The Oldenburg team has ambitious plans: They want to erase the last blank spot on the map of university medical care in Germany. This is because the north-west is the only region in Germany with a growing population that lacks a university hospital. Together with the three Oldenburg clinics, the University of Oldenburg and the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen intend to realise the "European Medical School" (EMS) from 2011. The vote of the German Council of Science and Humanities on the innovative Oldenburg concept with Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes is therefore eagerly awaited.

"Almost all graduates with a Bachelor's degree in medicine will probably go on to study for a Master's degree straight away, as only the Master's degree in medicine from Groningen is equivalent to the German State Examination in Medicine," explains Prof. Birger Kollmeier, one of the leading initiators of the concept. "However, the Groningen concept is particularly clever, as it also allows graduates of related Bachelor's degree programmes to enter the Master's degree in medicine with an additional year - with very good results!" emphasises Kollmeier. This benefits medical research in particular - and here we can expect a lot more "Made in Oldenburg" from the interaction between clinical practice and basic university research!