how do you learn in University?
The learning can be split into two parts I suppose:
the theoretical part
In the first years of studying medicine you need to get to know all the general basics (biology, chemic, physics) as well as the medicine specific basics (anatomy, physiology).
After we have learned what is "normal" we know come into the theoretic approaches of pathology and how to treat them (public health, surgery, pharmacy, ...)the practical part
Parallel to learning all the theoretic stuff, we of course have many practical lessons as well.
In the first years you start with just watching in hospitals and practicing on other students (of course only what is posisble without any harm or moral problems) as well as on models (like stitching f.e.).
We also have to do at least 16 weeks of internships during out holidays over the whole time at university.
In the last two years the focus switches from watching to doing while being watched. So the main time of the last two years are spent in different hospitals where we try to do as much as we can while being supervised. Of course you also still learn by watching things you havent done yet.
I hope this gives you a nice framework of how it is built up over here (Austria). Of course there is also other stuff like courses on how to do scientific research and studies f.e. Or ethics.
What books do you use for instance?
There are recommendations - but you can use whatever you want, you just have to know the stuff at the exams. If you use books, internet, videos, doesn't matter too much.
Teachers?
Mainly doctors and scientists who still work in the universities hospital. For practicing skills there are also tutors from higher years and extern people.
Hope this has given you some insight on what you wanted to know ;)
Thank you for the extensive explanation about this, I truly appreciate it @theaustrianguy. Just a few more things, I thought I remembered from a conversation that we had some time ago, that you told me you were in your second year? Am I right about that? I also remember you telling me that (both?) your parent(s) were or are doctors? Would you be able to tell me in which field and at this time, do you have any idea if or in what field you will specialize (where are your interests?). Also, when during your studies, do you include your own independent research? Are there certain websites that are preferred for this/or any research? Which would be recommended and which not?
And one last question, this is not so much about the above as it is about a personal experience I had some time ago. It is more your opinion I ask for rather than anything else.
My daughter ended up in the hospital years back because she had difficulty breathing after a visit to the swimming pool. They couldn't tell us exactly why this was, probably a combination of a bad cold/high content chlorine in the water (there was no chest infection or anything). After one night in hospital, she was a lot better and they sent us home with prescriptions. 3 in total. One was steroids (which I thought was strange, since there was no inflammation/infection, but hey, I'm not a doctor) and I am not quite sure about the others. When I handed the prescription to the pharmacist, she read it and asked me how old the child was (1.5 at the time). When I told her, she rushed to her boss and they both had a very worried and confused look on their faces. She then came back and told me she had to call the doctor in the hospital because the dosage was for children above the age of 6 and never for one younger than that. After the phone call she prepared the medication and handed it to me, I still saw a very worried look on her face. She told me the doctor had told her that they prescribe this to anyone as a standard....Now, in this case: Who would YOU trust. The pharmacist, who's studies mostly the medications in his years, or the doctor, who obviously had years of studying to do, but to a lesser extend the medication part of it... I am looking forward to your answer. I am sorry to take so much of your time, I know you're busy.