4) What are the requirements to get into a Hungarian University and are there any exams like UKCAT or BMAT in Hungary? No, there are no UKCAT or BMAT type exams for entrance, only the written and oral exams. 5) Could you please explain the medical college system of Hungary and what are the differences between the medical college system of Hungary compared to the British system? The UK medical schools provide you with a degree title of M.B.B.S ( Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) whereas the Hungarian Medical school gives you the title M.D. The main difference is that the UK schools teach you how the NHS system works and clinical practice is centred on NHS practice whereas the Hungarian school teaches you the private system and the clinical practice is based on private practice. The Hungarian university is also designed to follow the structure of an American university so you are prepared to take the USMLE ( examinations to work as a doctor in America). The first 2 years in my university are theory based so you cover full body anatomy, cell biology, histology, physiology etc and the 3rd year onwards are clinical years where you are able to apply everything you have learnt. The university also promotes research projects, as the top 2% of students in the year are able to join research departments. For example my topic is 'the neurobiological effects of drugs on mice' where we dissect mice and focus on the effects of drugs on the functioning of the brain in mice. 6) What do you find the most intriguing about life in Hungary? Life here in Debrecen is very calm. The city is based around university students and is a fairly small city while Hungarians are also very friendly and helpful. 7 ) How does the school life in Hungary differ from the school life in the UK? From an academic point of view, the main difference between school life in Hungary and school life in UK is primarily the course structure. One course taught in the first year that is unique to our university is 'Biophysics' where you are taught how physics contributes to medicine, how NMR,CAT, MRI, PET scanners work from a physics point of view for medical diagnostics and how radioactive isotopes are used in medicine. Only a few universities across the world teach this.
I began writing this article with an empty feeling in my heart. I missed Rome. We started this trip on a Wednesday afternoon and boarded the flight to Rome at night. This short trip has become an indelible memory. I feel, when travelling to another country, it is vital to open up your heart and just fully absorb the culture and surroundings. If I can adequately summarise what Rome has shown me in one word, it is “Dedication�. Whether it is building the Colosseum or paying respect to the Italians who died in war, there is tremendous dedication in the past and present. As I listened to the history of Rome, the Vatican City and how religion plays a huge part in the life of the Romans, I am glad I participated in this trip. My favourite part of this trip was witnessing the amazing grandeur of the Colosseum or the Flavian Amphitheatre as Romans call it.The Colosseum in the past was what the Internet is for us today, a source of entertainment.
Interview conducted by Thant Syn Aung
15
16
It is built lavishly, showing the breathtaking architecture that went into this amazing ancient structure. This trip to Rome was enriching, in terms of culture and the people. When talking about culture, I guess we cannot forget about the food. Every single night we were in Rome, we tried all sorts of different Italian food such as risotto, fritti and gelato. What surprised me the most when in Rome was that not a single Starbucks was in sight. Italians must really love their food!