1. Cooper, Geoffrey M; Hausman, Robert E. The Cell. A Molecular Approach, Massachusetts, U.S., 7th Edition, Sinauer Associates, Inc. Publishers Sunderland, 2015.

 2. Ostojić, S; Pereza, N. Medical Biology: Methodical Handbook with Problem Assignments for First-Year Students of Integrated Undergraduate and Graduate University Study of Medicine in English, 1st edition, Redak, Split, 2020.

 3. Turnpenny, P; Ellard, S. Emery’s Elements of Medical Genetics, London, U.K., 15th Edition, Elsevier, 2017.

1. Alberts, B et al. Molecular Biology of the Cell. Philadelphia U.S., 6th edition, Garland Publishing Co, 2014.

The basic student obligations include mandatory attendance of all forms of classes, preparation and active participation in seminars and practicals, solving problems from the Methodical Handbook and taking tests that assess students’ knowledge and skills with the aim of meeting the requirements for taking thetaking the final exam. Students are obligated to be informed on time about the course syllabus, i.e. all the relevant information presented in it.

Class attendance

Attendance at lectures, seminars and practicals is mandatory. Attendance at all forms of classes is recorded for each student. All forms of classes start at the exact time specified in the schedule. Students are not allowed to be late for classes or enter/exit the lecture room during classes. If the student is late for class, that will be considered an absence. Students must turn off their mobile phones during classes.

The student can be absent from up to 30% of classes scheduled for practicals, seminars and lectures solely due to health reasons, which is justified by a medical certificate (doctor’s note). If there is a possibility within the same week of classes, the student should make up for absences from seminars and practicals in one of the parallel groups (in agreement with the coordinator of the group).

If the student is unjustifiably absent from more than 30% of classes (13 hours of lectures, 12 hours of seminars, 11 hours of practicals), they cannot continue to attend the course, i.e. they lose the right to take the final exam. In this way, the student obtains 0 ECTS credits and an F grade.

Preparation for seminars and practicals

The student is obligated to look over the material covered in classes according to the plan and program presented in the Methodical Handbook with problem assignments (page 8 of the Methodical Handbook contains basic literature guidelines for reviewing the material covered). Preparation is necessary so that students can be actively involved in problem-oriented learning for which prior knowledge is necessary. The above implies active use of information technology, including active search and use of materials available on the internet and critical assessment of their value.

Active solving of problem assignments from the Methodical Handbook

Coordinators of the seminar and practical groups (along with student demonstrators) will guide students in active problem-solving during classes. The completed Methodical Handbook is the basis of quality reviewing of the material covered and a prerequisite for taking the practical exam. Students are required to submit the completed Methodical Handbook at the 10th practical to the coordinator of the practical group. If the assignments are not fully completed, at the beginning of the 11th practical, the coordinators will explain to the students what was not completed and give them the opportunity to make the requested changes.

Assessment of knowledge and skills

Student work will be assessed and evaluated during the course (3 midterm exams and a practical exam) and at the final exam.

Obligation to provide continuous information

All additional teaching materials will be available on the Merlin e-learning platform. All information about the course and student obligations will also be available at the INP application and on the Merlin e-learning platform. Students are obligated to regularly check the mentioned platforms regarding all relevant information or changes made in the INP.

Student work is assessed and evaluated during the course and on the final exam. Out of a total of 100 grade points, the student can obtain 70 points during classes and 30 points on the final exam.

Overview of assessment of students' work during the course with the corresponding distribution of grade points:

Evaluation of students is carried out according to the current University of Rijeka Study Regulations and the Ordinance on Student Assessment and Evaluation at the Faculty of Medicine in Rijeka (adopted by the Faculty Council of the Faculty of Medicine in Rijeka). Students are evaluated according to the ECTS (%/A-F) and numerical grading system (1–5).

I. Assessment during the course (maximum of 70 grade points):

Midterm exams

During the course, the acquired knowledge from the theoretical part of classes (lectures, seminars and practicals) will be assessed with mandatory written midterm exams (Midterm exams I, II and III). At each midterm exam, the student must have a minimum of 50% of correct answers to meet the criteria for obtaining grade points.

Midterm exams I and II contain 40 questions and are worth 24 grade points (range 12–24 grade points, if the student solved ≥50% of the test). Midterm exam III has 40 questions and is worth 22 grade points (range 11–22 grade points, if the student solved ≥50% of the test). Passed midterm exams are not transferable, i.e. they are valid only for the current academic year. The duration of writing each midterm exam is 45 minutes.

