This Independent review by one of our intrepid reporters follows our trip to Palacky Medical School in Olomouc, Czech Republic. It is designed to give you an overview of the medical faculty, the university, the town of Olomouc and the 'Hana' region in which Olomouc is situated. Should you wish to obtain further details please click on the pictures or links which will give you in depth information. This saves us having to type too much and ensures that there will be less spelling mistakes ! We hope that you find it helpful and accurate but if not please do not sue as we are only poor medical students and our finances are already somewhat stretched.
I arrived at Prague International Airport (Ruzyne) and found a very modern and thankfully not too large facility. Having recovered my luggage the first hurdle I had to overcome was to find the cheapest route to the main train station in Prague (Hlavni Nadrazi) from where I was due catch my train to Olomouc. Skipping swiftly passed the taxis I made my way to bus stop 119 which lies about 100m directly in front of the airport terminal. You can purchase a ticket from the machine which cost 12 crowns (as opposed to 800 plus crowns for the taxi) or you can try to give a 500 crown note to the driver and just enjoy his response. Bus 119 takes you to the underground station of Dejvicka, it is the last stop of a 20 minute journey and so like it or not you will be forced to dismount. Just follow the crowd who will all be heading for the underground station of Dejvicka about 20m from the bus stop and from here using the same 12 crown ticket you are heading for Muzeum. Dejvicka is the last station on line A which is handy because it means you can only go in one direction. At Muzeum change to line C and then you have a trip of one stop and you have successfully arrived at the main railway station (Hlavni Nadrazi).
It must be said that the main train station in Prague is not the most comforting place in the world. You do feel yourself clutching your belongings a little tighter but as long as you are careful and don't travel late at night on your own it's ok. One great feature about the station is the left luggage lockers. Which can be found on the lower level and for only a few crowns you can safely leave your things and head off for Prague town centre which is only a 5 minute walk away. You now have time to be a tourist and Prague has plenty to offer in that department. I would recommend a day or two in Prague and if you stay in one of the many hostels and keep away from the tourist areas you will find that your money can go a remarkably long way.
When the time comes to continue your journey onwards to Olomouc head for the upper level of the train station where you will find an international information office and more importantly people who speak English. I would suggest you travel on an intercity train (IC) which depart at various times during the day. These trains are slightly more expensive but are cleaner, faster, have toilet paper, a cheap restaurant car and are on time ! The jouney which takes you through the lovely Czech contryside will cost you a couple of hundred crowns and will take about three hours.
When I arrived in Olomouc I was pleasantly surprised the place has a relaxed atmosphere and the people although a little grim faced seemed friendly enough. I made my way out of the main entrance and then having purchased my tram ticket from the machine I waited patiently for a tram No. 2 to take me to my accommodation at the students halls of residence at Neredin. The trams are excellent they arrive every few minutes and they cost only a few crowns. My tram ride took about 15 minutes, it took me through the city and onwards to the edge of town in fact the last stop at Neredin. Where the newest halls of residence have been built and which houses many of the newer international students. After a walk of about 100m I arrived at a very posh reception area and was greeted by a very friendly lady who also couldn't speak a word of English.
My room was very plush it was a single room but was part of a block of four rooms connected by a common kitchen, bathroom and toilets. The rooms consisted a single bed, a large desk with drawers (and computer point), a double cupboard, a little fridge, and plenty of shelf space. These single rooms cost the students about 2000 crowns per month (which is about $80) but if you want something even cheaper you can opt for a shared room. Facilities at Neredin include a very posh free computer area upstairs at the reception as well as a small but well equiped exercise room at the top of the building. The halls at Neredin are not part of the main student halls which are situated in the town centre. These are older buildings and are all shared rooms but many students actually prefer these because they feel more part of student life.
My first evening in Olomouc consisted of a tram ride to the town centre which consists mainly of two squares an upper and a lower. Situated in the upper square is the impressive Town Hall and surrounding it fountains and the Holy Trinity. Sitting under an umbrella of one of the restaurants and enjoying a warm summer evening was I must admit very pleasant. After my food and a pint of the finest Czech beer I toured Olomouc to experience the nightlife. There are it seems hundreds of little bars and restaurants tucked away down side streets and in cellars around Olomouc. There are also a number of clubs including 'EXIT' which is open during the summer mainly because it is outdoor and 'Barumba' which is for you techno crowd.
Other interesting haunts I found included 'The Crack' which is a little Irish bar of sorts and seems to be favoured by some the young of Olomouc and If you would like something a bit more authentic try 'Drapals' which is very Czech. The list of bars is too long to include here but I would suggest just wandering around and finding a few for yourself. Olomouc also boasts ten pin bowling, a huge olympic sized indoor and outdoor swimming pools as well as Sigma Olomouc FC who regularly play in Europe or host International games.
Within a skip and a hop of Olomouc are a number of attractions worth a visit. I can recommend Olomouc Zoo at Svaty Kopecek, Castle Bouzov as well the nearby skiing in the Jeseniky Hills . Full details of these sites of interest as well as info on local cultural events etc, can be found at one of the two main town websites www.olomouc.com and www.olomoucko.cz
The next morning I made my way to the theoretical building of the medical faculty which lies next to the 1800 bed university hospital. This is an impressive structure and was used as the Russian army headquarters during the communist era. It is now safely back in the hands of the university and it is where a medical student will spend most of his first 2 years. On climbing the steps and entering the main doors you will see on your left a brand new computer room and library housing 20 or 30 computers in a split level setting with spiral staircases. It is very impressive and is well used by the students who a ready and waiting when it opens at 08.00. Prior to this new facility students used to have to make do with half a dozen older computers in a little room which can still be found nearby.
