Title:	Parasitology in International Health (PIH)
Keywords:	Diagnostics Tropical medicine Parasitic Medical & Clinical sciences Communicable diseases
Country:	Germany
Institution:	Germany - Institute of International Health, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Course coordinator:	Paul Pitzinger
Date start:	2027-10-11
Date end:	2027-10-15
About duration and dates:	One week face-to-face (5 course days, Monday – Friday) Application deadline: 4 weeks prior to course start.
Classification:	advanced optional
Mode of delivery:	Face to face
Course location: Institute of International Health, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin Campus Virchow-Klinikum Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
ECTS credit points:	1.5 ECTS credits
SIT: 45 hours SIT ● Contact: 30 hours (included 3 hours of exam and feedback) ● Self-directed learning: 15 hours
Language:	English
Description: By the end of the course, students should be able to: ● Analyse the value of diagnostic parasitology and entomology in theory and practice (microscopy) ● Perform parasitological and entomological diagnostics ● Assess past and present efforts for control or eradication of parasitic diseases, including vector control
Assessment Procedures: A 1-hour written closed-book exam with multiple choice/short answer questions (60% of total grade), and a 1-hour microscopy examination (40% of total grade). The student passes if ≥ 60% of the questions are answered correctly in each of the two exams. If the student fails one of the exams s/he can re-sit on a date agreed on with the module coordinator (students can still receive full marks). A second re-sit is allowed but may be linked to conditions set by the Committee of Admissions and Degrees, such as re-doing the course in the following year or using a different type of assessment. In order to be permitted to write the exam and receive a grade report or an attendance certificate, students must attend 85% of the contact time. Students receive two grades based on their overall mark, one according to the German (absolute) 6-point decimal grading system: 1.0 [excellent/sehr gut] – 6.0 [not sufficient/ ungenügend], pass mark: ≤ 4.0 [sufficient/ ausreichend]) and one according to the (relative) ECTS grading system (A top 10%, B next 25%, C next 30%, D next 25%, E lowest 10%)
Content: This module builds on teaching of tropical medicine in the core course and covers the following aspects: ● Microscopic diagnostic of helminthic diseases, malaria, and other protozoal diseases ● Serology in parasitology ● Medical entomology ● Control and eradication of parasitic diseases: e.g. soil transmitted helminths, malaria, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, dracunculiasis
Methods: The course uses participatory learning, based on interactive lectures (15 hrs), microscopy exercises (9 hrs), laboratory practical/demonstration (3 hrs), as well as self-directed learning (15 hrs). (Exam & feedback 3 hrs)
Prerequisites: Basic parasitological and entomological knowledge (e.g. as acquired in the MScIH core course, or clinicians with experience in microbiology, tropical medicine etc.). If not a native speaker: Internationally recognised English proficiency certificate equivalent to a TOEFL test 550 or 213 computer-based or 79/80 internet-based or IELTS band 6.0.
Attendance: Maximum number of students: 25 (unlimited tropEd students). Minimum number of students for the course to take place: 10.
Selection: Candidates for the Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Public Health (DTMPH), who apply in time, i.e. before the application deadline (see above) expires, have priority over MScIH/tropEd students, alumni, and guest students. Otherwise, places are allocated on a “first-come, first-served” basis.
Fees: 525,00EUR for tropEd/MScIH students and alumni 656,25EUR for DTMPH participants and guest students
Scholarships: None available
Major changes since initial accreditation: ● 2015: Adaptation of learning objectives and content: Students in 2013 and 2014 expressed their priority to learn and practice parasitological diagnostics and found the group work on outlining a disease control programs less useful ● 2018: Dr Ard Nijhof (FU Berlin) has taken over the entomology part from Prof Günter Schaub (Ruhr-University, Bochum) ● 2026: Dr. med. (univ) Paul Pitzinger has taken over as course coordinator.
Student evaluation: ● In earlier years students criticized an excess of overlap between core course and advanced module content. This has been corrected since 2015 ● Students particularly value the practical microscopy exercises ● Evaluations continue to be excellent. Students want more time to prepare for the exam. Quotes from 2026 ● Paul explains very well and in a way that you remember everything. He is very accessible and helpful. Learning in class while practically learning really helps. Cleared many concepts ● The AI detection of Malarial parasite and going to the Lab was the highlight for me
Lessons learned: ● 2015: Instead of making assumptions about students’ priorities (here: that they would value the opportunity of developing a disease control program) it is advisable to consult with students and alumni before developing a module.
tropEd accreditation: ● Accredited in January 2013 (Brescia) - valid until January 2018 ● Re-accredited in February 2015 (London) - valid until February 2020 ● Re-accredited in February 2021 (Online) - valid until February 2026 Re-accredited in Basel, Sept.2026. Valid until Sept 2031
Remarks: We recommend the following textbooks: ● Beeching N, Gill V. Lecture Notes Tropical Medicine. Blackwell Publishing/John Wiley & Sons, 7th edn., 2014, 411 pp. ● Davidson Rm Brent A, Seale A. Oxford Handbook of Tropical Medicine. Oxford University Press, 4th edn., 2014, 1010 pp. ● WHO. Bench Aids for the diagnosis of intestinal parasites, 2020 ● WHO. Bench Aids for the diagnosis of filarial infections, 1997 ● WHO. Bench Aids for the diagnosis of malaria infections, 2000
Email Address:	mscih-student@charite.de
Date Of Record Creation:	2013-02-25 03:14:46 (W3C-DTF)
Date Of Record Release:	2013-02-25 03:26:00 (W3C-DTF)
Date Record Checked:	2018-06-27 (W3C-DTF)
Date Last Modified:	2026-10-14 10:15:20 (W3C-DTF)