Your First Days In A Russian Med School

[bpoichan]

HI to all of you out there!

As i had said in a previous thread... i d like to give you some info about the way students are being tested in russian med schools..and all its loopholes that allow teachers to be more corrupted... but before i do that.. let me give you a ' pre-taste' of how the first days of a foreign students are in a russian med school.. actually in most med schools in russia

anyway.. let s assume that you just arrived in russia.... you ll first be surprised to be greeted with the thousands of WONDERFUL SMILES the russian people would give you.. it seems that they are going to a funeral.. everybody will look mad.. sad..and/or preoccupied with something..

they all be dressed in black..and would look furious if you talk to them.. women are overweight..

The only people that you ll see HONESTLY smiling.. will be the street drunkards...lost in their oblivion..

you ll approach some old roman ruin-looking edifice that will be called your medical school...

then as you enter the doors.. you ll promptly be stopped by some overweight, hypertensive and plethoric red-faced security guard that will ask you ' what do you want ?' in the typical russian hospitable manner..

you ll probably struggle 15 minutes to make him understand that you are a student and that you need to find the foreign students office.. surely you ll be scrutinized and he ll take your passport gribble something in a piece of paper that will act as your pass for that day.. that piece of gribble may even cost you 50 Rubles! (about $1.5)..which actually should not cost anything.. but that s extra money for that guard.. most likely for a shot of vodka....

as you now cleared the first stage of that game.. you ll be walking through some dark.. unlit hallway.. trying to find out where the foreign student office is.. that ll probably take about another 15 minutes.. you ll enter an elevator the size of a coffin....and THEN.....youll start asking questions to yourself.. like ' what the hell am i doing here?'... or ' is that really a med school'... ' was i fooled' ..or stuff like that.. that will be a mind-boggling period ..

FINALLY you passed the level 1 of the game and reached your admission office.. some halfway renovated hallway.. with thick doors.. thick like fat *** cushions.. you could knock as hard as you could .. noone would hear you on the otherside..
you are now in the foreign student s office. .but ONLY 1 person speaks english ...and guess what.. that person is NOT here...

DAMN... what should i do?? wait 5 hours for that person to return.. (if that person returns..as there are no guarantee) or struggle my way back to my rundown dorm?

ok.. i ll make it easier for you... let s assume that ONLY english-speaking person is there.... he/she ll ask you for some pics.. your passport..and SURELY enough pay some amount of money.. (that money will go straight to that person s pocket... i dont know why they need that extra amount)
that person will tell you in some broken english.. ` you will be in group 12`...ok?!!..but where is that ? and when do classes start? and where are my classes going to be??
the answer will be ' Ask your seniors in your dorm and they ll tell you'....
WOW.. that s orientation russian style and i am not joking and i am not kidding about that..

so now i am in the middle of a totally unknown place.. i know NOBODY.. and i am suppose to find out who will be my classmates..and i should follow them like a sheep so that i d know where classes are..that s the equivalent of the MAP that they give you at orientation day in american Us..

anyway.. you ll then probably be asked to PAY your tuition.. cuz that s all that matters to them...
so til the point of paying tuition.. believe it or not.. NO PROBLEMS have yet come your way.. that s cuz you have not paid yet..

so you ll be sent to your ' contractor' ... most likely some foreign place to exchange gas..from some 3rd world place.. like india.. sri lanka.. egypt .. anyway.. you get the pic.. HOWEVER i should say that not all contractors are foreign but a good majority are..
you might find that a little eery.. well so did i... how come some 3rd world starving dog be an foreign student agent at some russian med school? well it is a long story and i ll need to start another thread for that..
(when i said 'starvin dog' i am talking about the personality of the contractor.. not his/her origins...so you guys from asia.. take a pill and relax!)

Russia is famed for long lines.. but when it is time to pay.. they ll be little waiting time!!! that s the ONLY good thing i ve noticed..
at MMA they ll treat you like you ve been owing them the money..

now you ve paid and are set!!.. as you head to your dorm.. making plans for the next upcoming days..and how you ll tackle your new medical career.. you ll start having problems..
you ll enter your dorm ..and already 2 people are already living there..!!

WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?? i just went pay my tuition.. and how did those 2 appear?? well easy.. the university staff knows that i have paid..and will not just turn around and go back home now... and as they always overstaff their students.. they pack them up in small rooms after they have paid..
MMA does that.. Mr SAMAN..and he alcoholoc acolyte.. georgi gregorivitch (person in charge with housing) love to do that..

enough said about all that.. cuz i could go on and on for days and months..

the system of education in russia ..is something that you MUST be aware of before you get there..cuz otherwise you ll be in big big big BIG trouble..

the day of registration.. you ll be given a booklet.. called a ZACHETNAYA..it is a booklet that you ll be keeping from day 1 til the last day of med school as it will contain all your grades for all exams..from year 1 to year 6... it is your ' transcripts' .. your ' records'...
you ll have to show it to the prof after every exams..so that he ll write the grade. .the subject and his/her signature..
DONT ever try to fake a signature.. youll be in the streets in no time!

and you already can see that if you have good grades from the 1st year.. then the next following years.. profs.. will look at your past grades and decide the grade you ll get..
so if you did well in your 1st year.. then the profs will think.. hmm that s a smart person.. i ll give him a good grade too..
if you didnt do too well in 1st year.. but are trying your hardest in the following years.. you may not get the grade you deserve as your 1st year grades penalized you.. that s already ONE prob..


wow.. it is late here.. i ll go on next time.. sorry to dwell on all that..
take care

[applemas]

I can't remember exact how was my first day in russian medical school.
Even though i learnt 3 months Russian language in Malaysia before I went to Russia. It was terrible. I couldn't understand anything...... People around all use Russian. When i went to shop to buy something, i pointed this pointed that 'ieta'.

General, people here are not really friendly. Why? I am not really sure the reason; maybe hard life makes them like that?
With help of senior, i manage to get my room, and necessary stuff.

[applemas]

HI to all of you out there!


the day of registration.. you ll be given a booklet.. called a ZACHETNAYA..it is a booklet that you ll be keeping from day 1 til the last day of med school as it will contain all your grades for all exams..from year 1 to year 6... it is your ' transcripts' .. your ' records'...
you ll have to show it to the prof after every exams..so that he ll write the grade. .the subject and his/her signature..
DONT ever try to fake a signature.. youll be in the streets in no time!

and you already can see that if you have good grades from the 1st year.. then the next following years.. profs.. will look at your past grades and decide the grade you ll get..
so if you did well in your 1st year.. then the profs will think.. hmm that s a smart person.. i ll give him a good grade too..
if you didnt do too well in 1st year.. but are trying your hardest in the following years.. you may not get the grade you deserve as your 1st year grades penalized you.. that s already ONE prob..

Most of the Russian Medical School students complain this issue. It's rather unfair for those who did not do well in 1st year, right?

[applemas]

I would like to add some information about the exam system in Russia. Not everyone is legible to sit for examination. All students are supposed to attend classes, complete all the tests. Then, the teacher/ lecturer will give credit (zachot) end of the semester/ end of the cycle. You need to collect all zachots for that particular subject before you are allowed to take exam. For example, we learn anatomy in 1st, 2nd and 3rd semester; the exam is end of 3rd semester. That mean you need to have 3 zachots for anatomy.

[bpoichan]

ok.. i am back!

well i was talking about that ZACHETNAYA (transcript booklet)...

now i d like to tell you how you ll be tested.. i ll simplify it for you .. and will say that youll have weekly or bi-weekly quizzes.. and after 5 quizzes you ll have a TEST...and at the end of the semester/year you ll have the EXAM...
clear?.. so quizzes.. after 5 quizzes you ll have a test.. and at the end exam..

when you ll have your quiz.. it will mostly be oral.. though sometimes it could be written.. then the prof will decide if you correctly answered the quiz or not.. and will decide if you have passed that quiz or have to repeat it..

that sounds fair doesnt it.? you did not pass a quiz.. go home .. study harder for it ..and come back again and take it again.. right?
at first site ..nothing wrong with it..

