
Food 200 - 300
Public transport approx. 55 to 70 (AB/ABC)
Books and other study materials 50
Cultural events 100
Health, liability, malpractice, accident insurance approx. 40
(only for students who are not registrated at the
Charité or not covered by the European Health
Insurance system)

Accommodation and Housing

Living in Berlin is fairly inexpensive in comparison to other European capitals. There is a wide-ranging
offer of private flats and the very popular flat sharing. Rooms and flats are offered in all price
categories.

A wide range of available flats can be found at

Berliner Morgenpost: http://www.morgenpost.de/berlin/wohnung-mieten/
Immobilienscout 24: http://www.immobilienscout24.de/
Wohnung Jetzt: http://www.wohnung-jetzt.de/wohnungsmarkt/wohnungen/berlin.php

Student flats and flat-sharing ads can also be found at the following websites:
City Mitwohnzentrale: http://www.city-mitwohnzentrale.com/
Homecompany: http://berlin.homecompany.de/
Studenten-WG: http://www.studenten-wg.de/Berlin,wohnung.html

WG-Gesucht: http://www.wg-gesucht.de/
Wohnungsmarkt: http://www.studentenwohnungsmarkt.de/
Zitty: http://www.zitty.de/
Zeit Raum: http://www.zeit-raum.de/
WG-Berlin www.wgberlin.net
Zimmer www.medici-living.de
WG-Zimmer Berlin www.wgzimmerberlin.de

There is an online apartment market (“Wohnungsbörse”) available, where Charité students

who go abroad for a while, offer their flat or room.

http://forum.fsi-charite.de/viewforum.php?f=142&sid=564b4c6824d011afe7ac5fcac5a54c2b

Or just have a look on our website to find more information:

http://www.charite.de/studium_lehre/international/erasmus/erasmus_studierende_aus_dem_ausland/
wohnen/

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 Studying At The Charité - Guide For International Students From Overseas

Language skills, the test and Language schools in Berlin

Please note that the German patients do only speak English in exceptional cases. The visits on the
ward and the early meetings of the team will always be held in the German language. An English
spoken staff depends on the availability and is not constantly guaranteed. On these reasons and to
achieve a better learning effect it is absolutely necessary to have good language skills in English or
even better in German. For this reasons we ask the Incoming-students to pass the
following language test and send the result by Email approx.one month before your arrival.

English:
https://anmeldung.sprachenzentrum.hu-
berlin.de/cgi/ctest2.cgi?testcode=8d779013ddff505731463cfd5027b0f7

German:
https://anmeldung.sprachenzentrum.hu-
berlin.de/cgi/ctest2.cgi?testcode=61a4b9a75bebbb3af41cc3965cdbcd1d

There are many different language schools in Berlin and around Berlin. Prices, size of the learning
group, times etc. are varying from school to school. So please check the internet and see the terms
and conditions of each school. The following links are only a few examples - there are many more
schools in Berlin!

Humboldt Universität: http://www.sprachenzentrum.hu-berlin.de/

Freie Universität: http://www.sprachenzentrum.fu-berlin.de/
Technische Universität: http://www.skb.tu-berlin.de/

Others: http://www.hartnackschule-berlin.de/
http://www.prolog-berlin.de/
http://www.goethe.de/ins/de/ort/ber/deindex.htm

Study facilities
For those of you who feel more comfortable studying at the library than at home, there are plenty of
public and also three Charité-associated libraries.

Bibliothek Campus Mitte (CCM)

Philippstraße 11/12, 10117 Berlin
Tel.: ++49-30- 450 576078
opening hours and further information:
http://bibliothek.charite.de/die_bibliothek/zweigbibliothek_ccm/

Bibliothek Campus Virchow (CVK)

Augustenburger Platz 1 (at the end of Mittelallee), 13353 Berlin
Tel.: ++49-30- 450 576306
opening hours & further information:
http://bibliothek.charite.de/die_bibliothek/bibliothekszentrale_cvk/

Zahnmedizinische Bibliothek (CBF)

Aßmannshauser Str. 4 - 6 (at House 2, floor 02), 14197 Berlin
Tel.: ++49-30- 450 576265
opening hours & further information:
http://bibliothek.charite.de/die_bibliothek/zweigbibliothek_zahnmedizin/

Jacob-und-Wilhelm-Grimm-Zentrum (University library of the Humboldt-Universität)

