BY KAREN CHAPMAN
WHEN it comes to studying medicine, Russia
is probably not the first destination that comes to mind. Most students would cite the United Kingdom or even Australia
as their top choice.
But before you dismiss Russia
on grounds that you simply couldn't possibly master the Russian language or withstand those absolutely freezing temperatures, think again! Studying medicine in Russia
might just turn out to be the best option for you if your financial resources are limited.
More and more Malaysians today are looking at Russia
for a medical degree. Abdullah Mohd Salleh will tell you that studying medicine in Russia
is not without its advantages His daughter, a fourth year medical student in Moscow Medical Academy, is not only under the tutelage of some of the finest doctors in the world but has also picked up the Russian language and is actively involved in student life.
''My daughter Nor Azimimah or Azie as I call her, has always wanted to be a doctor. I checked out a few countries such as India and the United Kingdom but the costs were prohibitive. Then I discovered that studying medicine in Russia
over a period of six years only costs about US[no ads please]
25,000 (RM95,000), including accommodation. The fees could also be paid in affordable instalments, so I decided to send her there,'' shares the proud father.
Abdullah says Azie was among the pioneer batch of eight Malaysian students who went to Russia
in 2000.
''I have no regrets sending her there as she picked up the Russian language and is now very fluent. When my wife and I visited her last December, she impressed us with her command of the language when she took us around.
''She is also the president of the Moscow Malaysian Students' Association and rents an apartment near the metro (Moscow subway system) with two friends,” he adds.
Russia
is an interesting option for Malaysian students.
Marik Singh, whose daughter Jaspal Kaur is a third year medical student in Moscow Medical Academy, also has no hesitation in recommending Russia
as a study destination to anyone.
''Jaspal was doing her 'A' levels in one of the private colleges here in Kuala Lumpur when we found out about Russia
. We were impressed by what we were told. The fees were also very affordable. I think we are fortunate that Russia
accepts Malaysian students to study medicine there.
''She adapted very well and is very happy,'' he says, adding that he and his wife are planning to visit her soon.
Marik says his daughter needs about RM300 for rental, food, travel and other personal expenses per month.
''Jaspal has learnt to be a good cook and we are very proud of her,'' he adds.
Numbers growing annually
The figures on the popularity of Russia
as a destination for medical studies speak for themselves. From a mere 100 students in 2001, the figure has grown six-fold to over 650 students studying medicine in various universities throughout the country.
Although Russia
is a relatively new destination for Malaysians wishing to pursue higher education courses, it has long been popular with Asian countries such as India, China, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam Vladimir Morozov says Russia
has been opening the doors of its universities to youths from many countries for many years.
''Students have the opportunity to use state-of-the-art training and research facilities. The latest laboratories, teaching aids, instruments, simulators and specialised libraries combined with your lectures will help you achieve your dream of becoming a specialist in your chosen field,'' he says when he attended the high tea reception marking the opening of the Kuala Lumpur office of Russian Resources Sdn Bhd last Wednesday.
''We hope that the knowledge and skills our students acquire will help provide high quality medical services to the people in Malaysia,'' he says.
Besides receiving an education of international standing, students will also enjoy the enriching experience of living in a country steeped in culture, history and beauty.
''I hope the students will make new friends and help foster ties to promote better understanding between Russians and Malaysians,” he says.
The Public Services Department in Malaysia recognises medical degrees from the Moscow Medical Academy, Russian State Medical University, Nizhny Novgorod State Medical University, Volgograd State Medical University and Kursk State Medical University. The six-year medical degree in Russia
includes clinical experience.
Both the World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) has ranked Moscow Medical Academy and Russian State Medical University as second and third in the world.
Honorary consul of the Russian Federation Teoh Seng Lee says Russian medical universities offer highly affordable medical degrees compared with other countries, without compromising on quality.
A Russian university medical degree costs between RM130,000 to RM180, 000 compared to between M500,000 and RM800,000 in other countries.
''This estimate covers tuition fees, hostel accommodation, use of university facilities, annual return air fare and living expenses,'' he says, adding that costs may vary depending on the city.
Living in Moscow for instance, would be more costly than living in smaller cities like Volgograd and Nizhny Novgorod
Although the medium of instruction for medical degree programmes in several Russian universities is English, students need to be able to speak Russian by their fourth year.
Nizhny Novgorod State Medical Academy surgery department head and vice dean of overseas admissions Dr Vladimir Zagainov explains that students need to speak Russian in order to communicate with patients and clinical staff.
''Besides Anatomy
and Physiology
classes in the first year, students will also be taking Russian language classes. They will be meeting patients in hospitals in their fourth year so they should be able to speak the language by then.''
