Dementia for Medical Students

The summer school “Dementia for medical students” aims to expose medical students to the challenges of early detecting cognitive dysfunction and caring for patients with neurodegenerative disorders. This offers an opportunity to showcase the interdisciplinary approach employed in dementia care to optimize health outcomes. At the same time, students will be educated on the most recent developments in research for neurodegenerative disorders.
The structure of the program entails both clinical practice and hands-on laboratory experience and lectures running in parallel. A total of up to 16 medical students will be practicing in groups in the departments involved in this summer school (Neurology, Internal Medicine, Psychiatry, Radiology, Nuclear Medicine, Social Medicine) and the Laboratories of the University of Crete, Medical School (Neurogenetics/Neurodegenerative Disorders, Pharmacology, Pathology). At the same time, the group will attend courses by experts in the field of dementia.

Course leader

Ioannis Zaganas, MD, PhD Assistant Professor of Neurology, University of Crete, Medical School / University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete

Target group

Pre-graduate medical students (preferably but not exclusively 5th or 6th year)

Course aim

At the end of this summer schools, students should be able to:
1) Screen for cognitive impairment
2) Differentiate between mild cognitive impairment, mild behavioral impairment and dementia
3) Diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy Body Dementia, Vascular Dementia and Frontotemporal Dementia
4) Detect reversible causes of dementia
5) Formulate management plans for different causes of dementia