To all students studying in SPAIN: Please help!

[Plus Ultra]

Hello everybody,

I am a student from Germany, but I am currently studying in the US, and I will receive my bachelor in chemistry in 2012. After that, I want to study medicine. Originally, I had planned to go to med school in the US as well, but for several reasons I'm leaning more toward studying medicine in Europe now, particularly in Spain.

If you are familiar with the Spanish university system (e.g. because you have studied or lived in Spain), I would be extremely thankful if you could answer some of the questions I have:

1. Do I have to take the Selectividad exam even though I'm an EU international student, and I already have a bachelor in chemistry?

2. Do you know if I can receive credits for my bachelor that count toward the medicine degree?

3. What are the best universities for medicine in Spain? I've heard of many, especially the University of Navarra, which is private. Do you think I can attend the University of Navarra even though I'm not Catholic? And what about the University of Salamanca, and the two big ones (Complutense and Autonoma) in Madrid?

Thank you so much for your help!!

Best regards!

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[Elllipsis]

I'm from Portugal and know some people who studied medicine in Spain.
However, I'm not very familiar with the admission criteria, sorry. The only thing I know is that you must take a Spanish exam.
Also, from what I've heard, the University of Salamanca is the most reputed one.

EDIT: Just found out a couple more things.
(This applies to someone who just graduated from highschool.)
The admission criteria is the final average grade one gets at the end of highschool. However, this is adjusted by a series of exams, to ensure foreign students grades are somewhat equivalent to spanish ones.
There is a certain number of exams one is required to take, though I'm not exactly sure how many. From what I've been told, some of the required tests are: 2 sciences (one can choose between biology, chemistry, physics, etc.), spanish language - grammatics, spanish language - text interpretation, 1 foreign language (again, you can choose between english, french, german, etc.) and mathematics (though I'm not sure if this one is actually required, or one of the two optional sciences).

 

[Plus Ultra]

Hi Elllipsis,

Thank you for your help!! Do you know if I still have to take all the exams, even though I already have a bachelor's degree when I apply to the university in Spain?

And I have to mention that with my final high school grade, I could get a spot at the medicine department of any German university. Do you think that this might be considered at the admission offices in Spanish universities?

Thank you again!

 

[Elllipsis]

I have no idea, I'm sorry!
The only people I've ever known who thought about or actually studied medicine in Spain applied right after highschool.
Here in Portugal the process of being admitted to a university is considerably simplified after having a degree. Since the implementation of the Bologna Process things have been equalized all over Europe, so I'm guessing it won't be that different in Spain.

I'm pretty sure your highschool grade will be considered, being so high (congrats! ). I just don't know how, exactly. But at the very least it will be a great asset if they ask for your CV.

Sorry I couldn't help more!

 

[zadala]

Hello! I'm studying Medicine in the University of Murcia (south-eastern Spain) and maybe I can help you. I know how dreadful is trying to get information about admission and syllabus in foreign universities!

As you can imagine, this is degree is highly demanded, so it becomes really difficult to get a place in Medicine in any Spanish university at this time of the year. The applications are send in June, then just those with the best scores in the Bachillerato de Ciencias de la Salud and Selectividad (rama de Ciencias de la Salud-with Biology, Chemistry and optional Maths/Ciencias medioambientales) are selected.
Several places are set aside for foreign students or people who come from other places of Spain, also for people older than 25 and bachelors. I think this may be the only opportunity for you to enter in one Faculty of Medicine in September.

Now let's answer you questions!
1. Do I have to take the Selectividad exam even though I'm an EU international student, and I already have a bachelor in chemistry? You won't need to take that exam, although you'll have to take some entrance examinations, especially if your age is above 25. They're all about language and basic science knowledge, easy thing, believe me.

2. Do you know if I can receive credits for my bachelor that count toward the medicine degree? I'm afraid things don't work that way. Maybe you don't have to course some subjects like Biochemistry, but I'm sure they won't give you any other credit for having a bachelor in Chemistry, not even if you are a foreign student.

Libre configuración credits are given in return for academic or sport activities which are not included in the basic syllabus. There is a maximum of LCCredits you can get.

Normal credits are given for passing Medical subjects. These subjects are similar among universities, although they're not equally distributed during the 6 years. I'll be coursing Physiology next year (2nd) but a friend of mine in Sevilla has already coursed it in his 1st year.
Nowadays, that's the main reason why exchanges between Spanish universities are such a mess.

3. What are the best universities for medicine in Spain? I've heard of many, especially the University of Navarra, which is private. Do you think I can attend the University of Navarra even though I'm not Catholic? And what about the University of Salamanca, and the two big ones (Complutense and Autonoma) in Madrid?
Let's fill you in Spanish universities reputation. Here, public universities (Pu.Un.) are much better considered than private ones (Pr.Un), but University of Navarra.
Why? Well, public system is good in high educational levels. Just the best students from high-school can get into Medical Faculties, with an average score of 8.7/10. Competition is huge. You can ensure that every student enters in University just by his own merits, and that's a quality guarantee. Money has nothing to do with admission.

