Jagiellonian Medical School Class 2020

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alicek2

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Hi,

I just got an offer for the 4-year program at Jagiellonian University in the Fall. Wondering if anyone else is going and if any current students could give advice to a new student. I do not speak Polish but have started teaching myself (and will be all summer) so I have some basics down before starting. Any advice on learning the language? What were the biggest hurdles? Any advice on the best residence to stay at.

Many thanks!

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Hey I've got my interview next month in Chicago. Any pointers?
 
My interview was extremely relaxed so I don't think you need to worry. They essentially ask you very open ended questions about yourself, such as why Medicine, why Poland- the basic med school questions. They might as you things about your CV and to tell them about those experiences. Both interviewers were very kind and easy to talk to. It was basically a discussion about the school and how I would fit into the program. You also have the opportunity to ask them questions about the program. Goodluck!
 
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Where are you currently located? The US? What avenues were you planning on pursuing for residency?
 
Hi there. I'm a 2nd year in the 4 year program and I can answer questions you have about the program. As far as learning polish goes its helpful but not needed. Only two people in the program who didn't speak polish beforehand have made any headway in learning it.
 
Hi there. I'm a 2nd year in the 4 year program and I can answer questions you have about the program. As far as learning polish goes its helpful but not needed. Only two people in the program who didn't speak polish beforehand have made any headway in learning it.

I hear it is one of the hardest languages to learn. I have just started learning about all the cases and it does seem very tricky. Where would you recommend a first year stay? I was planning on living in the residence Dom Studencki D. Any other pieces of advice you would give a first year starting?
 
Where are you currently located? The US? What avenues were you planning on pursuing for residency?
I am actually located in Canada. In terms of residency, I am hoping to go into Family Medicine (ideally in Canada) but US would be good too. I know that the process of securing a residency position is tough but possible if you are willing to work hard.
 
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I hear it is one of the hardest languages to learn. I have just started learning about all the cases and it does seem very tricky. Where would you recommend a first year stay? I was planning on living in the residence Dom Studencki D. Any other pieces of advice you would give a first year starting?
The dorms are totally fine to live in for the first year. I know they say you aren't allowed to move out if you say you're staying the full year but most people do once they get used to the city/find people in the program they want to move in with. They're a bit out of the way since you have to catch the tram to get anywhere from them but you'll appreciate living closer that much more after them. Its also nice that they clean the dorm for you every week. The only thing is don't expect to cook too much at home because the stove tops are tiny and that is all you get. But eating out can be pretty cheap if you do it right.
 
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The dorms are totally fine to live in for the first year. I know they say you aren't allowed to move out if you say you're staying the full year but most people do once they get used to the city/find people in the program they want to move in with. They're a bit out of the way since you have to catch the tram to get anywhere from them but you'll appreciate living closer that much more after them. Its also nice that they clean the dorm for you every week. The only thing is don't expect to cook too much at home because the stove tops are tiny and that is all you get. But eating out can be pretty cheap if you do it right.

Thanks for the advice. I also wondered what most students do in the summers in between the school years? I guess many prepare for and write the board exams?
 
How long after receiving your application did you receive an interview request? Also, who were the interviewers? Were they Polish? Faculty? Recent graduates? Thanks!
 
How long after receiving your application did you receive an interview request? Also, who were the interviewers? Were they Polish? Faculty? Recent graduates? Thanks!

I received a interview offer within a week of submitting my application. However the interviews in Canada were occurring in the following week so they had to respond very promptly. The administration office is very helpful if you have any questions though. The interviewers were two professors, one from Jagiellonian and the other an associate professor who teaches both at Jagiellonian and the University of Rochester. Interview was great, they just wanted to get to know you and see how you would fit into the program.
 
I received a interview offer within a week of submitting my application. However the interviews in Canada were occurring in the following week so they had to respond very promptly. The administration office is very helpful if you have any questions though. The interviewers were two professors, one from Jagiellonian and the other an associate professor who teaches both at Jagiellonian and the University of Rochester. Interview was great, they just wanted to get to know you and see how you would fit into the program.
I'm based out of Edmonton. I've got my interview in a couple of weeks down in Chicago. Will let y'all know once I hear back. Speaking of which, after the interview how long before they decided whether or not to offer you a position?
 
I am actually located in Canada. In terms of residency, I am hoping to go into Family Medicine (ideally in Canada) but US would be good too. I know that the process of securing a residency position is tough but possible if you are willing to work hard.
There's virtually no spots for IMGs-there are 1% of residency spots in Canada. And 25 more are being cut next year.
You will be looking at the US, if you are lucky
 
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There's virtually no spots for IMGs-there are 1% of residency spots in Canada. And 25 more are being cut next year.
You will be looking at the US, if you are lucky
Matching into Canada as an IMG is definitely extremely tough, but lets not exaggerate numbers on what % of residency spots they occupy.

About 400 IMGs end up matching in Canada, most to FM or to rural spots etc.

