Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milano, Italy

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igcgnerd

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Does anyone have any experience with or have information about this program?

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Does anyone have any experience with or have information about this program?
€18000.00 Euros per year for 6 years. 😱 There's only 32 places for Non-EU students. All of that information were taken from their website.

I'm not certain whether one can take out loans from federal, sallie mae etc. You definitely cannot in Italy anyway.

Since this programme is advertised on forums, I'd expect more applicants will know about it and apply, consequently increasing applicant number to place ratio. Congratulations.
 
There's an admissions test as well held on April 28th.
If I understood correctly, USMLEs are also completed throughout the studies.

Yeah, I'd also appreciate very much if someone could provide more information regarding this university apart from the information found on the university's website...
For example, can anyone tell me how recognized/accredited (if at all) this university is in the USA and in Europe?
It says on the website that upon completing the International MD Program at this university, graduates may immediately enter residency programs in the US and in Europe... Sounds awesome, but it would be great if someone could confirm the validity of this because I'm aware how hard it is for foreigners (and even Americans who studied medicine outside the US) to obtain residency spots in the USA...

So, for example, if someone wants to get into a more competitive residency in the US (e.g. surgery), does this program give the ability to do so?
 
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Cost of attendance - too expensive!
The program is new with no US medical residency history and students need to pay 18.000 EURO. That's 25k USD per year for tuition only.

25k USD times 6 = 150k USD in debt!

11) Does the University give scholarships to cover the Tuition Fees?
Are there agreements with banks for obtaining student loans?
No, the University does not give scholarships for covering the Tuition fees and at the moment does not have agreements of any kind with any bank or Institution for private loans.

How will everyone pay for that? 🙁
 
it's quite difficult, even impossible to find a student loan in italy because here the most our university are public (private for medicine are only san raffaele and cattolica in rome) and the fee is less than 2000 euro so anyone can afford it...

btw san raffaele is not even the best and you get at the end the same degree you can get in all other university in italy (it's the "valore legale del titolo di studio" means that every university is equal so it doesn't matter where are you doing your degree it's the same with the same value).

for the ranking, the first 5 of last year are padova, perugia, milan bicocca, udine (where I study) and federico II naples.

in italy we consider students of san raffaele and cattolica not that good. the departments they have are good but usually people doing medicine there are there because they have big names (professor's relatives) ore because they failed the exam in september (for studying med private univ have the test the day after the public universities...😀).

I've heard about the usmle part but I don't know much about it...
 
The International MD Program at Vita-Salute San Raffaele University
- also known as -
Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele
Located in Milano, Italia or Milan Italy on the campus of San Rafaele Hospital and the Italian medical school and Psychology school.

If you are having a hard time finding information about this program and school, look no further. My name is Benjamin Flom and I am currently enrolled in the school in the International MD program. I will be happy to try to answer any questions you may have about the school and the program and help you try to make a sensible decision as to whether or not to apply to this school and whether or not to attend here. I will be happy to share my opinions with anyone who asks and do my best to inform you. If I do not know something I will be happy to tell you that as well. There is a lot of information given during the process of applications for the test and matriculation to the school, some of which is true, other parts not so true. I am not a representative of the school and other than being a student I have no part or stake in the organization and do not represent San Raffaele in any official capacity. Also, I am an American who came here to study, so I can impart a bit of the perspective of an outsider going to school here. Therefore I will do my best to answer any inquiries honestly and truthfully.

I can communicate in a number of languages, English being my native tongue. Please feel free to contact me at [email protected] and I will do my best to be of help.

 
I'm not certain whether one can take out loans from federal, sallie mae etc. You definitely cannot in Italy anyway.

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There is definitely no financial aid, nor is their prospect of financial aid. The concept does not even exist at San Raffaele. If you are not wealthy enough to pay the payments to the university and live out of pocket then do not apply at this point.

Also remember that exchange rates fluctuate, so big payments such as tuition and rent can swing hundreds of USD$ from month to month. Little items add up as well. You should budget at least 1000 euro a month for living expenses like rent, food, electric bill, metro, cell phone, maybe TV if you rent a room and share an apartment with someone. This figure does not include for example any books, night life/restaurants, trips (including trips home), clothing. So conservatively, but possibly you are looking at a real cost in euro minimum about 32,000 - 36,000.
 