Geschwister-Scholl-Straße 1/3, 117 Berlin
Tel.: ++49-30- 2093 99370
opening hours & further information:
http://www.grimm-zentrum.hu-berlin.de/

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 Studying At The Charité - Guide For International Students From Overseas

CIPom - Access to the Internet for free

If you don't have access to the internet from your home then you can use the internet rooms of the
Charité for free. You will find them in two of the three campi (CCM, CVK) in different places. All you
need is your student card. Please show it to the student personal who holds the internet room. For
more information visit their website - www.cipom.de

nd
Location: CCM: 2 floor Lernzentrum Virchowweg 5
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9:00am – 10:00pm, Saturday 10:00am – 4:00pm

rd
Location: CVK: 3 floor Forum 3 (near the library to the left)
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 10:00am – 6:00pm

Meals and student restaurants

Student restaurants and cafeterias are located all over town. The Mensa Nord for example is located
in walking distance from the Campus Charité Mitte (CCM).
And you can find a list of all the student restaurants on the homepage of the Studentenwerk Berlin:
http://www.studentenwerk-berlin.de/mensen/index.html

Restaurants near CCM: Mensa HU Nord Mensa HU Süd

Hannoversche Straße 7 Unter den Linden 6
10115 Berlin 10117 Berlin

Restaurant near CVK: Mensa TFH Nordring 2 (Campus Virchow)

Luxemburger Str. 9 Augustenburger Platz 1
13353 Berlin 13353 Berlin

Restaurant near CBF: FU II (Silberlaube)

Otto-von-Simson-Straße 26
14195 Berlin

Sports at the University

All students can participate in the university sports programme (Hochschulsport-Programm). Most of
the courses are free except for a few activities (those which include the use of expensive equipment)
which require a course fee.

In addition to the regular programme during the term there are also intensive courses during the
holidays (vorlesungsfreie Zeit). In order to enrol for one or more sporting activities you will need to get
hold of a copy of the complete sports programme which is published shortly before the beginning of
the semester and can be found in several places on the Campus.

You will need to present a student card or a provisional student card. In any case speed is necessary,
as many attractive sports are booked up after only a few hours. As a Charité student you are also
allowed to take part in university sports that are offered by the FU-Freie Universität, TU-Technische
Universität and HU-Humboldt Universität zu Berlin.

HU-Humboldt Universität: https://www.hochschulsport.hu-berlin.de/de

FU-Freie Universität: http://www.hochschulsport.fu-berlin.de/sportprogramm/index.html
TU-Technische Universität: https://www.tu-sport.de/index.php?id=1822
Beuth-Hochschule
für Technik Berlin University: http://www.beuth-hochschule.de/zeh/

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 Studying At The Charité - Guide For International Students From Overseas

Health insurance coverage

All students are required to provide proof of international health insurance coverage as well as a proof
that their malpractice liability insurance is in effect during their stay at Charité. If you don't have any of
these insurances please contact our office well in advance. We can help you finding an insurance for
you.

Public transport system - BVG

Berlin has very efficient public transport system. While studying at Charité you are entitled to a
reduced fare ticket "Monatskarte Auszubildende". The ticket is good throughout the AB local transport
zones operated by the Berlin-Brandenburg transport consortium (VBB) for an unlimited number of
rides. The monthly cost is 55 Euro. You need to get an endorsing letter from our office in order to buy
the ticket. See http://www.bvg.de/en for further information.

Fixed-line telephone services

The German telephone company Deutsche Telekom is still the most known and prevalent telephone
service provider, however, there are other companies, and it is well worth comparing prices, especially
for long-distance or international calls. More detailed information can be found on the Internet. On the
Internet you can also find information about a number of callback service providers, which are
certainly to be recommended for international calls, because they use the more economical US
American telephone charge systems.

http://www.telefontarife.de/
www.billiger-telefonieren.de

The German system of charges operated by Deutsche Telekom is divided into a number of different
charge zones, depending on the day of the week and times as well as distances. Information may be
obtained from the branch offices (T-Punkt-Filialen) and toll-free by calling (+49 [0]) 800 330 33 33.

To use public telephone or call boxes you usually need a pre-paid telephone card, only a few of the
call boxes now accept coins. You can choose telephone cards which cost € 5 or € 10; they may be
purchased, for example, from a post office, in the T-Punkt branch offices and from gas stations.

