Hints for Freshmen Administrational Guide for Medical Students at the UPMS University of Pécs – Medical School – Orientation Day

At your service The Student Service Center Klara and Orsi ADMISSION Immigration Office cases (e.g. residency permit) Student card Vaccination lockers Everyday-life problems (renting a flat, need a doctor, craftman, etc.) The Registrar’s Office (RO) Livia, Kata, ZOLI Student’s legal status Booking courses Exam period Summer practices Certifications Transcripts Counseling in study related questions

Registrar’s Office (RO) Office hours In instruction period: Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday and Friday: Thursday: In exam period and during summer vacation: Monday-Friday Contacts  Mailing address: Szigeti út 12, Pécs, 7624 Hungary  UP call center or ask for extension or wait for the operator  Fax: and

RO Administrators Zoltán (Zoli) ILLI extension: 1061 Kata NAGY extension: 1137 Livia (Livi) VÁGÓ aok.pte.hu extension: 6016 Year of 2008 Year of 2007 Year of 2006 Year of 2005 or earlier

1.University of Pécs (Rector) 2.Medical School (faculty) (Dean, Vice-Deans, Registrar) 3.Faculty committees: Faculty Council, Educational Committee, Curriculum Committee, Credit Transfer Committee and the Student Council Leaders, committees Prof. Valér J. CSERNUS, M.D., Ph.D. Vice-Dean for General Affairs, Education and Science Prof. Attila J. MISETA, M.D. Ph.D. Vice-Dean for Financial and Student Welfare Affairs Office hours: Thursday Office hours: Thursday

Requests Use A4 (or letter) sized paper Address it Greet the him/her Tell who you are Tell what you ask Give reasoning Give response address Sign it and put a date on it Or ask for a form (if exists) from RO… It is something official and you ask for a favor…

Studies – A General Overview

Training Programs General Medicine (6 years, MD degree) Dentistry (5 years, DMD degree) Pharmacist (5 years, mag. pharm.) PhD programs All of them are credit-based.

Technical Background ETR (native and web-based platforms) -setting student status, -booking courses, booking exam dates, -checking status, payments, grades -contacting fellow students and teachers CooSpace (Modulo) („Cooperation in virtual space” web-based community site with scenes) -Contacting teachers, fellow students, even consultation -Sharing educational materials (up- and downloading lecture materials, home works, mid-term test results, exam sheets, etc.) Faculty websitehttp://aok.pte.huhttp://aok.pte.hu -Downloadable publications (timetable, program booklet, forms, schedule, etc.) -Contact details for departments/clinics and for teachers username for ETR = university ID lost password → ask RO for a new one

Other Useful Sites English-German Student Council Forums, exam notes, community, etc. Website of the University of Pécshttp://english.pte.hu/ Contacts for faculties, maps, events, news, even a Hungarian vocabulary Especially for the International Relations Office Dancing University Autumn Dance Show September :00-22:00 in UPMS Aula Google Maps Off-line info source: RO’s bulletin board on the corridor newsletters from RO: keep your address working!

Facilities Physical Education and Sports center Sports hall, tennis courts, swimming pool, handball/football court, gym Sport clubs, hiking, ski and water camps, championships UPMS Library reading room, borrowing books, Books, periodicals, databases, interlibrary loans, photocopy Health Psychology Counselling Confabula Student magazine: write articles, novellas, poems Faculty computer room Stationery shop and photocopy services Printing Services Book binding, printing Club, Buffet, Bakery

Training program Bologna initiatives: A European economy based on knowledge, competitiveness, free flow of manpower (EU 4 freedom principles: free flow of capital, products, services and persons) The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System ECTS = comparable degrees, easier recognition of European diplomas → mobility of students and workers → more competitive economy 1.) Raising well educated manpower: cycles = skilled workers, graduate professionals (Bachelor program), scientists (Master program) medical training: undivided program, a little more, than a master’s degree 2.) „credit points’” for each educational component credit point = quantitative pointer for student workload (passing grade) 30 hours of study (class + home workload) = 1 credit collect 30 ± 3 credits in a semester (if you progress „normally”)