Total matches in Carms is around 3200. So thats about 12.5% of the total spots going to IMGs.
 
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I'm based out of Edmonton. I've got my interview in a couple of weeks down in Chicago. Will let y'all know once I hear back. Speaking of which, after the interview how long before they decided whether or not to offer you a position?
Good luck on your interview! It was several weeks before I heard back. I wasn't anticipating hearing from them until May though.
 
Thanks for the advice. I also wondered what most students do in the summers in between the school years? I guess many prepare for and write the board exams?
Depends on the year but yeah mostly just studying for the steps. The summer of year 1 you have to complete a primary care clerkship which was about 3 weeks (40 hours a week) and possibly your nursing clerkship if you didn't complete that during the school year (another 80 or so hours). Then the 2nd summer is preparing for step 1. 3rd summer is step 2 and starting rotations in July usually.
 
Had my interview today! Wish me luck!
 
Hey guys!

I just had my interview on the 20th. I think I'll be going to Krakow! The official result will be out after June 6 though.
 
Hey guys!

I just had my interview on the 20th. I think I'll be going to Krakow! The official result will be out after June 6 though.
Did they hint that you'd be selected??
 
Hey guys!

I just had my interview on the 20th. I think I'll be going to Krakow! The official result will be out after June 6 though.

Awesome! Let me know if you get in. We can start a group for next years class so that it is less intimidating going over there knowing nobody :)
 
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Howdy, I will most likely be applying as well. I'm currently on two waitlists her in the states. If I don't get an offer I will most likely choose Jag over the caribbean schools.
 
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Anyone here a student stateside? Or mostly Canadian/European?
 
I got an acceptance email! but I haven't seen the list though.
 
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Have they posted anything yet?
 
I'm curious if people don't mind sharing, what are the stats (GPA/MCAT) of those getting accepted into Poland??
 
Does anyone here want to start a group on Facebook? Or just set up contacts? My name's Youssef Mourad. See y'all soon!
 
I did not get the result yet - getting anxious ! Did they email everyone? The site is down since yesterday.
 
The site is up but no selected candidates list for 4 year M.D. yet.....
 
Yeah looks like just the 6 year program is posted but not the 4 year :/
 
Maplestory ......Congrats on your acceptance!
 
Hi guys, I was accepted to JU.. but I'm interested only in ortho/plastic surgery in the US, for which no reported graduates matched into... from personal anecdotes/experience, what are the chances of this working out? There were a number of general surgery matches, but that's it.
 
Hi guys, I was accepted to JU.. but I'm interested only in ortho/plastic surgery in the US, for which no reported graduates matched into... from personal anecdotes/experience, what are the chances of this working out? There were a number of general surgery matches, but that's it.

I would say slim to none. If you really want ortho or plastics which are some of the most competitive specialties in the US right now, you will be much better served by going to medical school in the US.
 
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I would say slim to none. If you really want ortho or plastics which are some of the most competitive specialties in the US right now, you will be much better served by going to medical school in the US.

Unfortunately I've had no luck from USMDs. 28yo dual citizen, 32 MCAT, 3.3 undergrad and 3.4 grad, multiple publications, clinical and basic research, tons of extracurriculars, and professional experience. Now my MCAT is too old to use again in the US. There is an option of going to JU and staying in the EU, however I've a sig. other whom I simply couldn't ask to leave her career.

Date here:
http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Charting-Outcomes-2014-Final.pdf
http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uplo...tional-Medical-Graduates-Revised.PDF-File.pdf

don't paint an optimistic picture for my profile, wouldn't you agree?
 
Go US DO at a solid.school and that'd be much better than IMG.
 
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Unfortunately I've had no luck from USMDs. 28yo dual citizen, 32 MCAT, 3.3 undergrad and 3.4 grad, multiple publications, clinical and basic research, tons of extracurriculars, and professional experience. Now my MCAT is too old to use again in the US. There is an option of going to JU and staying in the EU, however I've a sig. other whom I simply couldn't ask to leave her career.

Date here:
http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Charting-Outcomes-2014-Final.pdf
http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uplo...tional-Medical-Graduates-Revised.PDF-File.pdf

don't paint an optimistic picture for my profile, wouldn't you agree?

Realistically going to Poland for 4 years of your life or more is a lot to ask of your significant other, let alone the fact that you want plastics and ortho.

I would suggest US DO, if not, you could consider the caribbean, SGU, Ross. Single digit numbers match into competitive specialties from those schools so it is possible and I don't think you want those specialties bad enough that you wouldn't mind doing another specialty in medicine.

Charting outcomes are not useful in your situation. IMGs are a very heterogeneous bunch. You don't know if the 50 people who match into a competitive specialty were from Carib, Ireland, Aus with or without connections and you don't know their background before they went abroad. It is hard to make conclusions like that.
 
Realistically going to Poland for 4 years of your life or more is a lot to ask of your significant other, let alone the fact that you want plastics and ortho.

