That's not entirely true. Especially, now with the US $$ down in the dumps. UJ, for their part, did a smart thing recently and started charging tuition in Euros. Not sure about the 'embassy warning' chexpool refers to. At this point, UJ is the most competitive English program in Poland, especially with the Cali approval in their pocket. As for the overall education, it's been hashed over this way and that on these forums. It probably doesn't differ all that much from what you'll get at PUMS or Warsaw. Though, each has issues in their own right. Not sure what to think of any of the other schools in Poland or rest of eastern Europe. Yes, the "experience" is different than what you got in Munich (former Western Germany). The East still has some catching up to do. That isn't to say that the level of education is lower. It's not. It's just that student's expectations are higher. N.American education has gotten to a point where everything is handed on a silver platter. Hand-outs in all courses. What is asked on exams is spelled out in class and in those hand-outs, and god forbid, the course master strays from the syllabus. Students go running to their deans offices and complain. US med students literally have their bottoms wiped by their administration. Well, they spend a lot of money on their education. Why shouldn't they? Eastern Europe hasn't caught up with the times, yet. There, professors still wield a good deal of power and it's going to be a chilly day in heck before they relinquish it. Still, it's coming. I guess you can wait it out. I would do it all over again.

First let me completely agree, UJ, is the only place to consider coming from the USA, the cali thing, the city, the school rep. Cant beat that.

To clarify the embassy warning, whether it exists now anymore i am not sure, but a few years back, the "student abuses" as described by my friends at UJ, was that professors were failing students on personal grudges against them which lead to rather large drama, leading to complaints to the embassy.


just one thing about syllabus; its a legal binding contract to protect students. our schedule and respective class schedules are in constant flux. which on many occasions hurt some peoples performance. its simply unethical/ unprofessional to change the program, give one day notice, and then punish the students. In my undergrad, you could look a year ahead to find out when your exams were, they never moved, so its a shock to some to deal with on the fly school.


The thing is about the silver platter. The reason that schools produce high step scores, is because yes its spoon fed, and the bar is higher; passing is 80% or so, not the 65% or sometimes 50% at PUMS. Its not like there isnt enough work to do anyway. So schools have handouts, ppt, forums, websites to provide you the tools that you pay for. Thats how UMGs get a 93% pass rate.

So yes, lets put it this way, you can either swim across the English channel, or take a fast boat. I guess you are strong for swimming, but in the end is enthalpy no?

GL guys,

Well, not everyone gets on the fast boat. Then, these individuals go to med school outside N.America and find the "english channel" instead. Yet, they're expecting the fast boat to get them across. Enter entropy. Shenanigans ensue. Some go crying home to mama. Others flock to their embassy. The rest look for solace on these forums. "If you choose the quick and easy path... you will become an agent of evil." - Yoda

lol exactly like Nike says; just do it

lol, just like nike says just do it.

I have also been wondering on regards to this topic on Gdansk Medical School. They have told me that I am accepted but I have not been sent an admission paper stating this...is this normal?

you are very right on much of this Kluver, one thing i did not expect from here. i kind of saw it the "easy way" ,no way....it is a much bumpier road to take, first term kicks everyones ***, cause you simply think it is not different then back home but it is, the whole system is different, but you get affiliated by the end of the first year when many have already left cause they simply really wanted the "easy way".

guys i generally agree with the "easy way thing- meaning the high road is harder" but i would like to stress the "easy way" is first a lot harder (actual limits to retakes, no cheating, no repeated test, less joke classes, no favoritism for students; for example crying to a prof does not produce a curve) although the provide you with more technology and paper handouts. But in the end the "easy way" produces higher grades on the steps namely 93% (Not the 71%) first time passers, and nbme scores on average +500(not the 400's). So if i had to do it all over again, i would take the space ship, not the bike... haha GL having said that; there are somethings the school has that can not be found in the USA, but hell whatever.

The "easy way" isn't necessarily all that easy, as chexpool pointed out. The U.S. school I attended allows two retakes TOTAL throughout the first two years of medical school. More than that and you are dismissed (or withdraw, knowing that they will dismiss you). I know a handful of very intelligent students who have had to withdraw from medical school because they missed the cut-off for a class by one or two points. Several of them will find another path to becoming a physician, but it's not all peaches and cream in North America, either.

__________________
MS (Health Sciences) - Brigham Young University
BA (German Language & Literature) - University of Oregon

"Pains nor toils nor trials heeding, and in heaven's own time succeeding..."
Wm. E. Hickson (1803-1870)