Credit System Rules - 1 credit = 14 class hours (generally…) -Get 30 ± 3 credits in each semesters -Collect at least the minimum number of credits to get the degree (360 / 300 points) -No years (first year, etc.). The total number of credit points shows your progression -3 chances to complete the subject (3 bookings), but once completed, cannot book again (retake only on failure) -Prerequisites: subjects are built on each other (max. 3 prerequisite subjects for each) -High percentage of practices (no „exam courses”) -Curriculum, recommended curriculum, courses available in semester

Curriculum, recommended curriculum Curriculum list of subjects accepted at UPMS. List of obligatory and non-obligatory components. „To get your degree you have to learn these.” Recommended curriculum -Obligatory components -Winter or spring semester -„years” -Modules, milestones „If you want to finish your studies on time, progress like this.”

Elements of Curriculum Forms of educational items: 1.) Subjects -obligatory: lecture – practice – seminar, EXAM / FINAL EXAM, 1-9 credits -elective / optional: lecture – practice – seminar, MID-SEMESTER GRADE, 1-2 credits 2.) Criterion requirements: obligatory to complete, SIGNATURE, 0 credit Forms of testing your knowledge Mid-term: attendance (15-30%), mid-term papers, tests, homeworks, class activities → signature Mid-term grades are not in ETR and not in gradebook! Exam/final exam: in exam period, 3 chances (A, B, C), bettering only in the same exam period, 5 grade scale ( 1 = failing, 2-5 = passing grade), passing grade → credit point Mid-semester grade: on mid-term achievement, no exam!, at the end of instruction period, 5 grade scale → credit point Signature: mid-term obligations are completed

Details of subjects and crit. req.s - 1 Subject code: e.g. OAAOK1 1st character: O = medical school 2nd character: A = general medicine S = dentistry 3rd character: A = obligatory subject in Basic Module, P = obligatory subject in Preclinical Module, K = obligatory subject in Clinical Module, S = obligatory subject in Rotation Year, E = elective subjects, F = optional subjects, R = criterion requirement 4-5-6th character = short ID of the subject itself. If it contains a number at the end: multi- semester subject – which part In the example: O = UPMS, A = General Medicine, A = obligatory, OK1 = Medical Chemistry 1

Details of subjects and crit. req.s Subject title: e.g. Medical Chemistry 1 - Subject director: a teacher in charge + a department or clinic - Prerequisite subjects: normal „ taking up” (parallel) max. 3 prerequisites, for obligatory only obligatory prerequisite - Type of classes: lecture, practice, semester - „Exam” type: exam, final exam, mid-semester grade, signature - Credit points allocated for the subject

Subject descriptions General description, semester of announcement, headcount limitations, number of hours in class, conditions for acceptance, making up for missed classes, lecture/practice/seminar topics, reading materials, exam questions, website, teachers → English → Students → Registrar’s Office → Courses for schoolyear 2008/09 You can join courses from other faculties can be accepted – ask the RO of the other faculty or the RO

Recommended curriculum for General Medicine semObligatory 80% of credits Elective 15% of credits Optional 5% of credits Criterion Requirements No credit, no exam, obligatory to do 1 Basic Module Collect 34 credit points with completing SOME of the accepted courses Collect 18 credit points with completing SOME of the accepted courses Physical Education 1, First Aid 2 Physical Education 2, Summer Practices: Nursing Skills, Hospital Care, Med. Comm. Skills 3Physical Education 3 4Physical Education 4, Final Exam in Medical Hungarian (oral and written) 5 Preclinical Module 6Summer Practice in Internal Medicine 7 Clinical Module 8Summer Practice in Surgery Rotational yearThesis: 20 credit points 12 Recommendation: collect 30 ± 3 credit points in each semester

Recommended curriculum for Dentistry semObligatory 80% of credits Elective 15% of credits Optional 5% of credits Criterion Requirements No credit, no exam, obligatory to do 1 Basic Module Collect 25 credit points with completing courses Thesis: 20 credit points Collect 15 credit points with completing courses Physical Education 1, 2Physical Education 2, Dental Assistant - Summer Practice 3Physical Education 3 4Physical Education 4, Final Exam in Medical Hungarian (oral and written) 5 Preclinical Module 6Dento-alveolar Surgery – Summer Practice 7 Clinical Module 8Integrated Dentistry 9 10 Recommendation: collect 30 ± 3 credit points in each semester

