A Breath of Fresh Air.

Stranger Stel · #1 (**permalink**) 02-12-2008, 05:13 PM

ive been speaking to a current student in his 5th year at Semmelweis and i think our conversations will come as a breath of fresh and unbiased air around here, check it out:

Quote:

There has been corruption cases at Semmelweis, but I hope they have gotten rid of it all by now.
In my everyday life I didn't notice any direct corruption at my school. The thing that annoyed us all was the fact that we never pay money directly to the university. Out tuition is paid to college international, which is a private company, and they in turn rent spaces at Semmelweis for us to attend. For sure a lot of money is being "lost" on the way from our pockets to Semmelweis. That's my major issue regarding corruption.

Being a student in the English program has gotten better, but there are still some major issues that makes me concerned about the quality of the education:
1 - the administration is extremely slow and inefficient, and they push the problems downwards in the system, eventually ending at the students (we only have the English secretariat to go to in case we need something and they are open three hours daily...that's it).
2 - there is no main governing body at the university. The director of the English program can only suggest things, he cannot make specific rules that each department HAS to follow. He might do so on paper, but in reality the head of each department does whatever he or she wants. Some departments don't care and teachers will show up at random (or not at all). This is mostly a problem in the latter years (4-5).
3 - there is not one official website where the university can post their official rules and regulations for each department. Since each department is a sovereign unit, not even the English secretariat (which is our only go-to place) knows the rules or changes to the curriculum at the various departments

All in all I feel that there is too much randomness going on. It seems like they haven't thought this whole "we should open up a program for foreign students" idea through.

The first year students are (mostly) happy with their experience, and things are ok in the first year. It seems to be from the 2nd year and on that students are having problems.
A friend of mine said it best: "This school is perfect for those students that are never sick, never fail exams, and never need anything from the administration."

Quote:

I'm graduating next year, so I will be around for a while longer, but I do feel that I will be a capable doctor in the future. The school is fine in that respect.

Oral exams really depend on which year you are in and which professor you get as the examiner. If you are doing a minor subject in the 5th year, then the oral exam will be very straight forward and fairly easy, since you will be asked things you have seen many times.
If you have an oral exam in the second year with an examiner that likes to make students sweat, then you will get the feeling that they are looking for things you don't know. That's the feeling I got during my oral exams the first two years. They don't care about the basics, but instead they try to find details they have mentioned in the lecture or things you didn't expect them to focus on and then they give you a hard time for not knowing it.
The rate of failure is quite high. Most students have at least 2-3 failures during their time at Semmelweis.
You are allowed three attempts at each exam, so if you fail you can just return a week later and try again.

The problem with having fixed rules and regulations, especially governing the practice groups and the schedules (the individual groups are chosen by the students and this always creates havoc, since school doesn't really start until 1-2 weeks into the semester sometimes, because teachers will "wait for students to settle into their groups"), is that there is no predictability.
If you have finished the let's say the third year and you want to prepare for the fourth year, there are no websites or anyone you can talk to (especially not the English secretariat, they will just refer you to the calendar, which is not very helpful) if you want to know how the different subjects will be and what/how much they expect from you.

The reason I chose Hungary was because I wanted a program in English and I had a friend that studied here. She started the third year when I came to Budapest.
Also, I wanted to live in a large city.
I have spoken with students that are in Poland and the Czech Republic and they have the same stories regarding their schools, so it seems there "go with the flow and bend the rules" attitude is everywhere in these Central/Eastern European countries.

Quote:

It is (theoretically) possible to get a complete **** three times in a row, but most departments have an unwritten rule that you get a different examiner the second time around.
And the examiners know that it is your second or third attempt, so they ask you easier questions (at least that is what my professors have assured me when I have asked them about this issue).

There are two types of oral exams:
Those that require you to explain or show things, such as anatomy or pathology (where you need to show on real bodies),
and those that just require you to answer questions.

Almost all the subjects have one practical exam (oral exam where you have to show stuff, like microbiology, where you have to explain things you see in the microscope and show staining techniques) and one theoretical (this is either written or an oral, but in this case you are just sitting in a chair with the professor behind a desk or in a chair next to you).

Let me give you the first year medicine:

ANATOMY - their exam has three parts: 1) histology, where you sit with a microscope and identify things you see. A professor is sitting next to you asking you stuff, both what you see and theory around it. The slides are taken from the curriculum over the semester,so you have seen the slides before. 2) oral part in the dissection, so you have to show/identify muscles, bones, nerves etc. A professor will be asking you to show and explain anatomy on a real human body. 3) if you pass the first two, oral parts, you get to do a written exam.
Pass all three and you will get a passing grade (2,3,4 or 5; 1 is fail)

BIOLOGY - their exam is written

CHEMISTRY - again, written exam

PHYSICS - here you have a written exam and if you get more than 50% you get a 2 (just pass) and if you get over 60% you get a 2 PLUSS the option of doing an oral exam (but here you cannot fail, just keep the 2 or improve it).

These are the core subjects of the first year.

And in regards to the topics.
In ANATOMY (you can see the topic list on my website, under My Notes) you don't pull topics. They will simply ask you general stuff about everything. This is where an place to exchange gas can screw you by asking very detailed things you probably won't know.

In the later years, especially 3rd-5th, almost all the exams are oral.
One example: Pediatrics
I had that exam not long ago. If you take a look at My Notes you will see that there are 20 topics.
Three students were taken into a room. All three pulled one number each (from cards on the table).
My number corresponded to the topic on "seizures". I then got time to prepare and so did the others.
Then the professor asked if I was ready and I presented my topic. He asked me some questions and the whole things took 15-20 minutes. I did a good enough job for him, so I got a 5.