Overview of course content by types and weeks of classes included in individual midterm exams:

The points obtained on midterm exams are converted into grade points as follows:

Midterm exam dates:

Midterm exam I: April 12, 2024

Midterm exam II: May 3, 2024

Midterm exam III: June 13, 2024

Midterm exam retakes

Midterm exams can be retaken by students who did not successfully solve (threshold: ≥50% of correct answers) one or more midterm exams (I or II or III) or those who were justifiably absent during midterm exams (e.g. due to illness, with medical certificate).

Also, students who are not satisfied with the positive grade obtained on one or more midterm exams (I or II or III) can retake a midterm exam, and the final grade taken into account is the one the student receives on the retaken midterm exam.

Each midterm exam can be retaken only once after regular classes are finished. There are three dates offered, one for each midterm exam retake.

Midterm exam retakes are registered in person at the Department’s office by June 14, 2024.

Midterm exam III retake – June 19, 2024 

Midterm exam II retake – June 21, 2024 

Midterm exam I retake – June 24, 2024

Practical exam

During the course, the achieved learning outcomes from the practical part of the course will be assessed by taking a mandatory practical exam.

The prerequisite for taking the practical exam is the properly completed Methodical Handbook.

The practical exam will test the knowledge and skills of microscopy, including:

1.             finding an image of one slide with the required objective

2.             identifying two slides on two separate microscopes (the image will already be set)

Identification of the slides implies naming of the slide, where it is important that students name the slide exactly as written in the Handbook and on the list of slides (e.g. not ‟female ovary” but ‟transverse section of the female ovary, H&E staining”).

3.             the student does not get a numerical grade, but a descriptive grade ‟knows/doesn’t know”.

Students who do not pass the practical exam within the stipulated time will have the opportunity to retake the practical exam in agreement with the course coordinator, considering that the passed practical exam in microscopy is a prerequisite for taking the final exam.

Practical exam dates:

on the 12th practical for each practical group (15th week of classes, from June 11 to June 14, 2024)

II. Final exam

The final exam consists of a mandatory written and oral exam. To pass the final exam and get the final grade, the student must have both parts of the final exam graded positively (threshold: ≥50% of correct answers). In this way, the student can obtain additional 15–30 grade points, which are added to the previously obtained grade points during classes.

The written exam is composed of 30 questions and is worth 14 grade points (range 7–14 grade points, if the student solved ≥50% of the test). The duration of writing the final exam is 35 minutes. A passed written final exam is a prerequisite for taking the oral final exam.

The points obtained on the written exam are converted into grade points as follows:

The oral final exam is considered passed if the student obtains a minimum of 8 grade points (the equivalent of the grade sufficient, i.e. if the answer meets the minimum criteria), up to a maximum of 16 grade points (the equivalent of the grade excellent).

Success on the oral final exam is converted into grade points as follows:

In this way, the student obtains a final positive grade on the final exam (in the range of 15–30 grade points), which are added to the points obtained during classes (35–70).

If the student does not pass the written final exam, they can retake it after 15 days at the earliest.

The passed written final exam does not have to be retaken in the current academic year.

Who can take the final exam:

Students who obtained ≥35 grade points during classes and who have less than 30% of justifiable absences from classes (absences from less than 13 hours of lectures or 12 hours of seminars or 11 hours of practicals). Only those students who have fulfilled the specified requirements before the Midterm retakes can take the 1st exam period.

Who cannot take the final exam:

Students who obtained less than 35 grade points even after retaking the midterm exam or who have more than 30% of justifiable absences from classes (absences from more than 13 hours of lectures or 12 hours of seminars or 11 hours of practicals).

Such a student is unsuccessful (1) / F and cannot take the final exam, i.e. they must re-enroll the course in the following academic year. Passed midterm exams and the written final exam are not transferable, i.e. they are valid only for the current academic year.

III. Final grade 

Final grade is the sum of grade points obtained during classes and on the final exam.

Grading in the ECTS system is based on final success and is converted into the numerical grading system as follows:

The overall grade from the course is obtained according to the type of grade converted as follows:

Academic integrity
The teachers are obligated to respect the University of Rijeka Code of Ethics, and the students are obligated to respect the University of Rijeka Code of Ethics for Students.

Availability of teaching content
All course materials are available on the Merlin e-learning platform.

Contacting teachers
Teachers are available every day during working hours via their e-mail addresses (available on the website of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka) for all questions regarding the course. Individual or group consultations are possible online via the MS Teams digital platform or onsite at the Faculty of Medicine.