Examination rules, legitimate reasons for absence
The rules and laws concerning examination procedure at The University of Oslo for the degree cand.med. according to the curriculum of 1996 § 11, says:"Students who do not have a legitimate reason for being absent from an examination are not allowed to attend the re-sit examination, and will be transferred to the following class."The following reasons qualify for a re-sit examination:
a) The student falls ill prior to the examination (this must be confirmed by a written letter from a doctor)
b) The student falls ill during the examination (the student must immediately contact the Student Health Service at Blindern)
c) Students who have not passed the previous examination
d) Other important reasons: for example, death in the immediate family
See Regulations and Guidelines for the Programme in Medicine
Examination
Upon decision of the Board of the Medical Faculty the examination in the 9th semester have been changed from the autumn semester 2008. The new examination from autumn semester 2008 consists of a station-based examination prepared partly according to the OSCE principle. This examination will consist of multiple stations in the following disciplines: Obstetrics/gynaecology (9 stations); paediatrics (9stations); anatomy including physiology (4 stations) and pathology (2 stations). The examination in prescription writing for Norwegian students will be organised on a separate day. Altogether there will be 26 stations, each with duration of seven minutes. Between each station there will be a pause of one minute for transferral to the next station. In addition to the stations set up above, there will be two stations for seven minutes rest. The tasks /questions will test both knowledge and clinical performance. This will include stations with patients/actors; stations with models, stations with video based questions, image based questions, short essay questions and multiple choice questions. There will be no ordinary oral examination, but students failing within one of the disciplines will have to take an oral continuation exam within the failing discipline. If students fail in two disciplines, they will have to take two oral continuation (resit) exams, but if they fail in more than two disciplines they will have to take all four disciplines at the continuation exam. If a student fail in one or more disciplines at the continuation exam (resit), they will have to take the entire station examination again next semester. During the semester there will be possibility for the students to practice the new type of examination at “Ferdighetssenteret.” The examination will take place at Rikshospitalet. The results will be available for the students within some days thereafter.
Practical anatomy test (compulsory)
A compulsory macroscopic-anatomy test will be held some weeks after completion of the anatomy teaching. This test must be passed before a student is allowed to enter the final exam of the 9th semester. The test consists of about 20 stations with anatomical specimens and models. The students are required to name about 70 structures on a sheet of paper as they proceed through the stations. Each student is allowed 45 minutes to complete the test. Seventy percent of the answers must be correct to pass the test. The results will be made available in two days after the test. Those who fail will be given a second chance about two weeks later.
Practical histopathology test (compulsory)
A compulsory test will be held some weeks after completion of the pathology teaching. This test must be passed before a student is allowed to enter the final exam of the 9th semester. This test consists of a microscopy station with histopathology sections of selected specimens of relevance. The students are requested to describe features characteristic of the pathological alterations, answer questions and to discuss clinical implications of such histopathological changes. Each student is allowed 45 minutes to complete the test. Sixtyfive percent of the answers must be correct to pass the test. Those who fail will be given a second chance in about two weeks.
Testing of skills in writing prescriptions (not applicable for Incoming Exchange Students).
In order to obtain a temporary licence (midlertidig lisens), students are required to pass a test to document their knowledge of drug and prescription regulations and skills in writing prescriptions. This is a one hour written test which will take place Wednesday, 18th November. For those not passing the test, a new test will be scheduled before the end of the semester. Students are not required to pass the test before commencement of the 10th semester, but must pass the test before starting the 11th semester. A temporary licence will not be issued until the test is passed.