attrition rates...

[chav]

Hi guys,

Why do you think the attrition rates are so high at the EE schools like Szeged. I have been talking to some people who are kind of freaking me out about the oral exams at Szeged and say that they fail people at random based on likes and dislikes. Is there any truth to this.

[Miklos]

Hi guys,

Why do you think the attrition rates are so high at the EE schools like Szeged. I have been talking to some people who are kind of freaking me out about the oral exams at Szeged and say that they fail people at random based on likes and dislikes. Is there any truth to this.

Unlike North America, where tests are structed objectively, Hungarian schools still have many oral examinations.

If you know your material down pat, you won't fail. However, as the volume of material is immense, this is not an easy thing. (You do however, have three attempts to pass the exam, provided you schedule in time.)

Often professors will ask their favorite topics, so you have to learn those, too.

Because the oral exams are not graded on objective criteria, an exam with a particular examiner can be much more difficult than with an other one. So, students (both local and foreign) complain (sometimes even with justification) that they were screwed (for lack of a better term) by the examiner.

So, if you do come here, realize that it is a very different system...

As far as the attrition rates go, it is (believe it or not) by design. The system/culture (also for lack of better terms) wants to stress the student to see how the student responds. The philosophy is: "So you want to be a doctor?" "Let's see how you deal with failure, because failure is inevitably part of medicine."

Very old school. If this is a problem for you, I do not recommend coming here. (There's noone to hold your hand, like back home.)

Miklos

[Mr Cool]

I've also heard that people leave due to the change in culture. Its not always down to failing exams and repeating years. In other cases, some sudents (at least from the UK) did'nt really seem serious about going there in the first place. In one case I spoke to someone who left after a few weeks because they did not like the culture and the reality that no one spoke english (although you would think this is obvious before you leave).

For some younger 18-19 year old students, the reality of leaving home to enter a foreign country for 6 years, and to study medicine and learn the basics of a new language is not always an easy one. I for one at that age would have probably struggled.

So if you visit the school and country before hand, and are serious about studying medicine, then hopefully all should be fine.
Just my two cents
Mr Cool