However, Pr. Un. are for those "not intelligent enough". You pay, you enter. Doesn't matter how bad you are, the only requirement is having a minimum score of 5 in Selectividad.
Teachers benefit their students, that's something everybody knows. Educational quality is poor.
We really hate them!

Navarra is another world, it's similar to US universities. Money is invested in research, teaching material, student facilities, etc. People need good marks to be admitted; you are also interviewed. Don't worry about religion! Do you really think that every student there goes to mass? Of course not! It's true that you'll have to suck up to your interviewers and maybe you will participate in some catholic events or you'll even course one subject about religion when you are a freshman.

There, one year can cost you 12000€. Comparing to some private American universities, this doesn't seem a big amount. But here, in Spain, the highest price in Pu. Un. never reaches 2000€. So 12000€/year is prohibitive! Being honest, Pu.Un. usually offer an excellent research and studying programme and quite good installation and material –other way we wouldn't study there!

By the way, in Pu. Un. there are almost none registration fees for bachelors! If I'm not wrong, you could enter in Faculty without paying anything but some health insurance taxes.

To sum up: Do not enter in any private university!

Among Pu.un., there are good and not so good ones. I'm not going to talk about universities but about Medicine faculties.
Both Complutense and Autónoma of Madrid are great, but it's said that the first one is better.
In Salamanca, Murcia, Oviedo and Granada Medicine is also really hard. They are not as famous as Madrid ones, but people from the capital who have studied in these places (thanks to SENECA grant) admit that they underestimate them. This wrong idea makes people fail exams! They don't expect them to be so difficult.
From my personal experience, I can tell you that Medicine in Murcia IS HARD. Next year I'll have to be at faculty from 8:00am to 8:30pm, with one hour for lunch. But people is just great here, you feel the comradeship, so this awful timetable doesn't really bothers me!

On the other hand, it's easier to study Medicine in places like Alicante, Cádiz or Albacete –it's difficult to enter in Albacete, but that's because of the few places it offers. They have light timetables, when you pass a mid-term exam then you don't have to take a final exam about the whole subject, practices are not so intense, etc.

There are no big differences among the rest of faculties.

Anyway, Medicine is hard anywhere!

There are some other aspects to consider, such as people, weather, the city…
If you want any other information, just tell me!

Here you have the link to my Faculty: http://www.um.es/medicina/
Hope your Spanish level is good!
This site is also helpfl: http://www.um.es/internacionales/is/estudiar.php?l=en

Best regards, and good luck!

 

[zadala]

PS: I tried to express myself as better as I can (I'm Spanish). If there's some information you don't understand, please tell me!
Now I'll go back with my September exams... damn biochemistry, I just hate it

 

[Plus Ultra]

Thank you so much for your help, zadala!! I just sent you a private message.

 

[katkacseh]

hi everyone!
i really need your help! i am currently a med student in an eu university (3rd year) and i would like to transfer to a barcelona university. is it possible? how shall i start the procedure? also, could u pls help me on which uni in bcn is 'better' - uni of barcelona or the uni autonoma?
also, do i have to take some kind of certificate on the language, and is spanish enough or do i have to speak fluent catalan as well?
thank youuu

 

[dark19]

Hello everyone,

I will try not to be repetitive: basicly I'm in the same boat as Plus Ultra - I have a bachelor degree in a humanistic field from a EU country and would like to try Medicine at the University of Valencia.I've sent the Faculty of Medicine a e-mail to witch they have not replied(over a month now) and I am becoming quite desperate.All this said , I have a few questions:

1.What is the anual fee at the Fac of Medicine in Valencia for EU nationals?
2.What are the admission tests for those who hold a degree in a different field(I'm not 25 or over)?
3.From what I understand you need to have a spanish level of B2 at the DELE test.Please correct me if I am wrong.
4.What are the dates of admission/document submission?

Thank you for your time.Any help would be greatly apreciated.

 

[esfandyar]

hi my friends!, im a non-EU studendt. and right now my major is genetic, but i dont want to continue that and want to start dentistry in spain(from public univesities) . i heard that before entering, i have to pass selectividad exam..!
how is this exam? (hard or ....)
how many questions does it have?!
can i pass it eassy?
is it to same from all of the universities from the whole of the spain?
I really dont know any thing about that..!

thanks alot..

• http://forums.studentdoctor.net/converse.php?u=282778&u2=387711

 

[kiakaraji]

I want to study medicine in University of Barcelona. Do I need to learn Catalan? Or can I get by knowing Spanish alone?

 

[kiakaraji]

Do schools in Spain teach Spanish for medicine to? Or I have to learn Spanish completely before attending medical school there?

 

[futuredrchris]

[
Gracias por todos! That was really really helpful and appreciated..

 

[futuredrchris]

Do schools in Spain teach Spanish for medicine to? Or I have to learn Spanish completely before attending medical school there?

None of the schools in Spain are in English. You are going to literally the Spanish mainland so yes you need to learn Spanish. I suggest going to a Spanish institute in the city where you think you want to go to medical school so you can learn the language through immersion.