Semmelweis' Purported Reputation

[Mr. Opinion]

Ha, this thread is so true. If you wan't to do well at Semmelweis, avoid the university as much as possible. Half the time you spend there is like going to church, ooooohhhh... look the head of the department has entered the lecture hall to mumble some incoherent rubbish, everybody rise to your feet until he gives you the signal to sit again. Ooooohhhhh... look its the end of the semester and the head of the department is actually going to sign my index. An honor indeed.

These schools need to start learning how to use the computer(s) they've bought, get rid of the whole index book/administration system, fire 3/4 of the english secretariat staff, and then actually have the english secretariat open for more than three hours a week.

Seriously, if you've registered over the internet like in normal schools, why go through the process again in 1950's style paper format? And why do you need to have any relationship with the legendary head of the department anyway. Half of them are drunks. If the oompa loompas that run the labs want to kiss his or her a**, thats fine. I couldnt care less.

[Dr.Evil]

Just want to give a input on why there are so many Scandinavians studying med. in Hungary.

Fact is that there is just as many of them in Poland and in Czech, the reason is that all the medical schools in Sweden togheter accept only 410 students yearly and all the medical schools in Norway have 370 seats per year.

Now, to have chance to get accepted they need the avreage grade of 20 out of 20 in all of their subjects during the 3 years of high school (since there are larger number of students with the grade avreage 20 the selection process involves interviews and even a lottery system (swe))

And also worth to mention is that both the Norwegian and the Swedish goverments pay the tution fee for their student and also gives them a weekly loan based on the number of credit points they study per semester.

P.S as you might have noticed there are always more Norweigans than Swedes, this is because they get allot more money, and when they have finished their education the state will reduct half their debt.)

[Tiza]

You deserve your opinions, and yes, things are a bit different here in Hungary. Gee what a surprise? So I guess you should go back to the states and start school there..oh wait..you can't get into the schools in the states, so maybe the caribb..oh wait..they want $50,000 a year, but you get to do clinicals at bumf*** community hospital for two years..yeah! If you don't like it here slacker, then have your mommy put you back on the plane and try some other place. You've already had to write to the dean twice to cover your butt, I'm sure there will be a lot more letters in your career.

[Dr.Evil]

Tiza what are you exactly getting so upset about?!

I think everyone agrees that things would be smoother if they replaced the amish style lecture/index book system with a software based system.

Secondly, their is alot of eastern-block mentality still living on in these countries, with the professors thinking of themselves as perfect beings, this dosen't exactly stimulate a academic surrounding for students.

Changes in their society are on their way, but the fact that many of the profs in these institutions have been treated in this manner during their schooling dosent give them the right to do so now.

You say that he has the right to have his own opion, but yet you lash out on him as if he as personally insulted you, this manner dosent exactly show that you consider everyone to have the right to form their own opinions.

[Mr. Opinion]

Thats ok. Tiza can have her opinions or rants or whatever too. I'd get my mom to buy me a ticket back to the states except that I'm not American and my mom's dead so... I can't. I love the "love it or leave it" mentality though.

I'm here to get a european license to practice. I don't see why I can't find the school entertaining at the same time. This thread is actually about the reality and the myth of semmelweis university, so why not be honest? I'm sorry if you're feeling insecure about the fact that you're attending a third rate eastern european university.

[Tiza]

My apologies regarding your family. I just get irritated at people who run down the very school that will be on their diploma!!! I just don't get it. DOTE, yeah, a lot of bullsh^& here, but I chose to come, so I put up with it. Why would you want to plaster all over the net, that your school sucks, then have to present that very diploma to a program director?? You're not doing yourself any favors. Yes, the lecture books are ** and the rituals of standing for the profs. gets really old, but in the end, this is our way to our dream. Again, I apologise mentioning your family in the post., I hope things improve for you in Budapest. Good luck.

[xxatti]

I have to admit, I find it strange that you have to stand for the professors, but at the same time I also find it strange that you have to stand for judges in court here in the states. I think it's all really stupid, but that is their custom and likewise it is our custom for judges. You just have to accept it if you want to be a lawyer or if you want to study in Hungary.

[Mr. Opinion]

In the states, you're not actually standing for the judge personally, you're standing for the instituition they represent. Sentencing people to life in prison for heinous crimes is serious biz.

I'd like to say the same is true in Hungary, but infortunately you're standing to satisfy the ego of a profound megalomaniac. Most of the younger (and humbler) profs don't care if you sit or stand now anyway.

I'm actually in the dental program and am planning on practicing in western europe, so I'm not too bothered about the school's reputation. It's not me complaining that's giving Hungary a bad reputation; it's Hungarians giving themselves a bad reputation. And, frankly, I think a little bad press is what they need to light a fire under their a**es.

The two main problems affecting Hungary are a reluctance to change to a more modern (i.e. foreign) system, and shameless corruption. Alot of the educational and administrative staff are getting ready to retire or croak soon; so that's half the problem solved. Unfortunately, I don't see much incentive for younger people to replace them. They get paid next to nothing.

Here's a little related "commentary" from a completely unreliable source (although refreshingly honest compared to crap like the Budapest Times and the Budapest Sun):

Experts

Politics