There's an admissions test as well held on April 28th.
If I understood correctly, USMLEs are also completed throughout the studies.

USMLEs are scheduled for after year 3 and 5 I think, the material is supposed to be woven into the course.

Yeah, I'd also appreciate very much if someone could provide more information regarding this university apart from the information found on the university's website...

The course is different from other medical courses in Italy in the material that is covered, the way the material is tested, and the order of classes. I can provide you a plethora of information, but your request is too broad.

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For example, can anyone tell me how recognized/accredited (if at all) this university is in the USA and in Europe?

It is accredited in Europe. This information should be on the website. Known in the US I cannot comment on definitely. Within the faculty I have seen so far, many have taught in the US (some I cannot imagine how), but I do not know how those relationships translate to the University/institution as a whole.

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It says on the website that upon completing the International MD Program at this university, graduates may immediately enter residency programs in the US and in Europe... Sounds awesome, but it would be great if someone could confirm the validity of this because I'm aware how hard it is for foreigners (and even Americans who studied medicine outside the US) to obtain residency spots in the USA...

No data yet, but if I remember and i am still here, I will let you know in a few years.

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So, for example, if someone wants to get into a more competitive residency in the US (e.g. surgery), does this program give the ability to do so?

No data yet, but if I remember and i am still here, I will let you know in a few years. You do not have any advantage here of being in a school with an American hospital as part of the institution. You also do not have an extensive alumni network to provide prior experience to residency programs, nor are there many alumni in practice in American hospitals likely to be making residency decisions.
 
How will everyone pay for that?

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That is a very good question. San Raffaele does not care. The financial side of San Raffaele is a train wreck and the business side of this school is run to maximize revenues. If you cannot comfortably afford to pay everything out of pocket do not apply.

There is a grant from the regional government available to low income students, but everything is in Italian and you will not get any help with it. No one who speaks English at the school knows anything about the actual grant program and those who speak English will pass along inaccurate information.

Also, San Raffaele does not premote grants because they do not receive the full tuition payment and the financial people want to maximize revenues around full paying students. I have been told offers for scholarships to fully sponsor students at the school have been rejected for the same reason.

Also to illustrate an earlier point it is actually about $27,000 by today's exchange rates.
 
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it's quite difficult, even impossible to find a student loan in italy because here the most our university are public (private for medicine are only san raffaele and cattolica in rome) and the fee is less than 2000 euro so anyone can afford it...

*Without pay stubs, a work contract (sometimes lifetime), or a person with assets in Italy to sign a financial guarantee for you a person is as good as dead in Italy if you do not pay cash for everything in advance.

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btw san raffaele is not even the best and you get at the end the same degree you can get in all other university in italy (it's the "valore legale del titolo di studio" means that every university is equal so it doesn't matter where are you doing your degree it's the same with the same value).

*Not exactly true. The San Raffael degree does have agreements with the UK for example where you can apply directly to a residency without testing in the UK first. Also the material taught in Italian medical schools is different (even the Italian program at San Raffaele is different). Usually Italian students need to relearn and study on their own if they wish to take the USMLE and they take the test after completing their 6 year degree.

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for the ranking, the first 5 of last year are padova, perugia, milan bicocca, udine (where I study) and federico II naples.

*This comment makes no sense because the rankings are of different/unequal programs, also there are many rankings with different orders.

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in italy we consider students of san raffaele and cattolica not that good. the departments they have are good but usually people doing medicine there are there because they have big names (professor's relatives) ore because they failed the exam in september (for studying med private univ have the test the day after the public universities...😀).

*Admittance is based on test scores and rank. Many people to not apply to San Raffaele because they cannot afford the cost of attending the school. Many people who apply do not get in because of the test in medical studies at San Raffaele they had about 4,000 applicants who tested for about 140 - 150 spots in the English and Italian programs together. Also the numberof San Raffaele students is miniscule compared to the overall number of students studying in Italy, many of which have probably never met a San Raffaele student and have no intimate knowledge of the school. Either of these may account as well for your claimed prevailing sentiment regarding the students.

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I've heard about the usmle part but I don't know much about it...

*Read the San Raffaele website.
 
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