International student card

Using the ISIC card will help you for students discounts
http://www.isic.org/

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 Studying At The Charité - Guide For International Students From Overseas

Special groups for students and social life

Erasmix-Gruppe (Erasmix-group)
The ERASMIX-Gruppe mainly consists of medical students of the Charité Berlin. Their experience in
exchange-programs, made them create an international melting pot in their own University as well.
The purpose of this group is to connect the foreign students with the students from the Charité.

Contact: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]

The webpage is currently under construction.

Erasmus Freunde (Erasmus-friends)

The "Erasmus Freunde" (or in English the Erasmus friends) are a special group of retired doctors who
organize an excellent semester programme for our incoming students.
Some members of the "Erasmus Freunde" present their actual programme at our welcome meeting in
the first week before the semester starts. You will find information on this leisure programme in the
Blackboard, the e-learning platform. (For more information please read the Blackboard section of that
guide).

Some features are:

- Sightseeing and museum tours

- Cycling tours in and around Berlin
- Hikes of all kind
- Guided expositions and many more

http://erasmus.charite.de/erasmus_incoming_students/erasmus_freunde/

Contact: [email protected].

Cinema, theatre and opera houses in Berlin

Berlin is well-known for its wide cultural diversity, whether these are theatres, opera houses or
cinemas, so that you could in fact go to some kind of performance every day. Locations may be found
in the program or listings magazines called Zitty, Tip and the English-language "Metropolis", which
also offer interesting websites. It is cheaper to go to the cinema on Tuesdays and Wednesdays,
because these days are known as cinema days (Kinotage). This means that cinema tickets for all
performances only cost between € 4 and € 6 (on other days they are from € 8 to € 11). In some
cinemas in the eastern districts of Berlin students can buy reduced price tickets if they produce their
student ID.

There is the ClassicCard which enables any young person up to 30 years old to obtain very
reasonable tickets for performances at several cultural institutions. (Deutsche Oper, Konzerthaus,
Komische Oper, Staatsballett, Staatsoper im Schillertheater, Deutsches Symphonieorchester,
Rundfunk-Symphonieorchester). This Internet site contains everything you need to know about the
ClassicCard. You can easily buy it in the Internet or at the great bookshop Dussmann (Kulturkaufhaus)
(Friedrichstraße 90, 10117 Berlin)

http://www.classiccard.de/en_EN/home
http://www.kulturkaufhaus.de/de

In many other theaters and opera houses student reductions are available. You can often only obtain
tickets at reduced prices at the ticket desk on the day of performance (Abendkasse).

http://www.goethe.de/ins/de/ort/ber/deindex.htm

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 Studying At The Charité - Guide For International Students From Overseas

Travel
The next few sections will give you a number of ideas for opportunities to travel, both within Germany
and from Germany to other countries. It is advisable to compare several offers before deciding. It is
also true to say that the earlier you book, the more attractive are the prices. The most inexpensive
accommodation offered is provided by youth hostels (JH or YHA), which are to be found in over 60
countries. All the youth hostel addresses can be found online:

http://www.jugendherberge.de/?gclid=CJmI1_q_4r0CFZShtAodDFoAjg

Railway:
All kinds of information on anything to do with railway travel in Germany and abroad including special
offers are to be found on the Internet.
An alternative carrier to DB is provided by the InterConnex trains. These trains run every day on the
routes connecting-Leipzig-Berlin-Rostock and also on the Zittau-Berlin-Stralsund route.
http://www.bahn.de/p_en/view/index.shtml
www.interconnex.de

Air travel:
A quick and inexpensive way to cover larger distances to get away from Berlin as a basis is provided
by air travel as alternative. Now there are many airlines increasingly offering reduced rate flights.
Because there are frequently only a limited number of seats allocated at cheap rates, it is advisable to
book as early as possible.
When comparing various prices it is important to check carefully whether the respective individual
airlines also apply additional taxes and airport landing fees. Below is a list of some sample addresses
which you may find useful in looking for bargain prices for flights:
www.airlines.de
www.flug.de
www.flugboerse.de
www.fernweh.com

Long-distance bus services:

If you prefer to remain firmly on the ground when travelling, you have the choice of being able to reach
lots of cities in Germany and in Europe at reasonable prices using long-distance bus services. You
can find the required information at:
https://www.flixbus.com
www.berlinienbus.de
www.eurolines.com
www.gullivers.de
www.busreisen.de
www.buswelt.de

Car sharing centres - getting together to drive;

If you are looking for an inexpensive alternative way to travel apart from taking a bus, the train or a
plane, you can contact one of the many car sharing centres which operate in Berlin. In these centres
you can arrange to get a ride with someone else. With Berlin as point of departure there is at short
notice nearly always the chance to travel to other parts of Germany. Sharing the costs of gas is
usually a condition for sharing a car ride.

