Pathology (master study)

When do classes and the exam period take place?
Classes run from 21 September 2026 to 18 December 2026, and the exam period runs from 4 January 2027 to  19 February 2027. What is the schedule? Lectures are held on Tuesdays 13:00–14:40 at Kalinčiakova, room K236. Practicals are held on Wednesdays 14:5016:30, also at Kalinčiakova, room K236.

Where can I find course materials and information?
Moodle and MS Teams are used as e-learning tools for the course. Information about resit pre-tests and exam dates can be found on Moodle (and in AIS).

Who do I contact for technical problems (Moodle, MS Teams)?
Technical support is provided by assoc. prof. PharmDr. T. Rajtík, PhD.; technical staff are V. Haššová and S. Kolembusová.

Should I complete other courses before Pathology?
It is recommended to have passed the Anatomy and Physiology exams before taking the Pathology exam.

Is attendance at lectures mandatory?
Yes. Regular attendance at all lectures is mandatory, as lectures deliver essential content not fully covered in the materials. Attendance may be checked by the lecturer.

What happens if I miss lectures?
If no students are present within the first 15 minutes of the scheduled start, the lecturer may leave and the session is considered cancelled due to non-attendance. Missing more than 3 lectures during the semester (excused or unexcused) requires a comprehensive supplementary test covering all missed material at the end of the semester. This test is pass/fail — failing it means you have not met the course completion criteria and will not be eligible for the final exam. No exceptions are made, so it's strongly recommended to prioritize lecture attendance.

What if I have a schedule conflict (e.g. Erasmus students)?
Individual schedule conflicts are resolved by the Study Department. 

Do I have to attend all practicals?
Yes – 100% attendance at all practical classes is required.

What should I do if I'm sick and miss a practical?
If you know about the absence in advance (or as soon as possible), send the teacher a medical certificate and arrange to make it up with another group during the same week, if organisationally possible. If it can't be arranged with another group, agree an individual make-up with the teacher (e.g. an extra session, a written assignment, or an oral/written examination on the topic).

How many absences can I have excused this way?
An excused absence is accepted a maximum of 2 times per semester and must be made up as agreed with the teacher responsible for the practical.

What happens if I don't make up an absence / don't meet the attendance requirement?
Failing to meet the 100% attendance requirement (or its substitution) results in losing the opportunity to sit the exam, or possibly exclusion from study under Art. 22 of the FaF UK Study Code (Internal Regulation No. 1/2020).

Do I need to be prepared for practicals?
Yes – preparedness may be checked at the start of the practical through a short test or oral examination. If the teacher finds you are not prepared, they may refuse to acknowledge the practical and require you to make it up, the same as for an absence. 

How many pre-tests will we write, and when?
During the semester there are 2 mandatory progress pre-tests – Pre-test I in week 6 of teaching and Pre-test II in week 12. They are written on paper.

What do the pre-tests cover?
Material covered in practicals and lectures up to the date of the given test.

What score do I need to pass a pre-test?
A minimum of 60% correct answers on each test.

What if I fail a pre-test?
You have the option of a resit – a maximum of 2 resit attempts per pre-test. Resit dates are at the end of semester.

Where will I see my pre-test results?
Results (including resits) are recorded in AIS by the group teacher. 

What does the final exam look like?
The exam is taken in person, on a computer, via the Moodle system, in a classroom at the faculty.

How many questions does the test have, and how much time do I get?
40 questions covering the whole syllabus (see the published Pathology exam topics); each question has 6 possible answers, of which at least one is correct. You have 45 minutes to complete the test.

What is the minimum passing threshold?
60% overall score. What is the grading scale? A 92–100%, B 84–91%, C 76–83%, D 68–75%, E 60–67%, FX below 60%.

Can the test be checked or re-marked afterwards?
No.

I was 1–2% short of passing – is a review of the questions possible?
No. If you believe a question was marked incorrectly, you must raise it immediately after finishing the test, directly with the invigilating teacher. Once you leave the room, complaints are no longer accepted.

Is an individual re-examination possible outside the scheduled dates?
No.

How should I prepare for the exam – what should I study from?
From all three sources together: the material covered in practicals, the lectures, and the recommended textbooks (e.g. Mohan – Textbook of Pathology, Kumar/Abbas/Aster – Robbins Basic Pathology, Porth/Gaspard/Noble – Essentials of Pathophysiology, Greene/Harris – Pathology and Therapeutics for Pharmacists, Riede/Werner – Color Atlas of Pathology, Underwood – General and Systemic Pathology). There is also a dedicated exam guide – Kosírová et al., Selected Questions for the Pathology Exam for Pharmacy Students – containing the pool of questions the exam test is drawn from, so it's worth studying systematically from it.

