Poland or Czech??

[Doctor2012]

As far as classes (sizes, prof.s and level of teaching) are concerned, which of the two countries is better?? I am looking to transfer as my current school does not get any loans from FAFSA and what not...I am leaning towards Prague based on what I see on their websites..but how are things are Poland? What would be a good school for a transfer student to consider??:confused::confused:

[shrey]

If you're choosing Prague? have you decided which faculty in prague? coz the first faculty is usually quite stringent on transfers...

[Mister]

Things in Poland are also very good, I would recommend you look ant ponzan or Warsaw they are good schools. Prague is also a good choice as several of the medical schools are recognized by all 50 states.

[shrey]

Well actually, there is only one medical school in the CR that is recognized by all the 50 states and that's the Charles First Faculty of Medicine. The other faculties are recognized by 49 states in the US (the two others are CA and NM). so if you aim is to go back to the US, the first fac. would be your best bet as far as medical schools in CR are concerned.

[!PsyChirurgus!]

Well actually, there is only one medical school in the CR that is recognized by all the 50 states and that's the Charles First Faculty of Medicine. The other faculties are recognized by 49 states in the US (the two others are CA and NM). so if you aim is to go back to the US, the first fac. would be your best bet as far as medical schools in CR are concerned.
Hello Shrey!:)

I was just wondering where you got the information that the 2nd & 3rd Faculty of Medicine (taught in English) in Charles University is recognised by 49 US states apart from CA and NM?

You see I don't want to gamble applying to the 2nd and 3rd Faculties only to find out that after graduation no, or at least a few, US states accept the English program at the 2nd and 3rd Faculty of Medicine.

Please do reply. Thanks!:)

[devildoc8404]

I would be FAR more interested in the schools themselves (Jag v. Charles-1 v. Poznan v. Charles-2), as opposed to the country in which they are located (Poland v. Czech Republic).

[shrey]

I've been doing quite a bit of research and it seems that both Jagiellonian and Warsaw are really good schools although unfortunately Warsaw is not CA-accredited. But Jagiellonian seems to be awesome due to it's affiliation with the University of Rochester, NY for clinical rotations (which is a very attractive incentive!!!). Although I would strongly recommend that you actually call up the university to see how successful this program has been.

Also Jagiellonian seems to be located in one of the paradise cities of Europe, Krakow (which like Prague is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and it is said that it is the Paris of Poland). Also the university seems to have a really good system that prepares students for USMLEs (correct if I'm wrong though please; but I just learned more about the PIN exam method used by Polish schools as opposed to the oral exam method in CR; also they have NBME practice tests that are mandatory which is a really good indicator of USMLE scores).

[EDUCATION]

No foreign student to Europe is welcome unless they have native roots to the country you wish to study in. Europeans are very ethnocentric.
I lived in HELL (Poland) for a few years. I am English, not welcome in Poland.

[Back_To_School]

If you're English then I'm pop-eye:D

Perhaps you should have done your research before going there as anyone that has spent more then 10 minutes living in Poland will tell you that the people are horrible:D

[shrey]

Wow really? I used to always hear that the Polish are so much more friendlier than the Czech. But that's just what I heard (from a few American exchange students).

[diogenes]

Wow really? I used to always hear that the Polish are so much more friendlier than the Czech. But that's just what I heard (from a few American exchange students).
I think (hope) Back_To_School was exercising his god-given British right to be ironic.
I agree Shrey, the general reputation of the Poles is that they are more simpatico than the Czechs - certainly don't have that dourness often associated with the latter. That has been my own limited experience too.
EDUCATION seems to have some pretty strong animus towards the Poles and their med. schools as evinced by previous posts.

[Back_To_School]

I know what you mean about the Czechs. Alot of the men seem to have an iinferiority complex which they tend to take out on foreigners. I have never found it to be malicious though. I think the main problem is that when you study in CR students tend to stay with there own compatriots because of the language barrier and never really fully intergrate with the locals.

Once you make the effort and 'get in' with a group of Czechs you'll find that they are actually very sound and friendly people.Their worst trait perhaps being their sarcasm when they feel they have to defend themselves as they don't ever tend to get violent. Even when they're plastered.

The older generation can be quite annoying though.

[shrey]

Inferiority complex? due tothe language barrier? or some other reason?

[Back_To_School]

Inferiority complex? due tothe language barrier? or some other reason?

Due to the Second World War and then communism . There is a general consensus that America, Britain, Russia etc made a deal with Germany to give them the Czech lands hoping that it would cease their expansion in Europe and advised the Czechs to allow Germany to basically invade them without a shot being fired, even though they had well fortified borders. Then 'we' allowed Russia to invade. This has caused a deep seated distrust of Americans, Brits etc and hence the inferiority complex.

How much truth is in this belief I don't know as history was never my strong point but, I know a lot of Czechs who think 'we' let them down after the war as a lot of Czechs fought with the RAF and yet we still let Russia in to avoid a nuclear confrontation.

Their behaviour is simply a barrier but, when you get to know them the barrier comes down.

I know the Slovaks don't seem to have this and I'm not sure why.

I could just be talking rubbish, but those have been my observations after being with a Czech girl for over 5 years and having a lot of Czech friends.