Thread: I need some advice when living and studying in russia

I am a international student and i will go to study at PFU in august 2007. I intend to take MD program in english medium. I am wavering between studying russian language in 1 years before enrolling in MD program in English medium and studying directly in the first year of the MD program in englsih medium. I have not decided because in one side, if i study directly in the first year of MD program so I can save time and money, but in other side, russian language is very important to communicate with russian people and practice with patient in the hospital.

Could you give me some advice? what solution i should choose?

Are there any international student choice study directly in the first year of MD course in English program ? Please tell me your experience. How can you live in russia when you don't have good russian language skill? how can you go to the bank, library, talk with professor and patient and many things......etc?

Thank you very much

hi there..

both choices are ok..
studying in english medium will not give you immunity from studying russian.. you ll have to take classes anyway to learn russian.. so by the time you ll be doing your clinical rotations.. you ll be able to speak and read some russian..
however that will all depend ON YOU .. .many students in the russian medium cant speak good russian.. and some in the english medium speak it almost fluently.. that once again will depend with whom you ll be hanging out after classes..

now.. some people think that the Russian medium is better... i know many russian medium students that were pathetically low..

so it will boil down to how hard you are willing to work..

if you are planning to go to take the usmle.. then you may want to study in english.. so that you ll familiarize yourself with the medical terminology.. in russian.. you ll have to relearn a lot of words..
anyway.. take care and good luck

thanks bpoican, you seem don't understand my question. I mean that I should study study russian( the pre-university course) or not?


What did you choose? Did you spend your whole first year to study russian( the pre-university course) before enrolling in te first year of program in english medium?.

There's also the question of whether or not that extra year will be affordable, living-wise in lovely Moksva/Moscow. I'd say that unless you have a bit of a background in Russian, taking medical school in Russian will be an uphill battle, to say the least, even having spent a year learning the language.

I'm not from PFU, but i'm currently study in one of the medical school in Russia (english medium) I went direct to 1st year. In my opinion, if you want to study in English medium, i don't think it's necessary to study russian language 1 year. Besides classes for medical subjects, you will have russian classes 2-3 times weekly. When you go to clinical year, your russian level will be sufficient to communicate with patients. First month in Russia will be difficult, but you can go through it with help of seniors.

It is so difficult to come to a decision. Please give me more counsel. Thank you

Medino,

I see now that you cant read much english.. and cant make up what is written between the lines..
therefore with your limited english.. you might want and try the russian medium that d be safer for you..

I can understand everything you wrote, bpoichan. I need your advice to see my problem in different perspectives. Thank you!

go for the russian medium..

But I want to take USMLE test so English medium is suitable for me and i think my english skill is good enough to follow this program