The actual price should be agreed with the driver of the car before setting out. The car sharing centres
will help you by stating what is the maximum amount a driver can demand. Below are addresses of
some of the Berlin car sharing centres:

ADM Mitfahrzentrale
in the Zoo U-Bahn station
(on the U2 line platform heading to Pankow)
10777 Berlin
Tel.: ++49-30- 194 40, 241 58 20 or ++49-30- 883 20 70
http://www.mf24.de
[email protected]´

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 Studying At The Charité - Guide For International Students From Overseas

Berlin by bike
Having a bicycle is now seen as a very good alternative to using public transport, since this enables
you to get about and explore Berlin and the surrounding countryside and do something to keep fit, too.
If you don't want to buy a new bike, you can either hire a bicycle or buy one second-hand. There are
advertisements for second-hand cycles in the fortnightly advertising magazine "Zweite Hand", or the
German Railways Deutsche Bahn AG auctions bicycles regularly (dates and times are posted in local
daily newspapers).

Bicycles for hire include: Fahrradstation

Rosenthaler Straße 40/41
10178 Berlin Mitte
Tel.: ++49-30- 28 38 48 48
http://www.fahrradstation.de

For all questions which have anything to do with cycles and cycling you can contact the Allgemeiner
Deutsche Fahrrad-Club (National Cycling Association - ADFC):
http://www.adfc.de/about-us/about-us

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 Studying At The Charité - Guide For International Students From Overseas

Campus maps
Campus Charité Mitte (CCM) Transport connection:
Charitéplatz 1 / Luisenstraße 65 • S+U Friedrichstr. DB, 10min walk
10117 Berlin • U6 Oranienburger Tor, 10 min walk
• Bus 147 till Luisenstr./Charité

X Charité International
Cooperation office (BMBF)

http://www.charite.de/charite/organisation/standorte/campus_charite_mitte_ccm/lageplaene/

Note: Campus buildings are labeled with internal addresses (e.g., Virchowweg10). Street numbers
refer to those on the campus map.

Here you find:

1) The office Charité International Cooperation (ChiC) – marked in red

2) Library (Oskar-Hertwig-Haus, Philippstraße 11/12) [right side, white pathway)
3) Referat für Studienangelegenheiten (Hannoversche Straße 19, 3. OG)
4) Hexenhäuschen / House of the students (Philippstr. 12)
5) CIPOM-Computer room (Lernzentrum Virchowweg 5 Ebene 2) [No. 5 in yellow]
6) Medical history museum (No. 17)

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 Studying At The Charité - Guide For International Students From Overseas

Campus Virchow-Klinikum (CVK) Transport connection

Augustenburgerplatz 1 • U9 Amruner Straße
13351 Berlin • S/U Westhafen, 5 min walk

http://www.charite.de/charite/organisation/standorte/campus_virchow_klinikum_cvk/lageplaene/

Here you find:

1) Library [Nr. F – 1, green]

2) company medical officer [Nr. E – 6B, pink]
3) Mensa [Nr. B - 3]
4) Lehrgebäude with CIPOM [Nr. F – 3, green]

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 Studying At The Charité - Guide For International Students From Overseas

Campus Benjamin Franklin (CBF) Transport connection

Hindenburgdamm 30 • U9 or S1 till Rathaus Steglitz, then Bus M85 or
12203 Berlin 285 till Universitätsklinikum Benjamin Franklin,
5 min walk
• S1 till Botanischer Garten, 15 min walk

http://www.charite.de/charite/organisation/standorte/campus_benjamin_franklin_cbf/lageplaene/

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 Studying At The Charité - Guide For International Students From Overseas

Before leaving for Berlin

Once you are selected by your university the following steps will become very important to you:

Step 1: Read this guide carefully!

Step 2: Decide which clinical rotations you would like to complete. Do take into consideration
what your university requires you have to comply on your exchange and recheck with the
information in this guide if you will be able to meet those requirements.
Step 3: Please check the visa regulations of the Federal Republic of Germany for your
nationality. Detailed information can be obtained from the German embassy in your
country or via the web at http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Startseite_node.html If you
need endorsing documents concerning your stay please contact us well in advance.
Step 4: Fill in our university application form we have sent you by email. Add your result of your
English or German language test (see below “Language”, page 8). Please take this test
really serious, don’t pass it with help of others, as your language skills will be checked by
our office.
Step 5: If you are planning to do clinical rotations at Charité you are obliged to undergo a physical
examination and get your lab values checked by our company doctors (Betriebsarzt).
Please check the completeness of the document we have sent you (Immunization Form,
filled in and signed by a physician of your country).

