Italy, Prague or Budapest?

[inliner42]

Hi guys,

I am 19 years old greek-american born and raised in greece! i tried getting to a med school here in greece but failed! Then i decided to re-take the greek exams (and imagine i have a 18/20 overal!) and try to get to an english med school! After, getting very close to get a place, but failing in the end, i am now considering getting to italy, budapest or prague, if i fail again for a place in greece!

What do you recommend? i really know very good english, but i am not sure if it would be really good for me to go to prague o budapes. Which faculty do you recommend in prague?

About italy, i am not sure also! i don'e even know the language, although it would be easy to learn it.

Please help! thanks!

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[tlew12778]

We have a Greek friend (and his brother actually) who were in the same situation (didn't get into med school in Greece) so decided to come to Italy to study. I don't know about the younger brother but I know that our friend (call him M) didn't speak Italian before he applied to med school here and took a crash course in the lanuage before starting school in Italy.

I don't really know what you want to know about school in Italy vs. Greece. I only know what M has told us. I know that he is not really happy here bc he misses Greece so much. He flies back often. He has no intention of doing his residency/specialisation here in Italy. He will return to Greece for that. He would probably go to Greece sooner but Greece does not take international medical transfer students. That might be something you want to keep in mind.

 

[neilc]

well, it is really up to you. they are all good schools. if you go to prague or budapest, you can learn in english, but you will also have to learn a little czech or hungarian. if you go to italy, you will have to learn everything in italian. which do you prefer?

i think it is impossible for anyone to really help you with this. you should visit the schools and decide which is the best fit for you.

good luck.

 

[Magyarorszag]

Hey re Malaka ,

I have a couple Greek friends here at DOTE (Debrecen, Hungary) If you need a Greek's perspective let me know I will get you in touch with them so you can ask about any concerns you may have.


Best of Luck....

 

[inliner42]

oh please ask em! it would really help me!

although i though that the only english language programs in hungary where in budapest pecs and szeget (i don't know how it is spelled!)

Thanks!

 

[Magyarorszag]

Inliner 42,

Could you check your Private Messages.....

BTW where in Greece are you from ?

Take care.

 

[theodore]

Hey patriot!

Couldn't help noticing you're Greek, since there are so few of us around here.
I'm a 6th year student in Pecs, Hungary. I also have a limited exposure to the Italian system, both from personal experience and from many friends of mine that did studied there. I'll be glad to give some feed back on the pros/cons of the Hungarian system, so just pm me if you want.

 

[tr]

I have a friend (Ellhnida kai auth) who recently graduated from the program in Prague.

She really didn't like living there at all, but I think that had less to do with the program and more to do with missing Greece. She said the weather was awful and she found the people somewhat cold. She also said that the language was just impossible. However, a large percentage of the students in the program were Greek, so she mostly hung around with them and didn't make much of an effort to integrate.

All other things being equal, I'd guess that Italy would make for the nicest experience. The language is simple, and especially easy to learn if you know at least one other Romance language. Also the climate and culture are closer to those of Greece than you'll find in either Budapest or Prague (although both of those are very lovely cities).

I don't know how the programs stack up to each other, though. I know my friend worked very hard in the program in Prague, but that seems to be the case for just about any medical program anywhere in the world.

You should also keep in mind that, unfortunately, it seems to be very difficult to return to Greece to practice after obtaining a foreign medical degree. You have to jump through a lot of hoops and even then your chances are not good.

 

[tr]

By the way, instruction in the Prague program is also in English, not in Czech.

 

[Enrico81]

I'm Italian, I can say there are many Greek medical students here, and once a Greek guy explained me that being accepted in Italy is not as hard as in Greece; so it could be the solution you're looking for. Just a hint: begin studying Italian in advance, because our language is not so easy!

 

[delphynium]

I think that overall the education in Prague will be better than in Italy. There are many FMGs from Chech Med Schools in residency programs here in the States, but very few from Italy. There are many italian MDs doing basic science research though. I don't know much about Hungary so I will not comment on it, plus I might be positively biased about Budapest because when I visited there the city was absolutely fabulous. I know from some Greek friends of mine that overall it's easier to pass the exams in med school in Italy than in Sofia, Bulgaria. So might be easier to get your degree from Italy but I don't know how good the education will be. Well, after all how hard you study is the most important factor - you might have the best profs and consultants in the world teaching you medicine but if you don't spend enough time with your textbook than it wouldn't matter. Good luck with your choice

 

[Enrico81]

