Jagiellonian University Medical College, Poland

 The Jagiellonian University, the oldest university in Poland, owes its unique position to both traditions dating back over 600 years and significant achievements in modern times.

King Kazimierz Wielki (Casimir the Great) of Poland founded our prestigious University in 1364. Since then Kraków has become the center of European education, science and culture. Kraków is not only one of the oldest cities in Europe; with a population of almost one million, it is also a large and modern university city that offers many educational and scientific opportunities. Jagiellonian University Medical College is the oldest medical school in Poland. The Jagiellonian Universitys Faculties of Medicine and Pharmacy are acclaimed as one of the largest medical academies in Poland. The school was established by Casimir III of Poland in 1364.

Jagiellonian University Medical College is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Medical Schools (Komisja Akredytacyjna Uczelni Medycznych) and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. On July 27, 2007 the Division of Licensing of the Medical Board of California granted recognition to the English-language programs of the Jagiellonian University Medical College.

The School of Medicine in English is a structural unit of the Faculty of Medicine. Its first students were admitted in October 1994. During the 2008/2009 academic year, over 480 students from five continents and twenty countries were enrolled in the School, with the majority coming from Norway, the USA, and Canada.

The School offers two programs of medicine, taught exclusively in English. This first is a 4-year program for graduates of pre-medical college/university programs in the USA/Canada and the second is a 6-year program for graduates of secondary schools. Graduates of these programs are conferred a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree by the Jagiellonian University Faculty of Medicine. Academic staff include the most experienced scholars and lecturers at Jagiellonian University, as well as foreign academics from the USA, England, Germany, and other countries. These English-language programs remain in compliance with Polish and EU standards of teaching, the US Department of Education (Stafford Loan Program), and Medical Board of California.

The Jagiellonian Library System comprises the main research library and the libraries of JU faculties and departments.

The library also collects foreign language publications that are used at the university either as teaching or as research resources. The acquisition of materials on linguistics, literary studies, art and religious studies is given a priority.

All Polish books and valuable foreign publications constitute the National Library Resources, which owing to their role and value demand extraordinary protection. For this reason, the main research library has introduced security procedures which affect the collections’ accessibility. The library provides online access to academic magazines and catalogues.

JU MC Medical Library offers publications on medicine, pharmacy, nursing, health sciences, biology and related subjects. The library’s collection is attuned to the needs of the library’s users among whom are the students and employees of the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Pharmacy and the Faculty of Health Sciences as well as other health service employees.

The library is a modern education centre with Wi-Fi connection and a quick access to the collection, database, electronic journals, and other sources of information. The book collection amounts to 296 019 volumes; some of them are stored in JU departmental libraries. The Jagiellonian Digital Library is a digital platform, established in 2010 and funded by the European Union, which provides its users with electronic versions of books stored in the Jagiellonian Library as well as other university libraries. Currently more than 250,000 publications are available for reading.

Jagiellonian University Medical College Student Hostels in Prokocim include three dormitories situated at ul. Badurskiego 13, 15 and 17 in the Prokocim district. All the three hostels are located 10 kilometers away from university facilities and University Hospital, and in proximity of the Polish-American Institute of Pediatrics, Faculty of Pharmacy and the JU MC Medical Library. You can enjoy a panorama of Kraków from the windows of the hostels, and with good weather, even of the Tatra Mountains. The JU MC Student Hostel is situated right in the heart of Kraków, just a fifteen-minute walk away from the Main Market Square (Rynek Główny), and a few-minute drive from the Railway and Bus Station, which makes it a very convenient accommodation. The Hostel can house up to 200 students during academic year (from October till June), and in case of vacancies, the accommodation places are let to tourists. The Hostel also has guest rooms available to tourists all year round.