Studies – Progressing

The School Year School year ( ) 10 months: September – July Fall/Winter Semester 5 months: September – January Spring Semester 5 months: February – July 1. Registration period: 1 week enrolling/matriculation, booking courses 2. Instruction period: 14 weeks classes, mid-term attendance, papers… 3. Exam period: 7 weeks exams, exams, exams 1. Registration period: last week of previous exam period enrolling, booking courses 2. Instruction period: 14 weeks 1 week extra: Easter holiday classes, mid-term attendance, papers… 3. Exam period: 7 weeks exams, exams, exams No August exam period!!!

Main goals -Pass all the obligatory items: subjects and criterion requirements, write thesis (start in 4th year) -Collect enough credit points (until the end of the 5th year in recommended curriculum: -GM: 300 in total, 34 in electives, 18 in optionals, (in 6th years 60 credits are given) -D: 300 in total, 25 in electives, 15 in optionals -Try to follow the recommended curriculum (Try not to fail obligatory subjects, try to do everything on time) -Try passing everything maximum at third (3.) endeavour…

The School Year School year ( ) 10 months: September – July Fall/Winter Semester 5 months: September – January Spring Semester 5 months: February – July 1. Registration period: 1 week enrolling/matriculation, booking courses 2. Instruction period: 14 weeks classes, mid-term attendance, papers… 3. Exam period: 7 weeks exams, exams, exams 1. Registration period: last week of previous exam period enrolling, booking courses 2. Instruction period: 14 weeks 1 week extra: Easter holiday classes, mid-term attendance, papers… 3. Exam period: 7 weeks exams, exams, exams No August exam period!!!

Student’s Legal Status Semester start Admission → matriculation (creating status, accepting place): in MODULO Later semesters: enrolling (decision on continuing / suspending studies): in ETR Active semester: book subjects, attend classes, take exams, get grades and credit points – pay tuition fee Passive semester: no classes, no exams, no grades, status suspended – no tuition fee Suspending studies: must declare (make semester passive), w/o permission: twice after each other, w permission: + 1 year

Dismissing or Terminating studies Dismissing: -couldn’t pass subject (even elective or optional – but not valid for criterion requirements) even booking it for the third time -did not set semester active or passive for 2 semesters in ETR -Number of active and passive semesters are more than 24/20 -Disciplinary reason -Old rule (not valid anymore): 30 / 60 credits Terminating: -on request (write request) -transfer away

Completing Items in Curriculum Possible by attending courses Subject = what should be learnt: topics, form of getting the grade, criterions in your major’s curriculum Courses = an „event” for learning the subject’s content: place, time, classes, headcounts, Courses can be available for more majors.

Course ≠ Subject The lecturer gives courses = topic, schedule, place, spots Group „A” – Medical Hungarian 1 Mondays 14.00, lect. room II., 30 persons You (in major X) have a subject in your curriculum to complete Medical Hungarian 1 An other guy in major Y also has a subject in his/her curriculum Medical Hungarian 1 Group „B” – Medical Hungarian 1 Mondays 16.00, lect. room II., 30 persons Group „C” – Medical Hungarian 1 Fridays 16.00, lect. room II., 30 persons You have to choose 1 course at a time: you can complete this subject only once (only 1 grade can be given) You have subjects in your curriculum to complete by taking courses

Booking a course Only in ETR!!!!! Not on teacher’s list! How to prepare for booking courses: 1.Check the recommended curriculum: what obligatory subjects and criterion requirements you have to do? 2.Read about elective and optional subjects on the UPMS website: interesting? Prerequisites are completed? 3.Book the courses of your choice available on ETR within the given deadline! About the booking process we have a description on the UPMS website (Students→Registrar’s Office → Guidelines and Presentations section)

Student Groups Over 200 students, 8 subjects with practices or seminars in timetable  -to ease attending obligatory classes (practices and seminars) -set by RO (recommendation) -appr people in one group -for changing group the departments’ permission is needed -Group leader / year representative