After your arrival

Step 1: From our office you have received by mail the details for your examination date at the
company doctor. Please note this agreed date is binding and must be observed. Make
sure you have your vaccination certificate and a preaddressed (Berlin address!) and post-
paid envelope with you.
You will find the location of the medical centre on the map on page 15 in this guide:
Virchow Klinikum (CVK), Südring 6B.
Step 2: Even though by now all your problems should have been solved. In case something is
still not quite clear please make sure to come by our office and we will try to help you.

Step 3: Please respect our office hours, thank you.

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 Studying At The Charité - Guide For International Students From Overseas

Studying at the Charité: Study options

.

One option to study at Charité is completing clinical rotations (German = “Famulatur”). These are full-
time clinical placements which take place on the hospital wards. The usual amount of time spent on
the ward is about 8 hours per day. The common working hours are from 8 am till 4 pm. The students
will work on the ward under the supervision of a physician. Depending on the subject a minimum
duration of 2 to 4 weeks is required. You can choose out of a vast variety of different clinical
disciplines as well as very specialized fields. In the following we compiled an overview in what fields
you can do clinical rotations in. If you desire to spend a rotation in a particular field which is not in the
list please do not hesitate to contact us. The training will take place in the clinical departments of
Charité as well as in its affiliated teaching hospitals in the Berlin-Brandenburg region. Please bring
your own stethoscope, diagnostic tools etc.

In order to secure the organization of your selected clinical rotation we have to get at least six
months in advance the information about your preferred department and period.

To get the most out of your clinical experience at Charité we recommend our students to be fluent in
German as this is the main language of communication. Although many doctors are able to speak and
understand English, patient normally do not. However, in some clinical disciplines proficiency in
German is absolutely mandatory. This applies especially to subjects with high level of doctor-patient
interaction. To get enrolled in these clinical rotations we need a proof of your language proficiency in
German. We accept TestDAF, Goethe certificates and we also offer you the opportunity to test your
language skills online (Einstufungstest) via the following URL:

http://www.sprachenzentrum.hu-berlin.de/studium_und_lehre/kursangebot

You will receive the results via email - please make sure that you keep the result and send it to us
along with your application form or as soon as you have taken the test. Once you are here make sure
to use the opportunity to improve your already sufficient German skills: for different course offers
please check our website:

http://erasmus.charite.de/en/incoming_students/language/

For your orientation we provided a comment about language requirements for each discipline.

E - Proficiency in English mandatory (German desirable)

G - Proficiency in German mandatory (at least C1-level, according to the Common European
Framework of Reference for Languages)

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 Studying At The Charité - Guide For International Students From Overseas

Discipline Sub-disciplines Language

Anaesthesiology Perioperative medicine E
Intensive care medicine E
Pain management E
Emergency medicine G
Audiology and Phoniatrics Pedaudiology G
Dermatology Venerology G
Allergology G
General Medicine G
Gynaecology Interdisciplinary breast cancer center G
E possible
but not in
the Charité
Internal Medicine Hepatology G
Gastroenterology G
Endocrinology G
Cardiology (critical care of cardiac patients, E
interventional cardiology)
Infectious diseases G
Pneumology G
Haematology and oncology E (only
CBF)
Naturopathy G
Neurology G
Otorhinolaryngology General ENT E but not in
the Charité
Tinnitus centre G
Orthopaedics E
Ophthalmology E
Obstetrics G
Paediatrics General paediatrics G
Surgery E
Cardiology G
Neurosurgery E
Neurology G
Neonatology G
Haemtology and oncology G
Nephrology G
Pneumology G
Pathology General pathology G
Neuropathology G
Psychiatry General psychiatry G
Forensic psychiatry G
Child & adolescent psychiatry G
Radiology Neuroradiology G
General radiology E
Paediatric radiology G
Radiation therapy E possible
Nuclearmedicine G
Surgery General surgery E
Visceral surgery E
Thoracic surgery E
Cardiovascular surgery E
Maxillofacial surgery E
Neurosurgery E
Transplant Surgery E
Traumasurgery E
Urology G

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