The head of the international (English speaking) medical students is a gentleman by the name of Doc. Jaroslav Vicar. He is also a senior lecturer in the clinical chemistry department and is one of the first teachers a student will encounter at Palacky. Doc. Vicar is I would say is typical of many Czech people he is rather formal, he doesn't I feel suffer fools gladly but I found him a very honest person with a dry sense of humour. I was given a tour of the theoretical building and the hospital and after a healthy meal in the not unsubstancial hospital canteen I was given the official blurb on the medical school. This I have condensed and linked below.
Palacky Medical Faculty
Because we are a sophisticated lot we will start by giving you a little of the history. A Jesuit university was first established in 1573 and the Faculty of Theology is still an important part of the university.
There are now however seven faculties within Palacky University with the Faculty of Medicine being established back in 1946. After the Velvet Revolution in 1989 and the removal of the 'Iron Curtain' the medical faculty introduced a new baby to the cot namely the English language programme. This came into being during 1993 and is designed to exactly copy the Czech course in all respects except the language in which it is taught.
At present the university offers an Undergraduate Degree in General Medicine taught in English and also a Postgraduate Doctorand. The university is recognised by the World Health Organisation as well as the GMC of Great Britain and the ECFMG of the United States. There are currently around 100 international students studying medicine on the English programme with a large representation from the UK, Pakistan, Ireland, USA as well as Canada, India etc, etc.
The Degree in General Medicine is a six year course and successful completion will give you the title of 'Medicinae Universae Doctor' (MUDr), equivalent to M.D. The degree is recognised in most countries for a limited registration and for locally required licensing examinations such as the PLAB test for the UK and the USMLE in the USA. Please check your own countries national medical body for full details.
The curriculum for the undergraduate degree course is broadly similar to that found in most of Eastern Europe and is a throwback from the days of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire. The syllabus for the first two years consist mainly of the basic sciences and an overview of how the human body works. This is taught mainly in the theoretical building which lies right next to the university hospital and is an impressive building (right) which has recently been upgraded with a new two tier computer room. Years three to six are concerned with disease and the pathology of the human body and are taught mainly in the 1800 bed Olomouc Faculty Hospital.
The academic year is split into two semesters a winter semester which starts mid September and ends just prior to Xmas and a summer semester which starts mid February and finishes the end of May. Between these semesters are times for study and dates for examinations.
Entry requirements into Palacky Medical School are broadly similar to other medical faculties around the world. The main difference being the fact that prospective medical students be they on the Czech course or English language programme sit the universities own entrance exam. This covers the subjects of chemistry, biology and physics and example questions are available to give you an idea of the level required (see the links for further information for applicants and the full application procedure). Entrance exams and interviews can be taken in the Czech Republic at any time however they are also available twice yearly in the UK and USA.
The university has provided on their web site a guide to student life in Olomouc as well as details of many of the facilities available to students at Palacky. The site also contains important details with regards visa / residence permits along with practical information about travel and life in general in the Czech Republic. For further information please contact either : Doc. Jaroslav Vicar (e-mail) jarvic@tunw.upol.cz
Miss Jitka Melcrova (e-mail) melcro81@tunw.upol.cz
Palacky Medical School Video If you have trouble viewing this video: 1. From the Start Menu open Programmes. 2. Then open Multimedia. 3. Click on Windows Media Player. 4. Then click Open (Ctrl+O). 5. Type http://medicinevideo.upol.cz/lf2.avi
This is 'Yahoo Group - Palacky'. It is designed specifically for medical students of Palacky Medical School. It allows students to post messages to all other members of the group. You can sell your books, advertise your party, scrounge a lift, tell others about your experiences. In fact anything you want within reason !
SUMMARY
The medical faculty in Olomouc has in its favour nearly 10 years experience of running an English programme. This has given them time to iron out some of the initial 'teething problems'. Haven spoken to many of the medical students I gained an overall positive impression although there were some complaints of language comprehension in some lectures etc. The examination system itself is also a little bizarre to most foreigners as exams are predominantly oral and the exam dates are very flexible. This system is common in Eastern Europe but can give problems to the 'less disciplined' student who can if not careful find untaken exams building up behind them as the year progresses. The answer seems to be do winter exams in the winter and summer exams in the summer !
The English undergraduate medical degree course now boasts a number of successful 'doctors' who having passed the PLAB or USMLE are now back working in hospitals in the UK or USA. This I know has given a lot of heart to those students nearing the end of their own degree courses.
One point to consider when choosing a medical school is undoubtably the location. Olomouc is NOT a large city. It contains about 100,000 inhabitants and is predominantly a university town which in term time is quite lively but out of term dies somewhat. If you want a large city I would suggest Prague if you do not want too many distractions and also would prefer not to pay city prices Olomouc is a very attractive choice.
One of the positives at Palacky Medical School and something of which the university is quite proud is the recent introduction of a 'Social Officer'. This involves a young lady whose job it is to look after the new students in the first few weeks and months and show them around the town / region as well as introduce them to existing students via social events. Another point of credit must be the prices, as Palacky is the cheapest medical school in the Czech Republic currently $8000 p.a. As well having probably the lowest cost of living within the Czech Republic due to its relative distance from Prague.
On the negatives the hospital does lack some of the resources of the larger city hospitals and also English is not spoken as widely within the community making life a little more challenging for the new student. On the whole though I have to admit to being quite impressed by the town and the university and I would give it the overall thumbs up.