The oral exams in the earlier years might feel a lot worse, because most students aren't used to the format, but you get used to it.
Don't listen to all the horror stories. If a student does well, he or she will say the exam was fair, and if a student fails, he or she will say it was extreeeemely hard. You know the drill :-)

You will do fine, if you simply work on learning the material. There are a lot of lazy students that blame everyone else for their lack of knowledge ("the professor asked me impossible things" or "that was such a hard test, I think most people failed").

his last words i feel sum up what has caused hours of argument and worry for some.

hope any of what he said helps, i know it did me, and im sure it will others.

peace.

P.S. A_H, i would be honored if you would be the first to reply answering questions no one asked, and avoiding those that were.

AVOID_HUNGARY!! · #2 (**permalink**) 02-12-2008, 06:15 PM

Stranger Stel,

didn't the same student say that he wanted to leave Hungary in a blink of an eye if he could ?

if you don't want to misinform don't lie and confirm what i told u, it was on the internet for everybody to see!!!

Obviously, you have been talking to the student whose laptop was stolen in Hungary recently

Stranger Stel · #3 (**permalink**) 02-12-2008, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AVOID_HUNGARY!!

Stranger Stel,

didn't the same student say that he wanted to leave Hungary in a blink of an eye if he could ?

if you don't want to misinform don't lie and confirm what i told u, it was on the internet for everybody to see!!!

Obviously, you have been talking to the student whose laptop was stolen in Hungary recently

hahah you just dont stop eh, regardless this person has been extremely helpful, and bottom line feels that he is fully equipped and capable of being an excellent doctor

and to provide you with a little lateral vision to your clydesdale mentality that named person wrote this to me privately.

Quote:

Hi

I edited my final note. It was written in despair

i didnt feel the need to write everything that we spoke about PRIVATELY, something im sure you can appreciate!

whattupdog6969 · #4 (**permalink**) 02-12-2008, 06:31 PM

You will do fine, if you simply work on learning the material. There are a lot of lazy students that blame everyone else for their lack of knowledge ("the professor asked me impossible things" or "that was such a hard test, I think most people failed").

I wholeheartedly agree with this sentence. If you study hard, you will not only pass but do well. This sentence sounds alot like the general tone that we are hearing around here.

same old story.

AVOID_HUNGARY!! · #5 (**permalink**) 02-12-2008, 06:31 PM

I had asked you:
didn't the same student say that he wanted to leave Hungary in a blink of an eye if he could ?

I take your reply as a yes

whattupdog6969 · #6 (**permalink**) 02-12-2008, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AVOID_HUNGARY!!

Stranger Stel,

didn't the same student say that he wanted to leave Hungary in a blink of an eye if he could ?

if you don't want to misinform don't lie and confirm what i told u, it was on the internet for everybody to see!!!

Obviously, you have been talking to the student whose laptop was stolen in Hungary recently

please avoid calling people "liars" it is entirely inappropriate, and Stranger Stel has been nothing but helpful.

AVOID_HUNGARY!! · #7 (**permalink**) 02-12-2008, 06:34 PM

don't try to change the subject with your nonsense, whattupdog6969

Stranger Stel · #8 (**permalink**) 02-12-2008, 06:41 PM

listen buddy, dont ask me a rhetorical question, then call me a liar for not answering. Even if your arguments held water before, and could be seen as a possible "flip side" to studying in hungary, your blatantly childish behavior and obvious lack of maturity has washed away whatever credibility you might have had. I have now made up my mind, as strongly as you have made yours, on the fact that you were nothing but a kid who wanted to correct people when they called you Mr. ("uh, no its Dr.Douche thank you")
With the level of integrity you have shown here, you clearly had no business being in medical school, and have suffered the faith you deserved.

If you are going to come at me in hopes of discrediting what i say, please read my responses more carefully. That person did write they he would leave in the blink of an eye, and then he retracted it saying it was "written in despair"

here, this might help

AVOID_HUNGARY!! · #9 (**permalink**) 02-12-2008, 07:19 PM

I didn't mean to disrespect you, at least not willingly, if so then I must apologize. I just post on this forum my opinion, and believe me I am not the only student who is unhappy with the education in Hungary.

If you want, you can take my opinion and not come to Hungary at all, because many students were not happy about many things, and you would be better off if you avoided all that.

If not you want you can ignore my opinion and come to study in Hungary but even if you manage to finish in Hungary keep in mind that it is sure you will face *many difficulties* that many students have complained about (let me not repeat myself by naming them)

When the time comes and those difficulties have immediate affect to your life you can either decide to stay or go on, that is a personal choice. ITS TOTALLY UP TO YOU! I hope we can agree to that.

Please don't accuse me personally, because I am not the one who made these "difficulties". These "difficulties" DO EXIST, and concerning this fact the information I am giving you is 100% credible.

Personally, if I knew what I know now I would not apply to any Hungarian medical school.

Stranger Stel · #10 (**permalink**) 02-12-2008, 07:35 PM

alright then , lets see,, theoretically, say i accomplish the monumentous task of aquiring a degree from hungary, what foretold problems will i come into?? please could you tell me, since you seem to possess the experience and knowledge of the many who have fallen through the cracks.

and also.. what would you have done other than apply to a hungarian school?

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