well .. now let me add some of that russian sauce on it .. and tell me what you think..
let s say you did not pass this week s quiz.. then you ll have to take that quiz the FOLLOWING week.. you will NOT be allowed to take it any earlier that your next lesson.. and you ll be allowed to take that belated quiz ONLY.. that is in short 1 quiz per lesson.. you cant go and ask to take 3 quizzes on the same given day...

that means that you ll be late of 1 quiz til your test.. but then.. on test day.. youll be one quiz behind.. and wont be allowed to sit for that test.. and the prof will be busy watching students and may not take your quiz..

so you are now a quiz and a test late....now if the prof does not like you .. you can go and repeat a quiz 10 TIMES.. and they will not pass you.. so you ll be 10 quizzes late!! or should i say.. 2 tests..and 10 quizzes late..

when time for exams will approach.. then with all the DEBTS you have.. (that s how they call it in RUSSIAN: DEBTS..you know why? .. cuz you actually have to pay money ~ $10 per late quizzes!!!..payable straight to the prof s pocket)...
you will not be allowed to take your exams..

what should you do then?? PAY THE PROFs... that is how they make their livings..and they MAINLY target the foreign students as they are thought to have money..
so this is how corruption works at its best in MMA especially and most med schools in russia..

the profs dont care about teaching you .. they dont care if you learn .. they ll just play with you.. tire you emotionally and physically(with all the useless running around)..just for you to pay them a fair amount of money.. cuz otherwise.. they ll be pissed and mess you up even more..

you ll have to make up for every skipped classes.. whether you have a paper from the doc.. you ll have to make it up.. how?? well first by paying the prof directly $10 and then answering question on the topic missed... if you dont pass that .. you ll have to come again.. pay again $ 10...
i suppose that you can see the picture..

the worst place at MMA was the PHARMACOLOGY dept.. and let me tell you something really interesting about it.. the chief of the pharma dept at MMA is noone but the DEAN OF FOREIGN STUDENTS.. mr ALAYUTDIN!!!

all the staff in that dept.. are just MONEY GUZZLERS.. they ll never let you pass quizzes easily NO MATTER HOW HARD you study.. their goal is simple.. MONEY.. MONEY ..and alayutdin seems to encourage it there!


why am i telling you that.. cuz i want you to have a real and true pic of how things happen there.. it took me a while to understand the way they thought..

i dont mean to sound partial .. but at PFU .. i had some troubles ressembling that with a prof in ' hygiene and welfare'.. but the good thing was that i could talk to the chief of dept about my problem.. and did not have to go through pain anymore.. at MMA i went to the secretary of the dean.. and she replied to me ' I AM NOT HERE TO HELP YOU AND I AM NOT HERE NOT TO HELP YOU!'.. whatever that means.. :confused:

the rector at PFU was the ex-minister of education of Russia.. Mr FILIPOV... he is known to a nightmare to the teaching staff.. but he is great to the students.. for the reason that he is simply kicks out ANY teaching staff out of the University that is caught bribing students.. and/or any rumors about a prof known to take money.. would also mean their dismissal from the university..

can you imagine that? i can go and create some false complaint and some profs losing their jobs.. regardless of their seniority at the universtity.. ???!!!

what does it mean? profs are dead afraid to take money at PFU.. i saw many students trying to pay some teachers cuz they did not prepare for some exams.. but the profs were simply TOO frightened to take the money..
.. i was asked many times by students if i could help with so and so teachers as i was pretty well-known there..

you can now conclude whatever you see fit .. but all i can say .. is that a good med school in russia is the one where a student is under the ultimate environment to study under fair and honest conditions..

PFU is surely not heaven..but trust me it is light years ahead from the rest in Russia..

leave your input .. or if you have any Qs.. dont hesitate to let me know!!
take care !

[RussianJoo]

You guys are acting like you expected something else. If you wanted to go to a place that spoke english you should have gone to a Caribbean Medical school or some english speaking european country.

[DOCplucinski]

...before I went to Russia. It was terrible. I couldn't understand anything...... People around all use Russian

It's Russia! Like RJ said, what did you expect?

[applemas]

Of course I didn't expect people to use English. I'm just sharing my experience.
I manage to adapt in a month. It's not that bad.

[applemas]

RussianJoo, & DOCplucinski
By the way, what wrong to learn additional language?