Completing a subject You have a subject or crit. req. in your curriculum you have to / want to complete A course is offered in the ETR in a semester with which you can complete the subject / crit. req. If the prerequisites are completed, the schedule is OK for you and there is a spot for you you book the course If you complete the tasks and attend enough classes a signature will be given If it is needed in the curriculum, you get a grade (as a mid-semester grade upon your achievements during the instruction period or as an exam grade in the exam period) - with the grade you get the credit point Your subject or crit. req. is completed 

Gradebook Official document registering courses and signatures/grades through your studies. (When I mention grades – I mean grades for courses granted by passing exams in exam period or granted as mid-semester grades. Mid-term grades for papers, etc. are registered only by the departments/clinics.) Normally stored at the RO. You get it for the exam period only (if all the payments and fees are paid). Must have it at exam with you. After the exam period you must return it to RO. Authentic document of proof – faking it = dismissal or jail!!!!

The course list

The School Year School year ( ) 10 months: September – July Fall/Winter Semester 5 months: September – January Spring Semester 5 months: February – July 1. Registration period: 1 week enrolling/matriculation, booking courses 2. Instruction period: 14 weeks classes, mid-term attendance, papers… 3. Exam period: 7 weeks exams, exams, exams 1. Registration period: last week of previous exam period enrolling, booking courses 2. Instruction period: 14 weeks 1 week extra: Easter holiday classes, mid-term attendance, papers… 3. Exam period: 7 weeks exams, exams, exams No August exam period!!!

In instruction period Study, study, study… Attend classes Do classroom and home works Prepare notes

Money makes… 1 Tuition fee: -To be paid for active semesters Winter semesters: 5900 USD, spring semesters: 5000 USD -Pay by bank transfer - notification about payment details appr. 2-3 weeks before semester start -Deadline for payment -Proof to be submitted until deadline -Reduction can be granted: only obligatory course in semester or „scholarship” for good students -Educational contract

Reductions Reduction can be granted from the basic amount on two bases: number of obligatory courses you’ll have in the coming semester: you do not want to have any courses, just to have an active status: 100 USD to be paid, 0 obligatory course (only elective, optional or criterion requirement courses): 1500 USD to be paid, only 1 obligatory course (doesn’t matter if you have other courses): 30% reduction from the basic amount, only 2 obligatory courses (doesn’t matter if you have other courses): 15% reduction from the basic amount. Scholarship for good students: you can apply for it only from next year. We need to count an average of the averages achieved in the two semesters of the previous academic year. It this average is between 4.01–4.50: 10% reduction from the basic amount, 4.51–4.99: 20% reduction from the basic amount, 5.00:40% reduction from the basic amount. Another important circumstance is that only students progressing according to the recommended curriculum can apply for this scholarship provided by the UP MS.

Money makes… 2 Service fees and penalties: Paid at cashiers in HUF, cash -missing deadlines (submit gradebook, pay tuition fee, submit proof about payment) -C chances (exam or final exam) -unjustified exam absences -if you lose gradebook -valid residence permit – show after the 13th week of instruction

Before exam period 1.Exam dates to be determined – agreement between students and departments 2.Exam places (spots): 2 x number of students at course 3.Revealed in ETR 4 weeks before exam period 4.Booking start 2 weeks before exam period 5.Gradebooks can be picked up from RO if no payments are missing – 1 week before exam period 6.Signatures (testifying attendance at course) should be collected from departments.

The School Year School year ( ) 10 months: September – July Fall/Winter Semester 5 months: September – January Spring Semester 5 months: February – July 1. Registration period: 1 week enrolling/matriculation, booking courses 2. Instruction period: 14 weeks classes, mid-term attendance, papers… 3. Exam period: 7 weeks exams, exams, exams 1. Registration period: last week of previous exam period enrolling, booking courses 2. Instruction period: 14 weeks 1 week extra: Easter holiday classes, mid-term attendance, papers… 3. Exam period: 7 weeks exams, exams, exams No August exam period!!!

