Medical Education in Russia and in Great Britain.
Id like to compare medical education in Russia and Great Britain. Physicians in both countries are trained in medical institutes, which situated in many big sities. Entry to a high medical school is highly competitive. To enter a high medical school candidates must pass entrance examinations on chemistry, biology, physics. In Russia unlike Great Britain applicants also take examination on the Russian langiage, besides this candidates in Russia, who have finished school with a gold or silver medal have to take only one examination. If they obtain an excellent, they are admitted to the Institute. Education is free, but some students fee for instruction. In Great Britain all students pay for trained, but most of them receive grants, which covere all expenditures for education or part of them, while in Russia stipend is rather small.
As for the academic year, it begins on September 1st and is devided into 2 terms of four months each in Russia, in Great Britain academic year run from October to June and it is devided into 3 terms, each of 10-11 weeks duration. At the end of each term students in both countries take final exams.
As you know the study course in Russia lasts for 6 years, but in Great Britain undergraduate education occupies 5 years. During the first two pre-clinical years students in both countries study physics, organic and biochemistry, physiology, human anatomy, biology and histology. They attend lectures and do practical work in labs. In Great Britain unlike Russia Latin is not study in all medical schools, because the prescriptions are writen in English.
Begining with the third year special clinical subjects are introduced therapy, surgery, gynaecology, obstetrics, ophthalmology and others. Senior students have a lot of practical work with patients in clinics, hospitals and out-patient department. After the tree years of clinical practics the students in Great Britain obtain degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery. In Russia students at the end of the third year course have a six-week practical course. They perform the duties of nurses. After they fourth year the students have another practical course lasting eight weeks, during which they act as doctors assistants at the therapeutical, surgical, obstetrical and gynaecological departments. After the fifth year students take a six-weeks practical course in an out-patient department.
After the finals graduates in Great Britain work in hospitals for a year. This period is called internship. After this period a young doctor obtains a Certificate of Experience and he or she may work as a medical practitioner.
Now some words about specialization. In Russia it occupies the six-year course and is called sub-internship, while in Great Britain only medical practitioners, which already finished medical school, may obtain specialization, if they will work in residency. It takes 1 or 2 years of work in a hospital in some field, after a residency a specialist obtain degree of Doctor of Medicine. Id like to note, that students in Russia, which obtained any specialization, couldnt work as a medical practitioner, because they have not diploma. They receive it after the final state examinations. Then graduates work for a year in internship. After that they can apply for the post-graduate course. During thee years post-graduates prepare a thesis, defend it and obtain the degree of candidate of Medical Science.