I think that overall the education in Prague will be better than in Italy. There are many FMGs from Chech Med Schools in residency programs here in the States, but very few from Italy. There are many italian MDs doing basic science research though. I don't know much about Hungary so I will not comment on it, plus I might be positively biased about Budapest because when I visited there the city was absolutely fabulous. I know from some Greek friends of mine that overall it's easier to pass the exams in med school in Italy than in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Well, I wouldn't like to appear to be foolishly defending italian med schools just because it's my country, but what you said seems to me very strange... traditionally, in italian medical universities you have to study much, and if ever, a common problem is lack of hand-practice. Moreover, many people I know attended a year in another European country and they all said exams there were easier than here (for example, in my university every exam has both a written and a oral part, which is unusual elsewhere)
or at least, this is my experience

 

[smmedicine]

Well, I wouldn't like to appear to be foolishly defending italian med schools just because it's my country, but what you said seems to me very strange... traditionally, in italian medical universities you have to study much, and if ever, a common problem is lack of hand-practice. Moreover, many people I know attended a year in another European country and they all said exams there were easier than here (for example, in my university every exam has both a written and a oral part, which is unusual elsewhere)
or at least, this is my experience

I have to agree with you, italian universities give you maybe the best theoritic preparation in the world, the problem is with the lack of practice.

About the fact that "There are many FMGs from Chech Med Schools in residency programs here in the States, but very few from Italy" you have to think about lifestyle too, Italy is a rich country, it's a really nice place to live, the most of the doctors I know wouldnt like to live in other countries.

 

[neurodoc]

I attended the University of Modena for two years in the mid 1980's and I transfered back to a US med school via the MKSP program. My experiences in Modena were excellent and I give their program the highest recommendations. Basic science was superb. Clinical training was varaible, and very dependent on the student finding a mentor and establishing a good relationship with the professor. I was lucky enough to find a clinical assistente who let me follow him around the clinics and hospital wards, and even take call along with his residents. I was allowed to colaborate on some clinical research studies, where my English ability helped in writing up some journal articles along with authorship credit. This didn't hurt when it came to transferring to my medical school (SUNY Downstate). Of course it also didn't hurt that I was fluent in Italian, being a second generation Italian-American.

 

[neilc]

i go to charles...we have several students that do the erasmus thing from italy. they are all super smart, and hard workers. i think that the "which school is better" question is a pretty silly one. at most of the major universities in developed countries, you will recieve a great education. there will be differences, of course, but they will get the job done. the student is the major variable in quality, not the university.

 

[inliner42]

thanx guys but i finally got to a med school here in greece! ( i tried again!)

 

[tr]

Nice job inliner42. Congratulations!

 

[mamorcy]

Hi i am a greek girl myself and want to inquire about studying medicine abroad. I am not familiar with the curriculum in Hungary but i found some polnish unis which teach in english a 4 year course. i have a biology degree which would cover my premed.

so my question is:
are there any hungarian unis teaching in english and offering 4 year courses leading to MD? What are the tuition fees and living costs?

anybody who can answer this?
Thanks!!!

I have a friend (Ellhnida kai auth) who recently graduated from the program in Prague.

She really didn't like living there at all, but I think that had less to do with the program and more to do with missing Greece. She said the weather was awful and she found the people somewhat cold. She also said that the language was just impossible. However, a large percentage of the students in the program were Greek, so she mostly hung around with them and didn't make much of an effort to integrate.

All other things being equal, I'd guess that Italy would make for the nicest experience. The language is simple, and especially easy to learn if you know at least one other Romance language. Also the climate and culture are closer to those of Greece than you'll find in either Budapest or Prague (although both of those are very lovely cities).

I don't know how the programs stack up to each other, though. I know my friend worked very hard in the program in Prague, but that seems to be the case for just about any medical program anywhere in the world.

You should also keep in mind that, unfortunately, it seems to be very difficult to return to Greece to practice after obtaining a foreign medical degree. You have to jump through a lot of hoops and even then your chances are not good.

 

[Magyarorszag]

Dear Mamorcy,

Unfortunately, to my knowledge the Hungarian programs are all 6 year MD programs....

 

[theodore]

Agaphth Mamorcy,

Don't want to dissapoint you, but I really doubt whether anyone in this world can learn general medicine in 4 years. Most European programms are 6 years long, and there's good reason for that. I still remember one of my anatomy teachers telling us about how difficult it becomes for med schools to assimilate new knowledge and install it in their curricula.
Being 1 month away from my degree, I can only imagine the medical school's years being increased, rather than decreased. There's just too damn much to learn. I'm studying in Hungary, and like with all the new EU countries, DIKATSA is a dreadful part of the past. If you need any info about the Hungarian system, just PM me.
Later,
Theodore

 

[slight365]

Thanks, Mr. resurrect six year old threads.