When will I know the exam result?
You'll see your result right after finishing the test. The examiner will record the result in AIS within 48 hours at the latest. 

How do I register for the exam?
Exclusively through AIS, for a chosen published date. Without registering in AIS you will not be admitted to the exam.

Who is allowed to register for the exam?
Only a student who has met the course completion criteria – 100% attendance (or an approved substitution) and successful completion of the progress pre-tests.

Will you add more exam dates?
No. All exam dates are published in AIS in advance, and no further dates will be added during the exam period. Please plan your attendance across the dates according to your own capacity.

Will you increase the capacity of individual exam dates?
No. The capacity of each date is limited by the number of computers in the classroom, so it cannot be increased.

Can I register for a full (booked-out) date?
No. The capacity of a date is set by the number of computers in the classroom, and once it's full you can no longer register for it.

How many exam attempts do I have?
Under the applicable regulations you're entitled to 1 ordinary attempt and 2 resit attempts. If you're carrying the course over as a so-called "transferred course" (see below), you're entitled to 1 ordinary and 1 resit attempt.

It's the end of the exam period, I've used only 1 attempt and no further dates are available – will you add a date for me?
No. Exam dates are fixed in advance and cannot be changed; no further dates are added. Planning your attendance across the available dates (and registering in time for an open slot) is the student's responsibility.

Will unused exam attempts carry over to the next academic year?
No. Unused attempts expire at the end of the exam period and do not carry over. There's therefore no point in "saving" attempts – if you don't use them, you simply lose them.

Will a Pathology exam date be offered in the summer semester?
Yes, one Pathology exam date is usually offered in the summer semester, generally at the end of June.

What if I register for a date but don't show up?
The attempt counts as used, with a grade of Fx. 

What should I do if I didn't meet the course completion criteria (e.g. didn't pass the pre-tests)?
You must carry the course over to the following academic year and repeat the entire course (both practicals and pretests) from the beginning.

What should I do if I didn't take the exam?
If you met the course completion criteria in that semester (100% attendance and pre-tests) but didn't take the exam (e.g. you ran out of time or failed all attempts), you carry the course over to the following year and only need to complete the final exam.

Will I have to carry the course over to the next academic year?
Yes, if you don't have a passing exam result. If you met the criteria (attendance and pre-tests) that year, the following year you only need to complete the exam – not the whole course.

Do I have to repeat the practicals if I re-enrol (carry the course over)?
No, as long as you met the other criteria in the previous year (100% attendance and both pre-tests).

Will my credit and attendance from last year's practicals be recognised?
Yes, as long as you met the other criteria at the time.

If I completed the practicals last year, do I now only attend the exam?
Yes.

How do I get recognition of last year's practicals and attendance confirmed?
Simply email the course guarantor, assoc. prof. PharmDr. Stanislava Kosírová, PhD., at stanislava.kosirovauniba.sk.

How many resit attempts do I have for a transferred (carried-over) course?
1 ordinary attempt and 1 resit attempt.

Where can I check that the correct grade was recorded for me?
In AIS – checking that the grade was recorded correctly is every student's own responsibility. 

What do I need to show to enter the exam?
Your ISIC card – used to verify your identity.

When should I arrive?
The exam always starts according to the AIS schedule. Arrive 10 minutes before the start so there's enough time to check identities and confirm eligibility. Please keep quiet in the corridor outside, so as not to disturb exams taking place in neighbouring rooms.

What can I bring into the exam room?
Only water and a pen for your own notes. You can ask the invigilator for paper if you need it, but you must hand it back when you leave.

What do I need to switch off / put away?
Mobile phone, tablet, smart watch, headphones and any other electronic devices (except hearing aids for the hearing impaired). No other aids, materials, textbooks, notes, or "cheat sheets" are allowed anywhere in the room either.

Can I use other websites or files on the computer during the exam?
No – on the assigned computer you may not use any websites or files other than the test itself in Moodle, either before, during, or after the exam.

Can I communicate with others during the exam?
No, you must complete the test entirely on your own, without communicating with other students either inside or outside the room. If you have questions or a technical issue, contact the invigilator.

Can I leave the room during the exam?
No, once the test has started you may not leave the room until you submit it.

What happens if I break these rules (e.g. I'm found with forbidden aids)?
You will be immediately removed from the room with a grade of Fx, and the case may be referred to the FaF UK Disciplinary Committee. 

Is there any way to get an extra attempt if I failed all my exam dates?
No.

Am I at risk of being excluded from my studies – is there any exception?
No, exceptions to these conditions are not possible. 

I can't see the Pathology course in Moodle – what should I do?
Check at the start of the semester whether you're enrolled in the course, and if there's a problem, contact the teacher directly so they can add you.

I don't have access to materials or the exam in Moodle.
Same procedure – contact the teacher, who will arrange access for you.