[DOCplucinski]

I already know French and some Polska but I never said there was anything wrong with it

[bpoichan]

hi there..
i did not mean to denigrate the system in russia.. although there is lot of room to do so..
the thing is that I am talking about a school that claims to have an english medium.. therefore i dont want others to be fooled..

i do speak french.. russian.. japanese .. english.. spanish and italian.. and i dont say anything wrong about either..

anyway if you were somewhat.. or feel that you were somewhat insulted about my comments ..then i am open to a debate.. i believe that what i have posted DO REPRESENT THE TRUE SITUATION in Russian med schools..
that s all..
take care..

[RussianJoo]

i am surprised that people go to russian and expect it to be like the US. I mean your experiences should be expected when going to russia. everyone knows that money talks there.

[bpoichan]

Thanks for your reply..
I did not assume nor believe that one can expect Russia to be like the USA.. that is for sure.. As the saying goes ' one can not change a donkey into a racing horse '.

I was making comments about the ACTUAL and REAL conditions of studying in RUSSIA... this kind of info is unfortunately withheld by MANY so-called contractors.. that do all they can to lure students into russia..and many do go through a hard time....
i suppose that you are not aware that many pay their tuition in due time.. and with all pure intentions..when suddenly they find themselves packed in a room with 5 people..when actually they were promised a private room...

For instance the condition of medical PFU students..and its program is not as deplorable as those in MMA or RSMU.

I hope that you ll see that I am not just spitting on russian medical education but am giving a warning sign to those that expect MMA or RSMU to be as ' prestigious' as it is portrayed on their websites.

You are saying to me.. ' this is russia .. what do you expect?!'.... well i myself dont expect anything cuz now i know how russia is..
.. but what about those that have NEVER been to russia and believe all that were told to them?

sincerely,

[DOCplucinski]

I've never been to Russia but I would expect Russia to be nothing like the US. I don't need to go to med school there to know that. I'm sorry that it took you going there to realize that but I think there are a lot of students out there who would say the same thing I'm saying.

[bpoichan]

I was aware of the russian situation before going there.. that is a matter of course..
but once again.. i think that you re taking this thread as a too personal matter..
I AM SIMPLY making it clear how it works in russia..

you claim that everybody knows how it is in russia.. i would differ on that and rather claim that many have a derogatory image about russia..but I am sure that none of them would know the system of zachet and otrobotka that is used to allow the profs how to make more money..and by the same token, mess up a student.

The USA is not comparable and this is not the purpose of this thread nor the previous ones..

I hope i was clear now.. and you may want to read the entirety of my previous threads... and maybe you d notice that there are LOTS of positive things that are said about russian medical programs.

take care

[Dien dien]

RussianJoo, & DOCplucinski
By the way, what wrong to learn additional language?


You should address that with G. Bush and tell him that we Americans should be taught additional languages in our primary and secondary schools.

[RussianJoo]

we are taught additional languages in our primary and secondary schools. I started learning spanish but had the option to learn french in 7th grades. And in high school we could have learned german, and latin as well.

[Dien dien]

we are taught additional languages in our primary and secondary schools. I started learning spanish but had the option to learn french in 7th grades. And in high school we could have learned german, and latin as well.


Where did you go to school at?

[RussianJoo]

I went to a public school in NJ. I have friends in NY public schools that had the option to take even more different languages. Did you grow up in a cave?

[bpoichan]

well learning a foreign language in american schools is just a joke.. youll find lots of american claiming to speak spanish or french as they learned them in high school..
i would say that yes.. they have learned rudiments of a language and are probably able to balbutiate a few words.. but to ' speak' it.. well.. that would be a joke..
and a big one at that!

[Dien dien]

well learning a foreign language in american schools is just a joke.. youll find lots of american claiming to speak spanish or french as they learned them in high school..
i would say that yes.. they have learned rudiments of a language and are probably able to balbutiate a few words.. but to ' speak' it.. well.. that would be a joke..
and a big one at that!


That's very correct. Only seldom highshcools will teach a foreign language very well, and that's if that city's majority race isn't the Anglo-Saxons, i.e. Miami teaches spanish because it has a lot of cubans.

