Jagiellonian Medical English Univ Q/A Thread

[Bechtel]

Originally Posted by plunderisley

Ah, so popular PMs and posts after a few hrs of joining
I am from Chicago, on the 3rd year of 6th.
Actually I found out from my parents as they finished here as well (but the Polish side many many years ago)

Honestly, I love it. I had my doubts in the beginning, well being so far away from home, friends, family. But honestly, the first year you'll make plenty of new friends from around the world and you won't really have time to worry about home a lot of reading
Studies are not easy. All the questions we get on our tests (MCQ but they arn't easy) are USMLE style. They do prepare you well for the USMLEs (well haven't taken mine yet, but I do study from Step 1 for the tests here soo...)
Class wise currently I believe Ithere are 54 of us (or 53, can't remember). First year anatomy we were 10 per professor. Other classes as small as 3. In Peds now there are 3 of us per doctor. Internal medicine groups of 2. You really don't get that 1 on 1 in the USA or Canada.
The university is very old with a lot of history, but then again they do have many new buildings. There are many computer labs, student study rooms with wifi, etc.
There are always cons to everything, but for me the only thing is as a foreign medical graduate I need to do better on my USMLE than USA students to get accepted into residency in the USA.
GPA I am not sure what is needed, but I had a A- average with 6 years of science in HS with AP courses and 1 year of night college science, and a 33 on my ACT.
Admission is also now based on a entrance exam. We didn't have to take that. But don't get discouraged! They do look into any extra curricular activities, and how "well rounded" you are in other fields. It never hurts to apply!
But overall
Very small classes and great student to professor ratio
Saving 2 years of study
No MCAT to take (for the 6 year)
All in English
and 1/4 the cost of a USA med school are all pros


If you have any other specific questions, please ask!

Hi! What would you recommend for study material for usmle 1 ,if you are starting 1st year in a six year program.I mean can you study USMLE 1 material side by side of your regular 1st yr. subject.If so what books for USMLE? Thanks

[MDPWR]

Originally Posted by plunderisley

How safe is Poland for foreigners? Do you see Chinese, Indian/Pakistani, Africans etc.,

I think its safe. It is a city, so basically every city in the world has crime. Knock on wood I have never been mugged or robbed and am on my 3rd year. Very few of my friends have been robbed. It does happen, but its usually their fault. Just use common sense. Don't carry thousands of dollars on you. Even when I walked around the town center many times at night (and night is like 3am) I never was even stopped. I have a few classmates that do stick out as a foreigner, and they never had any problems.
One thing though there are burglaries in the apartments over the summer. It happened to a few classmates. Once again, they let themselves known by renting nicer apartments will all foreigners in the building. Just use some common sense. Its a overall safe city. Take London for instance. You'd be amazed how much pick pocketing goes on in that city. I would say a lot more than Krakow.

Does JU have any history of crimes against foreign students?

Not sure I understand this question. The actual school? No. Well, Krakow is a student town with over 250,000 students I believe, so can it happen you get pick pocketed by another student if that is what you meant.

You answered everything...................Thanks.

[MDPWR]

Hello there,

So how important is speaking the Polish language, I mean don't you have to a master the language in order to speak it with your patients during the clinical years?

So after graduating from this great university will you be able to practice in all 50 states? I know they just got accredited for their 4 year English program thats great!

[plunderisley]

Originally Posted by Bechtel

Hi! What would you recommend for study material for usmle 1 ,if you are starting 1st year in a six year program.I mean can you study USMLE 1 material side by side of your regular 1st yr. subject.If so what books for USMLE? Thanks

Well I read along with the school books also Board Review Series, which is USMLE study material in addition to books like USMLE questions and Pretest for Anatomy Questions for instance,

[plunderisley]

Originally Posted by MDPWR

Hello there,

So how important is speaking the Polish language, I mean don't you have to a master the language in order to speak it with your patients during the clinical years?

So after graduating from this great university will you be able to practice in all 50 states? I know they just got accredited for their 4 year English program thats great!