I would suggest US DO, if not, you could consider the caribbean, SGU, Ross. Single digit numbers match into competitive specialties from those schools so it is possible and I don't think you want those specialties bad enough that you wouldn't mind doing another specialty in medicine.

Charting outcomes are not useful in your situation. IMGs are a very heterogeneous bunch. You don't know if the 50 people who match into a competitive specialty were from Carib, Ireland, Aus with or without connections and you don't know their background before they went abroad. It is hard to make conclusions like that.

So Medstart, you saying that carribean is a better path to residency than Jag?
 
So Medstart, you saying that carribean is a better path to residency than Jag?

Potentially, whereas I haven't seen many great residency matches from Jag i've seen some decent and surprising ones including to some Ivy League programs in less competitive residencies coming from the Caribbean. Much larger numbers from the Caribbean do play a role here. One benefit is the Caribbean students do 2 years in the states. The other benefit is that they are with a large number of americans which means rumors and news and advice travels much easier and because they have the track record, they have alumni who can sometimes help. I'm only referring to the big 4 schools, St. Georges primarily.

Its not that I don't recommend the medical school there, but if you look at it from the facts alone, at Jag you are doing all 4 years in Poland, Eastern Europe as a whole does not have the same kind of medical reputation that Western Europe does, at least when it comes to US PIs who are often living in a state of mind 10-30 yrs in the past. With some schools in Ireland, the UK and Australia, some US PIs will have done research with doctors from those schools you are applying from and so may have a more favourable view towards them. The program as a whole is small as well, which means not as much exposure to the states in general.

You can still match and honestly if you are sitting on an offer you might as well take it especially if your bottom line is you want to be a doc, you are willing to be told where to live for the next 6-10 yrs of your life and you are willing to pack up move abroad and learn Polish.

I don't know how badly you want plastics or ortho, but be honest with yourself, if you haven't actually done more than 2 weeks of either you can't really say you really want it. All you can say is you like the sound of it. If you haven't done a lot of research in either field and are saying you might be interested, its not a horrible idea to just go Jag, you might match you never know or you might also change ur specialty of choice when you go through medical school.

If you are dead set, lets say you've done 2 yrs of ortho research, you've shadowed the doc you broke your bone as a child and your ortho saved your butt and you are super serious about ortho then you might want to consider going to school the states. Even if it means beefing up your resume doing one of those (med) masters programs that lets you get into the med school if you do well or something.

I don't particularly recommend the Caribbean, i'm just saying a school like SGU might be slightly better than Jag when it comes to matching because there are probably people who have done it before.
 
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Potentially, whereas I haven't seen many great residency matches from Jag i've seen some decent and surprising ones including to some Ivy League programs in less competitive residencies coming from the Caribbean. Much larger numbers from the Caribbean do play a role here. One benefit is the Caribbean students do 2 years in the states. The other benefit is that they are with a large number of americans which means rumors and news and advice travels much easier and because they have the track record, they have alumni who can sometimes help. I'm only referring to the big 4 schools, St. Georges primarily.

Its not that I don't recommend the medical school there, but if you look at it from the facts alone, at Jag you are doing all 4 years in Poland, Eastern Europe as a whole does not have the same kind of medical reputation that Western Europe does, at least when it comes to US PIs who are often living in a state of mind 10-30 yrs in the past. With some schools in Ireland, the UK and Australia, some US PIs will have done research with doctors from those schools you are applying from and so may have a more favourable view towards them. The program as a whole is small as well, which means not as much exposure to the states in general.

You can still match and honestly if you are sitting on an offer you might as well take it especially if your bottom line is you want to be a doc, you are willing to be told where to live for the next 6-10 yrs of your life and you are willing to pack up move abroad and learn Polish.

I don't know how badly you want plastics or ortho, but be honest with yourself, if you haven't actually done more than 2 weeks of either you can't really say you really want it. All you can say is you like the sound of it. If you haven't done a lot of research in either field and are saying you might be interested, its not a horrible idea to just go Jag, you might match you never know or you might also change ur specialty of choice when you go through medical school.

If you are dead set, lets say you've done 2 yrs of ortho research, you've shadowed the doc you broke your bone as a child and your ortho saved your butt and you are super serious about ortho then you might want to consider going to school the states. Even if it means beefing up your resume doing one of those (med) masters programs that lets you get into the med school if you do well or something.

I don't particularly recommend the Caribbean, i'm just saying a school like SGU might be slightly better than Jag when it comes to matching because there are probably people who have done it before.

Thanks for the opinions. I'm not the ortho guy by the way. Well the program at Jag is in English, and I did see someone here on SDN match to Anesthesia. My main concern is residency placement and debt coming out. St. Georges is pretty pricey... then again nowhere near those Mexican schools. Not touching that with a ten foot pole. Well I guess it doesn't hurt to apply to St. Georges either. Right now I'm sitting on two waitlists. Anything can happen.
 
Anyone interview in California with Dr. Witkowski?
 
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