[RussianJoo]

I never said I could speak those languages.. heck i forgot most of the vocab i learned. but the dien dien claims that it's the presidents fault that foreign language isn't taught to us in middle and high schools. When that person is totally wrong because it's part of the public school systems curriculum.

You're right the foreign languages i learned in high school were a joke and i forgot it all as soon as i left high school. I feel that the only way to learn a language is to live in that country for months/years and interact with the people.

[RussianJoo]

That's very correct. Only seldom highshcools will teach a foreign language very well, and that's if that city's majority race isn't the Anglo-Saxons, i.e. Miami teaches spanish because it has a lot of cubans.


you probably went to a high school that had metal detectors at the gates and the school security guards had guns. i.e. in a very urban area, with high crime rates, and underpaid teachers with low resources.. Like in that movie with Coolio. cause anyone going to a school in a middle class or higher town, would say that they had the option to learn a different language, at most places at least 2 were offered to pick from.

[Dien dien]

you probably went to a high school that had metal detectors at the gates and the school security guards had guns. i.e. in a very urban area, with high crime rates, and underpaid teachers with low resources.. Like in that movie with Coolio. cause anyone going to a school in a middle class or higher town, would say that they had the option to learn a different language, at most places at least 2 were offered to pick from.


A highschool teaches a CLASS, but the system wouldn't teach students to speak it fluently

[bpoichan]

yo guys..

Well... I can say one thing for sure.. and that is that the english language is not G.Bush s best friend.. and i ll will also add..an information that very few people know about in the USA.. and that is that the USA does not have AN OFFICIAL language.. the english language was NEVER declared as the official language of the USA......funny huh?! but true!!

Being bi-lingual in the USA has become soo trivial.. even inner cities kids are considered bi-lingual .. as they can speak standard english..and ebonics (that s the grammatically distorted english that blacks speak)... I know that you wont believe ..just google it and see it for yourself.. ebonics was said to be the more natural language of the blacks in the USA and that standard english was a foreign language to them.. and that is why blacks have a problem in ' functioning in a foreign homeland'..
ebonics was taught in some primary schools... the NAACP proned it..

anyway.. this is a med school site.. guys so let s not forget its purpose and derive in tangential dicussions..

[RussianJoo]

I wish we had an ebonics class..

[bpoichan]

I have noticed your eagerness to learn ebonics.. i hope that this will help you : CAL: Topics: Dialects: African American Vernacular English (http://www.cal.org/topics/dialects/aae.html)

I am persuaded that you ll do better in ebonics than the previous languages that you have tried to learn before..

wish you success in your endeavors!

[Dien dien]

lol fun...

[DOCplucinski]

Where did you go to school at?
i started learning Spanish as well in 1st grade but opted for French in 8th and took it all through HS. Me learning those languages has nothing to do with GW, I think you're a little mis-informed

[Dien dien]

i started learning Spanish as well in 1st grade but opted for French in 8th and took it all through HS. Me learning those languages has nothing to do with GW, I think you're a little mis-informed


I never said that GB had anything to do with us learning second languages. I brought up his name in a mere joke that someone took too serious because they were unable to distinguis a joke from a serious statement.

[Malagant]

Kick your kids into French Immersion in an early life! That'll sort 'em out!

[Diva]

I wish we had an ebonics class..

I remember when they were deciding on whether to make that a class. When i was in HS......thank god it didnt pass

[Diva]

Thanks for your reply..
I did not assume nor believe that one can expect Russia to be like the USA.. that is for sure.. As the saying goes ' one can not change a donkey into a racing horse '.

I was making comments about the ACTUAL and REAL conditions of studying in RUSSIA... this kind of info is unfortunately withheld by MANY so-called contractors.. that do all they can to lure students into russia..and many do go through a hard time....
i suppose that you are not aware that many pay their tuition in due time.. and with all pure intentions..when suddenly they find themselves packed in a room with 5 people..when actually they were promised a private room...

For instance the condition of medical PFU students..and its program is not as deplorable as those in MMA or RSMU.

I hope that you ll see that I am not just spitting on russian medical education but am giving a warning sign to those that expect MMA or RSMU to be as ' prestigious' as it is portrayed on their websites.

