Forum: European and Russian Medical Schools Forum Location: Hungary Tuition: $9,130 Yr 1 ; $7,720 Yrs 2-4 ; $7,000 Yrs 5-6 Time required for MD: 6 Years Student Loans: Stafford Loans and others Year Founded: 1872 Email: Email Szeged Medical School

A Brief History of Hungary by The World Factbook 2006

Hungary was part of the polyglot Austro-Hungarian Empire, which collapsed during World War I. The country fell under Communist rule following World War II. In 1956, a revolt and announced withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact were met with a massive military intervention by Moscow. Under the leadership of Janos KADAR in 1968, Hungary began liberalizing its economy, introducing so-called "Goulash Communism." Hungary held its first multiparty elections in 1990 and initiated a free market economy. It joined NATO in 1999 and the EU in 2004. Read More

University of Szeged Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical and Pharmaceutical Center is a health science center in the southern part of Hungary. Its faculties have ever been devoted to the mission of teaching, research, patient care and public service. Our aim is to educate physicians and pharmacists, highly qualified professionals who exemplify the highest devotion to the maintenance and improvement of the human health.

Today, more than ever before, people are taking responsibility for their health in a serious manner. To be a physician is a vital and respected profession, the standard of which is rapidly growing to meet the increasing health care needs of society. This profession also involves a high level of commitment to serving others and a strong dedication to ethical standard.

During the past decades a great number of young people have actively sought admission to our Faculty. We may say that our foreign language training programs are especially popular. We are delighted to see this interest, and regret that we have place in our programs for only a small percentage of the applicants.

Upon successful completion of studies, graduates are awarded by a Diploma in medicine, with a continuing opportunity to take part in postgraduate training. The Medical Curriculum outlined in is fully equal, and identical to that prescribed for Hungarian undergraduates attending the University, and the Diploma issued is fully identical to the Diploma issued to Hungarian graduates, moreover, this Diploma is internationally respected. Our University is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools published by the World Health Organization.

The University campus is located in the cultural, education, business and shopping center of the city. The faculty members with many connections to western Universities administer the University Curriculum in professional atmosphere in English.

We ourselves do our best to help our students in accommodating themselves to their new circumstances. We feel, it is all the more important, since peaceful, quiet and balanced atmosphere is a prerequisite of attaining good results and of preparing for the highly responsible life of doctors.

University of Szeged bears the name of its former rector and professor, the Nobel Prize Laureate Albert Szent-Györgyi. He appointed us a guideline in our human attitude and education work: "Young people should find their home at the University so as to strengthen their spirits and replenish themselves for a lifetime. "

According to a survey conducted by Shanghai Jiao Tong University Institute of Higher Education which ranks world universities, University of Szeged ranks among the World Top 500 and Top 100 European Universities in 3 consecutive years (2003-2005). The University is leading the national rank in Hungary.

The English-Language Program offered at the Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Pharmacy for foreign students started in the academic year 1984/85 and 1986/87, respectively. In 1999 a German-Language Program was also introduced.

Except for the language of instruction, the curricula for medical and pharmacy students correspond in subjects and duration with those for Hungarian students. The program for medical students covers six years, that is, 12 semesters, the last two of which are for the clerkship year. The Pharmacy training program takes five years, that is, 10 semesters. At the conclusion of the program, a Master's Degree is granted for those who have met the requirements of the training.

For proper accomplishment of clinical practice certain proficiency in Hungarian language is necessary. Communication skills in Hungarian language are essential for clinical specialization. Medical students take part in the work of the clinical departments and the teaching hospitals during the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth years of the curriculum. The curriculum is concluded by the State Board Examination. The Medical Doctor Degree (M.D.) received is accepted in several countries of the world. Graduates are entitled to apply for a hospital residency among others in Germany or the U.K. Graduates are entitled to participate in the US Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). Pharmacy students work in pharmacies during summers and the last term.

In 1775 Empress Maria Theresa established a medical faculty at the Báthory University in Kolozsvár. The empress promised to send two medical doctors as lecturers to Kolozsvár and with her order in January 26, 1775 she provisionally introduced education first in Pathology, Surgery and Obstetrics. The second department was established by II. József in 1787. During the rein of I. Ferenc two new departments were founded. The Department of Medical Surgery, which was called Classis Chirurgica from 1789, and Facultas Medica from 1808, then became Institutum Medico-Chirurgicum from 1817 and was separated from the royal lyceum. The number of its departments rose to 15 and it operated independently until 1872. On 7 April 1870 Baron József Eötvös presented a Bill to the House of Representatives about the founding of the new University in Kolozsvár, its base was the Academy of Law (the remaining part of the Báthory University) and the Department of Medical Surgery. The legal predecessor of the Faculty is the Ferencz József University, which had four faculties and was founded in Kolozsvár by the Act XIX and XX in 1872. It moved to Szeged in 1921 (Act XXV). Between 1940-1945 the medical training of the University was under the name Hungarian Miklós Horthy University of Sciences which was called University of Szeged between 1945-50. In 1951 the Medical Faculty formed an independent institution under the name of Medical University of Szeged. The pharmacy training was started as an independent faculty (separate from the medical faculty) in 1957, and the Division of Dentistry part of the Faculty of Medicine was established in 1962. The English-Language Program offered for foreign students at the Faculty of Medicine started in 1985. In 1987 training in professional medical translating was also started. The German-Language Program at the Faculty of Medicine was introduced in 1999 (coordinated with the Faculty of Medicine of the Semmelweis University in Budapest). In 1987 the University assumed the name of its former Biochemistry Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Rector, and Nobel Prize Laureate, Albert Szent-Györgyi.

The Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Pharmacy - as the medical- and pharmaceutical education within the education of the University of Szeged is called Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical and Pharmaceutical Center since January 2000. The Historiae Domus of the Faculty is represented by some internationally known professors: József Baló (Pathology), Béla Issekutz, Miklós Jancsó (Pharmacology), Dezső Miskolczy (Neurology), Géza Hetényi (Internal Medicine), Albert Szent-Györgyi (Biochemistry).

The Faculty obtained its basis for education by running a high-level clinical and research work. The task of the Faculty is represented by three different fields: education, research-work, prevention-treatment. The Faculty consists of 51 different Departments (clinics, laboratories, pre-clinical departments).

The number of full time employees is 479. The number of professors having scientific ranks is 205, from which two professors are members of the Hungarian Scientific Academy (H.Sc.A.), 3 professors are correspondent members of the H.Sc.A., 41 professors are doctors of the H.Sc.A, furthermore, 179 members of the H.Sc.A. are candidates or have the rank of Ph.D. The number of the habilitated professors is 128. The total number of employees is more than 3000.

Education: The Education is divided into two Faculties: Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Dentistry. There is also a training in professional medical translating.

The conditions of education of the University is regulated by the Ministry of Education. The University went through an accreditation and after the completion got a registration number: MAB 10-40/II/1998.sz.

The Education at the Faculty of Medicine lasts for 6 years and at the Faculty of Dentistry it lasts for 5 years. The aim of the reforms is to change the curriculum so that it meets the requirements of a high-level education of the 21st century by reducing the number of classes and increasing the number of practices, and optimizing the credit-system.