Dr Zagainov says the academy currently has students from 26 countries, with some 80 Malaysian undergraduates.
''Some have difficulty in pronouncing certain words in Russian but Malaysians in general are able to pick up the language,'' he says.
He says the academy is expecting 55 more Malaysians to join the university in September.
Describing Malaysian students as hardworking, Moscow Medical Academy vice-rector for international affairs Prof Renad Alyautdin says they usually obtain good results.
''Although the minimum entry requirement into medicine in Russia
are Bs in Science subjects or a CGPA of 3.0, most of the students have As in all subjects,'' he adds.
Prof Alyautdin says the academy has opened a new hostel this year and is currently renovating older hostels.
Volgograd State Medical University vice chancellor Prof Alexander Spasov says there are 170 Malaysians at his university.
''Most stay in the hostels although some have opted to rent apartments in the city with friends,'' he says.
Teoh, who is also the director of Russian Resources Sdn Bhd, explains that the company assists Malaysian students in their applications to Russian universities and institutes.
To date, the company, founded in 1996, has successfully assisted over 300 Malaysian students in pursuing tertiary education in Russia
.
''We act as a liaison between the Russian institutions and students.
''Russian Resources ensures that applications to institutions, visas, initial travel arrangements and housing arrangements are properly coordinated,'' he says.
He adds that students leaving for the first time to Russia
will be accompanied by a company representative and met at the airport, and will also be brought to the university for registration.
Presently, the company represents Moscow Medical Academy, Russian State Medical University, Volgograd State Medical University, Nizhny Novgorod State Medical Academy and Moscow State Aviation Institute.
For more information about studying medicine in Russia
, contact Roline Ong at Russian Resources Sdn Bhd, Suite 3.05, 3rd Floor North Block, The Ampwalk, 218 Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, or tel 03-2171 1226, or fax 03-2171 2329. You may also contact Ng Ting Ah at The Registrar, Education Russia
, Russian Resources Sdn Bhd, 37 Green Hall, 10200 Penang, or tel 04-262 2944, or fax 04-262 4926.
Russian Medical College are the worst choice. They are the worst medical college in the world .I was in Russia
,Kursk,StPetersburg,Ukraine and was so disgusted with the system that I decided go back to my country study and get into a bettter Uni.I dont understand how the Malaysian Govt could recognise these Unis.There are so many flaws that even the Indian ,Srilankan and many more councils have derecognised the RUSSIAN MEDICAL SCHOOLS.YOU DONT HAVE TO STUDY,YOU CAN PAY AND PASS,PLENTY OF BOOZE,SEX AND DOPE AND THEN THE NEO NAZIS THE CORRUPT OFFICIALS AND NOW WORST STILL THE TERRORISTS.About the WHO lemme tell you one thing only those loosers who cannot make it into good medical schools because of low grades go to Russia
.I know some Businessmen who literally bought Russian Medical Degrees for US $25,000 AND THE COLLEGES WERE MOSCOW MEDICAL ACADEMY,KURSK,St PETERSBURG.UKRAINE of all is the worst place to go where you can buy literally anything starting from any undergraduate degree to Phd.I dont want to talk about KURSK,IT DOESNT EVEN QUALIFY AS A MEDICAL SCHOOL.JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE A BUILDING AND SOME 10 LECTURERS WHO CAN SPEAK MONOSYLLABIC ENGLISH DOESNT QUALIFY YOU TO START AN ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAMME.THE PROGRAMME WAS ACTUALLY STARTED FOR THE LEBANESE BUT NOW IT IS CONSIDERED,CLAIMED BY THEM TO BE THE BEST DERECONISE THE MEDICAL SCHOOLS.MEDICOS WORLDWIDE COMPLAIN TO THE MEDICAL COUNCILS.AS RESPONSIBLE DOCTORS WE HAVE TO STOP THESE GRADUATES FROM RUSSIAN MEDICAL SCHOOLS WHO WILL BRING SHAME TO OUR ALREADY TAINTED PROFESSION.
DR.Aramis Luciano
MBBS,MRCP
Russia
's St. Petersburg State University, Faculty of Medicine is not kursk, and its English language medical doctor degree is unique from any of the Moscow med schools, or any other medical school, in the world. Here is their web site for the MD/USMLE
Green Card Program.
President Vladimir Putin and Vladimir Lenin are both Alumni of the University, where 8 Nobel Prizes were earned.
USMLE
instruction is incorporated into the curriculum, and students are certified for USMLE
Step 1 at the end of their 3rd year, and Step 2 at the end of their 5th year. The program also affords the students the opportunity to receive an American Green Card before they graduate, so that they can do postgraduate hospital residency in the US without visa problems. All the information is posted to their web site.