You are saying to me.. ' this is russia .. what do you expect?!'.... well i myself dont expect anything cuz now i know how russia is..
.. but what about those that have NEVER been to russia and believe all that were told to them?

sincerely,


Russia is shamelessly corrupt. I was born in St. Petersburg, my parents are both PhD's, my dad is a famous architectural engineer, and even they had to pull some corrupt stuff to bring $$ home. We immigrated to the US right b4 the fall of the commies.
Everything about that country is corrupt, money is the only thing that is recognized there.
I have no idea why people would opt for going to medical school there, when there are so many better european countries to attend medical school. Unless you are planning on practicing in russia.

I went to St.Petersburg in 2005 to visit family. I have never seen anything like that in my life. The people are miserable, beyond rude, angry, no one will help you. I went into a store, and asked for something, with my Americanized Russian...the woman was soooo rude to me, that I went crying to my mother.
Ugh, if I didnt have family there, I would never step foot in that country.

I believe everything you are saying about russian med schools, and think its a really good thing you are doing. Its very nice of you to take the time out to write the reality of the schools so that people are AWARE or things before they go there.
Anyone who criticizes you, should not look a gift horse in the mouth....

Russia... is a corrupt, not foreign friendly, dangerous country. Dont let anyone tell you otherwise. And this is coming from a person who was born there, knows the language, lived there, currently has family there, and has traveled back there. Dont be fooled by those "agents" whatever they are.

Tourists get kidnapped and killed all the time. ITs a fact. when I was there, my family didnt even let me take a cab by my self.

[bpoichan]

thanks for your word of support!!

I always intended to tell the truth about the reality of russia..I ll be as honest as i can be.. i have not only given criticism of what is REAL..but also have told positive things..i have nothing to hide.. and nothing to gain..

some medical schools are great and they do provide great hands-on experience...

the situation has definitely gotten better these past years.. but with all those corrupted agents.. and school officials .. it tends to get hard for prospective students to find out what is true and what is not..

i did not have any information when i got my feet in moscow..and found myself in lots of trouble.. the reality of things just slapped me hard..

all i want is to make sure that all the prospective students know about the truth.. and not the **.. that those agents hidden as ' friendly posts' make..

i am probably a hinderance to those money hungry agents.. but i hope that this is for the better!

once again thanks for your kind words of support!

God bless you

[Masamune]

I have no idea why people would opt for going to medical school there, when there are so many better european countries to attend medical school. Unless you are planning on practicing in russia.


I'll be going to MMA on sept 2007 to pursue my medical course..Easy for you to say why would ppl opt to going medical school in russia..ITS A SIMPLE FACT WHY..Money..I don't have enuf money to study medicine in US of any europe countries. Besides, i don't even have enuf to study in my own country. So..to pursue my dreams i have to go russia..

No offence..i appreciate that u tell abt life there..
Thanks..

[drshoaibsmc]

I'll be going to MMA on sept 2007 to pursue my medical course..Easy for you to say why would ppl opt to going medical school in russia..ITS A SIMPLE FACT WHY..Money..I don't have enuf money to study medicine in US of any europe countries. Besides, i don't even have enuf to study in my own country. So..to pursue my dreams i have to go russia..

No offence..i appreciate that u tell abt life there..
Thanks..


well russian medical schools are cheap thats y most ppl go there
but importantly u should work hard. i have seen students going abroad (not only to russia, even to US , UK and Aus ), and are intent to enjoy their stay as a holiday than study. Well if u have have the attitude then, y not join the russian univ.

[xxatti]

I'll be going to MMA on sept 2007 to pursue my medical course..Easy for you to say why would ppl opt to going medical school in russia..ITS A SIMPLE FACT WHY..Money..I don't have enuf money to study medicine in US of any europe countries. Besides, i don't even have enuf to study in my own country. So..to pursue my dreams i have to go russia..

No offence..i appreciate that u tell abt life there..
Thanks..
Well, just be prepared to pay all the "extra" fees that you dont know about.