Booking exam places (spots) For courses (subjects) ending with exam or final exam. (Courses ending with mid-semester grade or signature – don’t have to sign up for anywhere, result is entered automatically) – no retake chance! In ETR only! 1 exam date in one course at one go sign up for next if result is in ETR sign up: 1 WORKday before exam until 9.00 a.m. sign off: 2 WORKdays before exam until 9.00 a.m. Booking = your name appears on an „exam sheet” – the department will see this. Name not on exam sheet = no exam. 1 2

Registration of Results EXAM (exam or final exam): Exam sheet – sign yourself up Must have your gradebook with you. Oral exam: teacher writes your grade into gradebook, and until next workday a.m. enters grade into ETR Written exam: leave gradebook in department, they correct tests in 2 workdays, enter grades into ETR and into gradebook. Do not forget to pick up gradebook from department. Check grade in ETR!!!! If grade in gradebook and in ETR are different, grade in gradebook is valid. MID-SEMESTER GRADE OR SIGNATURE: Technical list of results – only one, with all names at course Get it written in by the teacher until the end of the exam period. Teacher has to enter grade into the ETR in the 1st or 2nd week of the exam period. It is your responsibility to have all grades and signatures written into the gradebook until the end of the exam period!!!

Absence Booked an exam spot and you do not appear at exam Lose exam chance (A/B/C) Result = did not attend (or absence) Unjustified: fee to be paid Certified absence: on medical reason, take medical certification to department – then did not lose exam chance

Retakes / bettering exams First chance = A chance First retake chance = B chance – free Second retake chance = C chance – fee Pay fee before exam, and show receipt to examiner! After exam period all receipts should be submitted with the gradebook to RO. Bettering exam (you are not satisfied with the passing grade you got) can be B or C chance. You can get worse grade (or fail) even… EXAMS ONLY!! No retake or bettering chances in mid- semester grades.

Dean’s chance Law of equity (Code of Studies and Examinations – Article 14) Can be used for having a 4th exam chance or signing up for a course after the booking deadline – special permission granted by the Dean Can be used for only once during your studies!! Fill in a form at RO and RO enters your name to exam sheet. Deadlines are the same as for booking other exam dates!

Credits taken / completed Credits taken ≠ credits completed Tuition fee covers taking 396 (GM) / 330 (D) credits (<=10% more than necessary is covered). Book more = extra fee Indexes (averages): for a semester or for your studies Weighted average: Credit index: Corrigated credit index:  (completed course’s credit x grade)  completed credits  (completed course’s credit x grade)  30  (completed course’s credit x grade)  completed credits x  completed credit points  credit points taken up

Research Opportunities Student Researcher’s Society Conferences (here at MS or elsewhere) ERASMUS trips Other projects organized mainly by the Hungarian Student Council (e.g. Teddy Bear Hospital)

Dislikes… everything changes, cheating (detection, punishment), moody teachers, interpretation at oral exams, first 2 years (hell, build your uni learning skills), statistics,

Attention Some rules again, just to make sure you remember them! 1.No problem if you fail a subject 2 times. If you book it for the third (3.) time, make sure you pass it – or you’ll be dismissed 2.Exam chances: in an exam period you have 3 chances to pass an exam (A, B, C chances) – if you can book an exam date for yourself. 3.Complete courses only once: once you passed an exam in a semester – and this way completed a subject – you cannot book it again in any coming semesters. Reason: for completing an item you can be given credit points only once. 4.No exam courses: if you have to retake a subject, officially you have to attend the classes again. There are no exam courses available. Officially… 5.Attendance at classes is obligatory. General rule, if you missed more than 15% of classes (not only practices and seminars, but lectures count as well), the teacher can deny giving signature. Above 30% he must deny it. 6.Summer practices

Hints for surviving using names in Hungary (your name, mother’s maiden name), how to address teachers (professor, associate professor, senior lecturer, demonstrator) keep your personal data in ETR (addresses!!!) up-to-date, notice boards, web-announcements, official letters, make checklists, pay attention, ask, keep deadlines, keep each other informed You are our costumer, not your parents and friends (data protection)

Opening ceremony - Oath I, SAY YOUR NAME LOUDLY, student of Pécs University Medical School, solemnly promise to respect the rules of this University and the Medical School. I will pay due reverence to all the tutors and other staff members of the University. I will always behave in a way worthy of the name of the student of this University. I will conduct my studies to the best of my abilities. I vow to respect all patients’ human dignity. I will never break their confidence or disclose their secrets. With all my efforts I will familiarise myself with the latest accomplishments in the medical sciences so as to make a highly qualified professional of great erudition.