Medicine degree course focused on gender differences

In medical circles, the male body is still used as a prototype, the Universities of Zurich and Bern explain in a joint press release. However, the problem with this approach is that women often experience different symptoms than men when they contract an illness. Taking a heart attack as an example, this can lead to symptoms not being assessed or identified correctly. There are also differences in the efficacy of certain drugs. For example, the female body often responds more slowly to medication.

According to the Universities of Zurich and Bern, the precision medicine of the future would, in a first step, have to take account of gender differences for the treatment of patients. From May onwards, they are therefore starting a joint further education course for gender-specific medicine. According to the information available, the degree course will be aimed at specialists who want to increase their knowledge of gender-specific differences in medicine and bring their work in line with the most recent standard of research.

“The CAS Sex and Gender-Specific Medicine is a comprehensive degree program that is unique in Europe and should serve to directly benefit the wellbeing of patients”, explains Daniel Candinas, Vice-Rector for Research at the University of Bern and Managing Director, Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine at the Inselspital Bern.