There are many elements of the University's Faculty of Medicine's program which sets it apart from all other medical schools in Russia
, including: Students receive basic science course instruction at the various faculties, e.g. Biology, Chemistry, Physics, etc., structured for medical eduation; It's teaching staff is the best in St Petersurg, which includes Academicians of the Russian Academy of Science, authors of Russian Medical school textbooks, etc.; There are 3 other WHO listed medical schools in St. Petersburg, and the best English speaking Professors from those schools instruct in their particular disciplines also at the Univerisity's Faculty of Medicine English language program; Because of the quality and seriousness of the curriculum instructed, graduates of the University's MD program are permitted to enter their postgraduate residencies immediately after graduation. This is the only medical school in Russia
where this is allowed by the Ministry of Health. All other medical graduates, from all other medical schools in Russia
must do a one year internship program before they can enter any Russian postgraduate residency program. This demonstrates the uniqueness of its curriculum, as well as the recognizition of the Degree within the Russian medical profession.
St Petersburg State University is Russia
's first University, founded in 1724 by Peter the Great. Dimitry I. Medeleev (Periodic Table of Elements), Ivan Pavlov (Nobel Prize Physiology
and Medicine) and many other renowed scientists, researchers and medical doctors are members of it's alumus.
While some of the disparaging remarks made by Dr Azarro may apply to the Kursk school and some others, they do not apply to the St. Petersburg University's Faculty of Medicine.
It is well recognized that St. Petersburg is unlike any other city in Russia
. The cultural heart of the country, it is known as a University city, and Russia
's most European city. Millions of tourists visit the city each year because it is known as a world class city.
Students interested in receiving a unique, world class medical education which will lead to a green card for postgraduate hospital residency in the US after graduation, in a world class city should consider the Faculty of Medicine.
Questions can be sent to Dean of the Medical Faculty, Professor Sergie Petrov MD., Ph.D.,
I cooperated with the University's Faculty of Medicine to develope the MD/USMLE
Green Card Program, and remain associated with the University for this program. (see web sites) I can answer all your questions and direct you to a country representative for further information and enrollment.
Dear students
WE are reperesentative for recruiting to Russia
ans Ukraine studies.We woul like to advise Malaysian and Indian students to join our firm to study abroad.our contact number is 05-5983654.dont miss yeah .from india plz call 8106055983654
Russian medical schools are indeed good,but only for their own Russians not the english programme which is literally a degree mill.
Students with horrendous results in SPM,O Levels and A Levels are taken in.They learn jack all about medicine.And after 6 years they return home to Malaysia where we find them totally inept and incompetent.Many from Moscow medical academy and even some final year elective students from Russia
/Ukraine can't even clerk a proper history and perform a clinical examination.Not to mention they do not know scrubbing procedures and venepuncture skills.Some have never even seen and used an opthalmoscope.
It is sad that the Minsitry of Health is not looking into the problem.I do hope aspiring students do not take easy short cuts by going to Russia
but work hard,study hard,get the GRADES required to be a doctor and get into a good medical school.
Its simple.shape up or ship out!
To everyone,
I was a student at Kursk and I have got to say that not only teaching is bad but exams are a sham-everybody passes.
Clinical teaching is nil to none.A lot of my classmates are fellow malaysians who did not get into local universities in Malaysia or even private medical universities of quality such as IMU,PMC or PCM.
Indeed,the place in Kursk was filled with mutts intending to become doctors.
Thank god I left that place,retook my A Levels to get the needed grades and am now happily studying in IMU.
What I know is that Russia
's Yuri Gagarin is the first man from earth who succesfully reached outer space even before america and continued now by other russian astronauts. And now malaysia is learning and getting help from Russia
to get their astronauts to the moon. Meaning that Russia
is a very advance country in terms of its education especially in science since long before. So what nut are you people talking?
What I know is that Russia
's Yuri Gagarin is the first man from earth who succesfully reached outer space even before america and continued now by other russian astronauts. And now malaysia is learning and getting help from Russia
to get their astronauts to the moon. Meaning that Russia
is a very advance country in terms of its education especially in science since long before. So what nut are you people talking?
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Topic Tags: 
They are the worst medical college in the world 
AND THEN THE NEO NAZIS THE CORRUPT OFFICIALS 
DERECONISE THE MEDICAL SCHOOLS.MEDICOS WORLDWIDE COMPLAIN TO THE MEDICAL COUNCILS.AS RESPONSIBLE DOCTORS WE HAVE TO STOP THESE GRADUATES FROM RUSSIAN MEDICAL SCHOOLS WHO WILL BRING SHAME TO OUR ALREADY TAINTED PROFESSION.