[bpoichan]

right on xxatti!!!
if masamune makes the mistake to go to MMA or RSMU.. he ll be doomed paying..
anyway.. good luck

[jeniw13]

Hi guys, nice to hear some more sunny stories from russian students! *hehehe*
Despite your warning, i am sending an application to pfu, i spoke to a Mr Flava (excuse the spelling) yesterday and have now been sent an appropriate form. Similarly, money is a problem for me in terms of studying- although i live in england- i know i could'nt foot medical tuition bills and i'm not getting any support from my dad (the main bread winner ) now- i.e. a bit stuck-
so here is a cry to all people in my position and beyond concerning bills and fees and student loans any one with any info please help and if anyone wants toi hear about my experiences so far in applying i'm willing to chat!:yeah:

[bpoichan]

jeniw.. dont pay attention the warnings.. PFU is the BEST place you ll find anywhere in Russia.. i am in PFU now if you need any help let me know. .take care and good luck

[Masamune]

can't do anything rite?PFU is not recognise by my country and i have no choice other than MMA..SO i'll just have to buck up and study hard

[applemas]

can't do anything rite?PFU is not recognise by my country and i have no choice other than MMA..SO i'll just have to buck up and study hard

Masamune, just study hard! You will be fine.

[rashim.kamra]

sir can any 1 please clear 2 me that which uni in russia is known as pfr, is it the peoples friendship 1???

secondly i m a final yr student of mbbs from india, want 2 know that if i complete my post grad from russia in english med. in gen. surgery.
is tht of use if i later plan to clear USMLE & settle in US,
thirdly can i prepare for usmle simultaneously with my post grad from russia
Thanks

[Malagant]

PFU is the Peoples' Friendship University (you said 'pfr', and I hope you meant 'pfu'). While it has a bit of a tacky name for all the anglophones, it seems to have a rather -- friendly -- reputation.

Send off a PM to bpoichan, who's well-learned with the Russian Medical Student experience.

[pinklion]

I cant remember how is my 1st day in Russian Med School..I was from Kursk State Medical Academy and now I'm in Moscow Medical Academy. I think M1 is much more better than my previous uni..as it is not so corrupted..and they changed variants everytime for the test. There is a guy in my batch tried to copy during biochem final last time..and he got caught...the lecturer straight away asked him to go out and scolded him infront of everyone..said that she is disappointed with him..and din allow him to sit for final that day..It happened yrs ago already but I just couldnt forget that scene..

We have to pass the computer mcq tests in every classes..So...We studied and prepared for every classes.

I m willing to learn russian and I hav some number of Russian friends as well...(well..i m not so into their lifestyle)
I'm kind of fall in love with Russia..and I'm proud that I can speak and write in russian~ =)

[weeks]

I have half expected to be going to a modern civilized and cultural place when I first thought of going to Moscow. I was wrong.
The airport 3 years ago was under serious renovations and the custom officers in the foreign passport zone did not speak english and wanted to kill me with their eyes.
The hostel looked like a downtown rundown brothel.
The lift was 1m x 1m and dark.
The university had cat poo on the floor and wires hanging from ceilings and walls.
That was my first day.

Today- The international airport looks like a shopping complex with english speaking staffs all over the airport.
3 out of 5 hostels I know were renovated into hotel-look-alikes . The student body is getting more and more acknowledged to improve the hostel situation.
The university have Plasma-TV and new walls and ceilings and are renovating all classrooms.
THe library is being stocked with new books.
At least 5 new Mega Malls have opened in the past few years.

So, are you ready for a new russia?

oh yeah, maybe PFU is using a different system, as far as I know, If you skip your classes, you need to pay the DEAN for replacement classes and you cant sit for your exams if you don't clear your topical quizzes.
My teachers condemn those who pay for their exams.

[usifoosemota]

Vy sovsem vse suma soshli. V kakuyu Rossiyu vy poekhali? Tochno ne v tu-zhe, v kotoroy ya uchilsya. A ty, iz Malyaizii, vy ochen plokho yazyki izuchaete, tak chto zatknis!!!:evil: My Russian experience wasn't too bad academically. However, being constantly vigilant, 2/2 skinheads was apalling.

[bpoichan]

I was at MMA and after seeing what it was all about, I quickly switched to PFU...
I can say that I am aware about both schools from a student's eye..
The comment that PFU's dean takes money was calomnious.. the reason is simple.. the dean Mr FROLOV has a chair at a famous german med school, is a famed consultant in germany and is famed to be adamant to any bribing within the med school(at least within PFU). I therefore strongly doubt that a box of chocolate with a $50 bill would suffice to please him.

