r exams written or oral?

[borg]

Hi,

Are exams written or oral in czech med. schools?

Thanks

[pruritis_ani]

For the most part, exams will be oral. In some cases you will have written tests as a part of the exam, or in order to qualify for the exam. But, grades are based on performance in the oral exam

Hi,

Are exams written or oral in czech med. schools?

Thanks

[borg]

Hi, okay I see - thank you

[!PsyChirurgus!]

Uh oh. How could the examiners provide quantitative data to prove that their answers were 'good', 'bad' or 'excellent'? I mean wouldn't the markings be subjective? Do they record these oral exams using dictaphones or something?

I'm sure a well-established institution such as Charles uni doesn't approve favouritism or allow secretly bribing examiners just to pass them but how could someone be sure that these kind of things don't happen?

Are the verbal exams held one-on-one with the examiner or should you recite them in front of your classmates in a lecture hall? What are the procedures like? Thanks;)

[shrey]

wow !80s Love Child!, I'm quite impressed that you've realized that the system here is quite subjective indeed. Usually it takes a month or two to figure this out, but that's amazing.

However, bribing and other sorts of favouritism are strictly not allowed. The exams are usually oral but some do have a written component too. For some subjects, you will need to take a written test and pass it in order to take the oral exam.

But in general, your overall performance is very very important as first or last impressions do count in Europe!!!.....it's always good to set up consultations, attend seminars regularly so that you give the right impression to your professor. Lectures however, are optional.

Unfortunately the system is so subjective that one student can get very easy questions and pass and the other student gets very hard questions and either passes or fails....when it comes to exams it's 65% luck, and the rest is knowledge and how well you can explain it orally to the profs. (with help of drawings, aids etc.)

[ktor1]

How does that even remotely prepare you to take standardized tests to practice in the U.S.?? I dont mean to sound too critical or anything, im in med school in Grenada after all...just curious....

[shrey]

Well it doesn't. that's why you have to study the USMLEs by yourself....lol

[shrey]

Well it doesn't. that's why you have to study the USMLEs by yourself....lol

[pruritis_ani]

It actually prepares you quite well. While you need to practice test taking strategies, you will be well versed in the actual basic science requirement.

I think that there are many schools out there that are glorified Kaplan courses, which I think is a tragedy. Medical school is not there to help you pass a standardised test. Medical school is there to provide you with a medical education, and a standardised test is a tool to verify that knowledge.

If you go to Charles and do well, and do a moderate amount of self preparation for the USMLE, you should obtain an excellent score.

[shrey]

Well-said Dr. Neil.....

[ktor1]

That makes sense acctually...i mean thinking about it more, i suppose even if the test is oral and subjective, truth be told you cant know what they are going to ask, so you still have to know everything.....it acctually seems a little bit more stressfull, because what they ask you may not be indicative of what you know....however, it still seems like you students planning to practice in the U.S. are getting the short end of the stick being tested that way...

[pruritis_ani]

That makes sense acctually...i mean thinking about it more, i suppose even if the test is oral and subjective, truth be told you cant know what they are going to ask, so you still have to know everything.....it acctually seems a little bit more stressfull, because what they ask you may not be indicative of what you know....however, it still seems like you students planning to practice in the U.S. are getting the short end of the stick being tested that way...

I think many students would agree with you...the testing appears subjective, and does not seem applicable to the US world. But, I can tell you that it is very, very helpful.

Some examples: first of all, you need to know your basic science pretty well, as you have no idea what the test will cover. You need to know it well enough to explain to somebody else, which is actually another level of knowledge when you compare it to recognizing correct answers on an exam. Second, when you finish medical school and the dreaded USMLE's, how do you think you will be tested? That is right, oral examination. A prerequisite for board certification in any speciality that I can think of is passing an oral exam....believe me, the experience you get at a school like Charles will be very helpful in that instance. Third, how do you think you will be tested on a day to day basis on the wards? That is right, the attending will look at you and ask a question, and likely ask you to explain your answer. Again, doing this time and time again in Prague enables me to not stress during these times, and to think logically through a question while under pressure, and come up with a good answer. You would not believe how hard this is for some people, many of whom are very smart and excellent test takers.

Also, a primary responsibility of any doctor is to teach. The curriculum at Charles prepared me to ask questions as well as answer them. I truly think that while there are many struggles while in school in Prague, the benefits become more apparent after you graduate.

Good luck

[ktor1]

"First of all, you need to know your basic science pretty well, as you have no idea what the test will cover."
I have found in my school that exams are comprehensive to a degree which would be impossible to cover in an oral format....I understand the idea that you dont know what they are going to ask you in an oral exam thus you should know everything, but the fact that tests are graded subjectively and that people vary in their communication skills seems to indicate that possibly some people -better talkers" so to speak- could do well without really knowing as much... Furthermore, why not test a student on everything they should know?? a method that would be exceddingly difficult in an oral format..

You need to know it well enough to explain to somebody else, which is actually another level of knowledge when you compare it to recognizing correct answers on an exam.

Again...I agree with you, yet i also disagree...i think basic sciences is important as a foundation for learning clinical medicine but i think for a physician thats all it is...a foundation from which to learn clinical medicine....the job of explaining the electron transport chain -or some other such concept- is the job os a science professor and i think not as much the job of the physician...i like to think its the physicians job to understand scientific concepts, incorporate them into their thinking, and see where they may apply clinically....
Now, being able to explain clinical concepts orally i totally understand and agree with...but truth be told, untill pathology, most basic sciences are clinical only to a superficial degree -atleast where i learn medicine they are-...although everything is related to clinical medicine, and questions are always asked in the form of clinical vignettes, the real question tests the scientific core...


Second, when you finish medical school and the dreaded USMLE's, how do you think you will be tested? That is right, oral examination. A prerequisite for board certification in any speciality that I can think of is passing an oral exam....believe me, the experience you get at a school like Charles will be very helpful in that instance.

I agree with you..and im sure going to medical school where you are tested in that fashion deffinately prepares you to better deal with patients and doctors...however, there is something to be said about the benefit and even necessity of standardized testing given to all students receiving a medical education- and that is a means with which to compare a student, or a medical education, to another...The fact that your medical education is not taylored for those standardized tests -as are the medical educations of everyone else you will be competeing agaisnt when you take those tests- is why i say you guys are getting the short end of the stick....despite medical knowledge being universal, medical educations apparently are not...which i was acctually suprised to hear...i had never heard -or would have imagined- that other places used oral testing formats and was intrigued by it when i first read it here the other day...which is probably a testament to my limited, undobtedly ethnocentric perspective -which im sure is another advantage of going to medical school in europe.



Third, how do you think you will be tested on a day to day basis on the wards? That is right, the attending will look at you and ask a question, and likely ask you to explain your answer. Again, doing this time and time again in Prague enables me to not stress during these times, and to think logically through a question while under pressure, and come up with a good answer. You would not believe how hard this is for some people, many of whom are very smart and excellent test takers.
I cant refute you here....except to reiterate the point that it seems more important to be able to explain clinical topics as opposed to basic sciences ones...which may explain why examinations become oral in the clinical setting and as a physician candidate/physician progresses in their education....


Also, a primary responsibility of any doctor is to teach. The curriculum at Charles prepared me to ask questions as well as answer them. I truly think that while there are many struggles while in school in Prague, the benefits become more apparent after you graduate.
That sounds great...


P.S. does your school take students for summer electives???