Language wise, I speak Polish well, as thats my 2nd language. Norwegians know maybe 7 words in Polish after 3 years. 5 are bad words. Almost every younger person speaks English

[Mister]

Thanks plunderisley your posts are pretty helpful. Do you have any pics by anychance of the city and the facilities?.....lol

[plunderisley]

Originally Posted by Mister

Thanks plunderisley your posts are pretty helpful. Do you have any pics by anychance of the city and the facilities?.....lol

a few High Def ones I was playing around with
Flickr: Photos from plunderisley

[MDPWR]

JU VS Poznan
Hey guy thanks for your inside scoop.

So man what do you think about Poznan? I heard the students at Poznan(4 year English program) take USMLE1 after finishing the second year to move into third year, then 4th Year USMLE2 to graduate? As if right now Poznan Unv 4 year English program is still not accredited by California like JU, I heard that both school applied at the same time and JU got the approval. How long California med board is going to take to approve Poznan 4 year English program? They didn't even made a trip to JU for site visit and approved them.

I'm still a little confused about the clinical situation, may be you can help me better understand that. Now as far as spending actual time at JU are we supposed to complete all 4 year at JU? or just the first three years, I'm specially concerned about the 4 years English program. Is it like Caribbean in which you only spend the 1st two years in Caribbean. You have to pass the Step1 and you are back home in States for the final two years.


I am on the 6 year program and heres what I do. Every summer i have 1 month of clinicals to complete to go onto the 2nd year. I have done them every year in the USA.
You do NOT need to pass USMLE to go onto the following year or even to pass Jag. Its optional. Everything is prepared on USMLE style questions. All my tests are MCQ and all are based similar to USMLE questions, if not more difficult than those.


Why do you actually have to go back every year to do 1 month of clinicals. Can't you just do that in Poland? Does that make you more competitive to do Clinical in America?

Now thats what JU says on their website, regarding the 4th year in their 4 years English Program;


In the final year our students are eligible to complete clinical rotation in approved teaching hospitals.


Students may apply for the elective rotations through the home University:
University of RochesterSchool of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY
School of Medicine and Dentistry - University of Rochester Medical Center


University of CaliforniaLos Angeles (UCLA) DavidGeffenSchool of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA
www.medsch.ucla.edu
University of CaliforniaSan Diego (UCSD), San Diego, CA
School of Medicine
University of CaliforniaIrvine (UCI), Irvine, CA
University of California, Irvine
LomaLindaUniversityMedicalCenter, Loma Linda, CA
Loma Linda University School of Medicine Homepage
University of CaliforniaRiverside (UCR) School of Medicine, Riverside, CA(available only from 2012)
Official University of California, Riverside Home Page




This means that students don't have to do the 4th year in Poland. How easy is it to get these rotation and how many do we have to get?

Again, I can thank you enough for helping others.
L8tr.

[plunderisley]

So man what do you think about Poznan?
Well, I never really researched that school, but I know you can transfer from Krakow JU to any other Poland school, but you cannot transfer into Krakow JU from other schools in Poland.


How long California med board is going to take to approve Poznan 4 year English program?
Dont know

They didn't even made a trip to JU for site visit and approved them.
Cause the school is just that good


Now as far as spending actual time at JU are we supposed to complete all 4 year at JU? or just the first three years, I'm specially concerned about the 4 years English program. Is it like Caribbean in which you only spend the 1st two years in Caribbean. You have to pass the Step1 and you are back home in States for the final two years.
No, you have to finish all four years in JU. You can take a few classes abroad, but I did not research that, and I think you have to come back and take the final exam in that subject in JU

Why do you actually have to go back every year to do 1 month of clinicals. Can't you just do that in Poland? Does that make you more competitive to do Clinical in America?
I go back every summer cause I'm from Chicago and since my parents work at the hospital, I can easily get the clinicals done at home with other doctors I know. You can of course do them in Poland, or your home country.


How easy is it to get these rotation and how many do we have to get?
I don't know. Haven't gotten that far, but I would assume not harder then any USA students have with the schools. If you apply early and are usually flexible on time, than it shouldn't be an issue.

[Mister]

Thanks plunderisley for those pics they are pretty cool, nice effects you threw on them.