Traineeships / Clinical Rotations at TUM

Many students are interested in the possibility of completing a traineeship / clinical rotation at TUM School of Medicine and Health and its TUM University Hospital respectively. Below you will find important information about how this works.

Please note:

  • A traineeship / clinical rotation does not include participation in courses of the regular medical curriculum at TUM School of Medicine and Health.
  • Each clincal department decides independently whether to accept you for a traineeship / clinical rotation.
  • The Student Office at TUM School of Medicine and Health does not assist in finding traineeships / clinical rotations at hospitals, clinics, or laboratories. 

Conditions

If you are accepted as a trainee:

  • You will not receive a Transcript of Records (ECTS) from TUM after your traineeship. TUM School of Medicine and Health generally does not award any ECTS credits for clinical traineeships / internships. It is at the discretion of your home university to decide whether and how clinical traineeships / internships can be recognised with ECTS credits.
  • You will not automatically be registered as a student at TUM. Hence, you will not automatically have access to services for exchange students within a mobility programme, such as student accommodation, German language courses, or introduction days.
  • You may enroll at TUM as Practical Project Student to be registered as a student at TUM (though it is not mandatory). A minimum stay of two months is required for enrollment as Practical Project Student; the maximum length of stay is two semesters.

For students from countries (home universities) within the Erasmus+ programme

Clinical traineeships / rotations in one of our clinical departments or wards of the TUM University Hospital Rechts der Isar can be completed within the ERASMUS+ SMP Program (Student Mobility of Placements), provided that the following requirements are met:

  1. Minimum duration: Your traineeship / clinical rotation must have a minimum duration of two months (60 days).

  2. The respective clinical department / ward must have sufficient capacity to accept you for a traineeship / clinical rotation during your requested period.

  3. German language skills: You must demonstrate a good command of German. Proof of German language proficiency at CEFR level B1 or B2 is recommended.

Organisation of the Traineeship

Please note that international incoming students are required to organise their traineeship / clinical rotation independently. The Student Office of the TUM School of Medicine and Health is not responsible for allocating or coordinating internship places.

Instead, the individual clinical departments and wards decide independently whether they have sufficient capacity to accept international students for a traineeship / clinical rotation.

Therefore, as a first step, you must contact the relevant clinical department(s) / ward(s) of TUM University Hospital Rechts der Isar directly and enquire about the availability of traineeship places during your preferred period. You can find the contact details of the respective teaching coordinators on the following website.

Documents Required for Your Application

Once you have received written confirmation of acceptance from the relevant clinical department(s) / ward(s), please send the following documents to the MH Student Office by e-mail at international.med.sto@mh.tum.de.

If possible, please submit all documents as one single PDF file.

All documents must be submitted no later than four weeks before the start of your Erasmus+ Traineeship / clinical rotation. Please provide the following:

  • Letter or e-mail of acceptance of the clinical department(s)/ward(s)
  • Exact dates / time period of your planned traineeship / clinical rotation. If you will complete rotations in more than one clinical department, please indicate the exact dates for each rotation.
  • Short letter of motivation
  • CV / résumé including a photograph
  • Erasmus+ Learning Agreement for Traineeships for each clinical internship / rotation.
    • You are required to complete the Erasmus+ Learning Agreement for Traineeships provided by your home university, sign it, and have it signed and stamped by the responsible Departmental Erasmus+ Coordinator(s) at your home university.
    • Please note that a separate Learning Agreement is required for each clinical rotation at TUM University Hospital Rechts der Isar. Each Learning Agreement must also be signed by a responsible representative of the clinical department / ward in which you will complete your internship.
    • Once you have obtained the necessary signatures from the respective clinical department(s) / ward(s), you may additionally request the signature of the TUM Departmental Erasmus+ Coordinator(s) if this is explicitly required by your home university. In most cases, however, the signature of the responsible representative of the respective clinical department / ward is sufficient.
  • Proof of valid health insurance, e.g. a copy of your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
  • Proof of German language proficiency at a minimum level of B1
  • Medical examination certificate which must not be older than one year at the time your internship begins. For further information please refer to the document below “Certificate of Medical Examination“. The completed form must be signed by your general practitioner and submitted to us.
  • Current certificate of enrolment from your home university
  • Proof of medical malpractice / professional liability insurance covering the entire period your clinical internship / rotation. which protects you against claims regarding financial compensation relating to your work as a doctor/intern. This insurance must provide coverage for claims for financial compensation arising from your professional activities as a medical student / intern. Please note that personal liability insurance (civil liability insurance) or accident insurance is not sufficient. If your home university does not provide this type of insurance for its students, you may also purchase appropriate coverage in Germany. The following are examples of providers:

Optional Enrolment at TUM

Students completing a clinical traineeship have the option of enrolling at TUM as Practical Project Students (PPS) for one to three semesters. Please note that this enrolment is optional and not a requirement for completing an Erasmus+ Traineeship. Further information on the enrolment procedure can be found here.  Please note the application deadlines, which occur only four times a year!

PDF icon Certificate of Medical Examination_english.pdf

For students from countries (home universities) outside the Erasmus+ programme

A clinical internship or rotation at our hospital is possible, provided that the following requirements are met:

  • The respective clinical department or ward has sufficient capacity to accept you for the requested period.
  • You have a good command of the German language. Proof of German language proficiency at CEFR level B1/B2 is recommended.

Please note that international incoming students are responsible for arranging their clinical internship or rotation independently. The Student Office of the TUM School of Medicine and Health is not responsible for coordinating or allocating internship or rotation placements. Instead, the respective clinical departments and wards decide independently whether they have sufficient capacity to accept international students for a clinical internship or rotation.

How to apply

As a first step, please contact the relevant clinical department or ward at TUM University Hospital rechts der Isar and inquire whether a placement is available during your preferred period. You can find the contact details of the respective teaching coordinators on the following website:
https://www.meditum.med.tum.de/de/content/fachbetreuerinnen

The clinical department or ward will then discuss the further steps directly with you and inform you about the documents and formal requirements that need to be fulfilled for your internship or rotation.

Important information for students from outside the EU

Please note that students from countries outside the EU who wish to complete an internship or clinical placement at TUM University Hospital must enroll at TUM as Practical Project Students (PPS). This is necessary to avoid a separate and more complex procedure for obtaining a work permit.

Please be aware that enrollment as a Practical Project Student is mandatory for a minimum period of two months. Consequently, your clinical internship or rotation must also have a duration of at least two months. It is therefore not possible to complete a clinical rotation of less than two months. Further information on enrollment as a Practical Project Student can be found on the relevant TUM website.

The person responsible for the enrollment process is Ms. Sandra Lessing (sandra.lessing@tum.de). She will be happy to assist you with any administrative questions regarding your enrollment as a Practical Project Student.

Please also make sure to take the following application deadlines into account:

  • Enrollment as of May 15: Application deadline – April 1
  • Enrollment as of October 1: Application deadline – July 15
  • Enrollment as of November 15: Application deadline – October 1
  • Enrollment as of April 1: Application deadline – January 15