Introduction. Medical students should be especially aware of the harmful effects of alcohol consumption because they will form healthy attitudes of the society in the future.

Objectives. The aim of the study was to compare the model of alcohol drinking in the first year medical students of the Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin (Poland) and the Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University in Greifswald (Germany).

Material and methods. An anonymous questionnaire was conducted in the first year medical students of the both universities. Seventy seven Polish students and 83 German ones completed the questionnaire.

Results. Early onset of alcohol use was observed in 32% of the female students from Szczecin and 53% of those from Greifswald. In the male group, the highest frequency of alcohol drinking (up to once a week) was observed in 11% of the students from Szczecin and 39% of the German ones. In the female group, the highest frequency of alcohol drinking (once a week) was observed in 5% of the students from Szczecin and 22% of those from Greifswald. The examined students most often drink alcohol for pleasure (85% of the students from Szczecin and 57% - from Greifswald), and they drink mostly beer.

Discussion and conclusion. Alcohol plays an important role in interpersonal contacts between students of both universities. The model of alcohol consumption is more differentiated among female students with respect to an early onset of alcohol use, frequency and reason of alcohol drinking. An earlier onset and higher frequency of alcohol use in the female students from Greifswald, comparing with the Polish female students, is probably a result of greater emancipation process in Germany, and a general tendency to unification of behaviour in men and women in this country. An increasing number of women drinking alcohol in the European Union may provoke negative consequences for our society in the future. The Polish students usually prefer vodka, but beer is also very popular. This can be evidence that the model of alcohol drinking is increasingly similar in the countries of the European Union