He has been strict and fair for the following reasons:

-He not only kicked out students but also teaching staffs that had received bribes..my last years at PFU was fun as I remember the professors being afraid that students would approach them and try to bribe them.

-He has pushed for excellence and has always been non-forgiving for cheating students.. someone in this thread said at MMA a cheating student was severely reprimanded by the prof and was not allowed to sit for the exam.
Had this happened at PFU, the student would have been expelled right there and then. there is a list of students being kicked out every single year whether it be in the Russian or English medium. PFU does not collect failing students.. that period is also famed for those students to scramble and try to transfer to nizhny novgorod.. MMA.. and St petersburg or M2.

- The reality of things is that the PFU's dean is absolutely against the ENGLISH medium . he does not agree with the fact that people come to Russia and study medicine in English and end up learning less than 50% of what should have been taught. That is probably why the english medium agent at PFU (Mr NIMALAN) has absolutely NO decision power and can not influence anyone there.. although he may pretend he can.
In contradistinction with MMA, the English medium agent (Mr SAMAN) is the boss.. He even succeeded to create the fallacious idea of an ' english medium dean' known as Mr ALAYUTDIN, who is a prof of pharmacology,when there is actually a dean of the med school.. I unfortunately can not recall his name.. but he was also very dubious of SAMAN's conniving methods and tried to get him out..
SAMAN bribed the president of MMA, and circumvented that barrier by creating a 'english medium dean'. Those 2 individuals walk hand in hand and are corrupt to the bone. That is a fact and noone ever denied. I suppose that by now, they have become powerful figures of the MMA and have obtained the status of untouchables...

Since the visit of the Malaysian governmental agents in 2002, they were able to obtain regular government contract students from Malaysia.. with the price of about $10,000 per student (compare it with a 500 Rouble tuition price for russians or the $2,000 per foreign student).
They therefore were pressured by regular visits of the Malaysian Embassy after a few deaths to better the Malaysian student's situation. For that matter SAMAN, had FINALLY rennovated the dorms and told the teaching staff to be more 'lenient' to the students.. meaning.. ' just give them good grades and make them happy'.

The new students, are not aware of the actual situation at MMA. they are in a coccoon and are privileged in that respect. I am glad for them about that. However, one need to look at the truth and ask themselves if they are really worth what they are pretending to see.. or is it all an illusion.
I would suggest to wake up.. study 10 times as much, because the day you ll return to your home country, noone will look at you with warm smiles and tell you ' molodietz'.. but on the contrary.. look you down.. abase you ..and treat you as ersatz doctors.
GL

[Z1-CN]

all this sounds pretty bad, but it's probably true.

[Roman Khanafiev]

Ill writte in english coze i found that page on english site .
First off i am in my 23 my about med school desigion was coming alone for a long time right now i am in NY albany (upstate)
Every one why did you go to study in Russia, as i herd none of the countres asspecialy US alow degrees from Russia i dont know but that what i herd corect me if i am wrung :confused:
Any way I am here to beg for help can any one help me by telling me about their expirience I came to US 5 years ago and as far as i realized there is no way that poor russian student can study in NY IN MED SCHOOL:shock: I mean as corupted russia is but it lets you opportunetys to get in to something and to study here you have to do everything by your self no conections nothing... ok inough braging
Can some one tell me what motivated them to live their country (english speaking ) and go to RUSSIA to study medecine?

[bpoichan]

HI there

I was always intrigued with Russia and always wanted to learn Russian among the other languages that I know.
Having grown up in various countries, I figured that trying Russia could be interesting and would be the next logical step for me. let alone the fact that med school tuition is way cheaper than other countries.

As for your other comments, the US does not recognize ANY med school in the world. A non-american med school graduate has to be ECFMG certified to be able to get some place in a residency.

There are many Russian grads in the US in residency and/or on their way to.

Surely, If I had to do it all over again, I probably would not chose Russia, as I had to go through way more hurdles than others.. but do not regret the 'russian experience'.