Information for medical students

studying in credit system

University of Pécs – Medical School – Orientation Day

The credit system

Credit System- EU 4 freedom principles: free flow of capital, products, services and persons- flow of persons: study or teach abroad (old habit at guilds)- accepting earlier studies (Life-Long Learning)

Bologna initiatives

- 1998 – Sorbonne Declaration: mobility of students and teachers:

comparability and mutual recognition of degrees

- 1999 – Bologna Declaration: to create a more competitive, compatible and

attractive educational system in EU (autonomy, increased transferability)

- 2010 – European Higher Education Area

Wide and transparent range of high quality courses

and benefit from smooth recognition procedures

A European economy based on knowledge, competitiveness,

free flow of manpower.

ECTS

European Credit Transfer System

Raising well educated manpower:

1. cycles = skilled workers, graduate professionals (Bachelor program), scientists (Master program)

2. Comparable degrees

Credit points

30 hours of study = lessons and home study (here: 14 lessons = 1 credit point)

Quantity of work, not quality – given if the grade is min. 2 (satisfactory)

Suggested curriculum: 30 ± 3 credits / semester (GM 360 / 12 semesters, D 300/10)

Overally collected number of credit points show the progress in studies

A subject can be booked only 3 times (no completion at the 3rd: dismissal)

300 credit points are needed for dentistry degree, 360 are for Gen. Med. degree

Min 20% are non-obligatory subjects, min 5% optional subjects

ECTS at UP MS

Credit system in medical training programs old system: we had so called „credit courses” before as well

undivided program (Master’s degree)

different curriculum versions

courses based on each other (prerequisites) + high percentage of practices

+ no exam course chance

→ if you fail a subject, it is hard to keep up with the original schedule

courses can be completed once (retake only on failure): an „upgrading exam” chance is only available in the same exam period

max. 3 prerequisite subjects (elective cannot be a prereq. for an obligatory)

Credit points

You can collect credit points by getting a grade in subjects.

After every 14 hours of class hours 1 credit point is allocated to the subjects (14 hours = 1 credit, 18 hours = 1 credit, 24 hours = 1 credit but 28 hours = 2 credits)

All credit points allocated to that subject will be given if at least a satisfactory grade is given (this is a qualitative pointer – how much work did it take).

Minimum credit points

You have to collect 360 credits (General Medicine major) or 300 credits (Dentistry major)

to get the degree

80% of the credits come from obligatory subjects

15% you have to collect from elective subjects

5% you have to collect from optional subjects

Student - curriculum

Major- Általános orvos

- Fogorvos

- Gyógyszerész

- General Medicine

- Dentistry

- Allgemeine

Humanmedizin

- Zahnmedizin

Curriculum- 2003

- 2004

- 2005

- 2006

- …

General Medicine v02

Pl. OAAMB1

General Medicine 2006

Pl. OAAMB1

Curriculum = a contract with student (tell changes a year before)

Subjects and Crit. Requirements

Obligatory Basic Modul:

- Medical Chemistry 1

- Medical Chemistry 2

- Biophysics 1

- Biophysics 2

…

Obligatories

What you surely have to complete- All your obligatory subjects- All the criterion requirements (4 semesters in Physical

Education, summer practices: Hospital Care (1st year), Medical Communication (1st year), Internal Medicine (3rd year), Surgery (4th year), and a final exam in Hungarian Language

- 34 (GM) / 25 (Dent) credits from elective subjects + you’ll have to defense your thesis (20 points as an elective subject)

- 18 (GM) / 15 (Dent) credits from optional subjects

Suggested curriculum

Suggested curriculum contains the obligatory subjects and criterion requirements that you have to complete - in the suggested schedule: if you follow it, you’ll be able to finish your studies in 6 years (GM) or 5 years (Dent.).

According to it you are suggested to complete 30±3 credit points / semester.

Criterion requirements

Though criterion requirements are obligatory to complete, since in their cases no grade is given and no exam is taken, they go with 0 credits.

Electives and optionals

The list of elective and optional subjects can be found in a separate booklet every year.

Electives are more closely related to the medical field, optionals can be anything – from arts to technical character subjects, to serve your wide range of interest.

By the end of the 5th year (GM: before you start rotational year) you must complete 54/45 points in electives (remember: thesis worth 20 credits), and 18/15 points in optionals.

1

Basic Module

Physical Education

2 Physical Education, Nursing Skills Summer Practice, Family Medicine Summer Practice

3 Physical Education

4 Physical Education, Hungarian Language Final Exam

5 Preclinical Module6 Internal Medicine Summer Practice

7

Clinical Module8 Surgery Summer Practice

9

10

11Rotational Year

12

Needed for degree: General Medicine

Complete all obligatory subjects, criterion requirements and 54 credits in electives and 18 in optionalsE

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1

Basic Module

Physical Education

2 Physical Education, Dental Assistant Summer Practice

3 Physical Education

4 Physical Education, Hungarian Language Final Exam

5 Preclinical Module6 Dentoalveolar Surgical Summer Practice

7

Clinical Module8 Integrated Dentistry Summer Practice

9

10

Needed for degree: Dentistry

Complete all obligatory subjects, criterion requirements and 45 credits in electives and 15 in optionals

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360/300 credit points

Obligatory subjects (80%) + criterion requirements about 288 / 240 points

Elective subjects (15%) = 54 / 45 points

Optional subjects

(5%) = 18 / 15 points

22 obl. + el. + opt. 20 obl. + el. + opt.

23 obl. + el. + opt. 29 obl. + el. + opt.

31 obl. + el. + opt. 28 obl. + el. + opt.

25 obl. + el. + opt. 20 obl. + el. + opt.

26 obl. + el. + opt. 29 obl. + el. + opt.

40 obl + 20 el (thesis)

360/300 credit points

293

54

+ 18

365

30±3 / sem

1 2

3 4

5

7 8

9 10

11-12

6

The

Registration

week

Booking courses

Which course should I choose from the list offered by the ETR?

- Do I need to complete it? (obligatory) or is it interesting enough? (you can read about courses in the program booklets = course descriptions)

- Have I completed it’s prerequisite subjects?- Will it fit to my schedule?- Are there any available spots for me?- Do I need that type of credit (especially in case

of elective / optional subjects)?

Code of subjects

What shows if it is an obligatory subject or an elective or an optional one?

Check the 3rd character in the course code:A / P / K = it is an obligatory subject

E = it is elective

F = it is optional

R = it is a criterion requirement

Example: OAA-MB1 = medical school, gen. Med. English, obligatory in basic modul

Booking period

The semesters start with a booking period.

1. step: make your semester active in ETR2. step: book the subjects that you want to study in that

semester (see the list offered by ETR) – beware of the deadlines!

3. step: double check your list before the deadline!

Booking or cancelling a course after the deadline can be done only by using the law of equity (and loosing your dean’s exam chance).

Subject or course?

A subject is a part of the curriculum. It has to be completed by getting a grade (or a signature in case of crit. req. subjects). A subject is always connected to 1 major (this connection is shown in the code of the subject). E.g. Hungarian Language 1 is a subject.

A course is the class you can attend (it has schedule, a place, and spots). A course is held upon the basis of subjects. Courses can be available for more majors. By attending the course you can complete a subject. E.g. Hungarian Language 1 on every Tuesdays and Thursdays at 14.00 is a course which GM and Dent students can attend, and there are 20 places (spots) available. Hungarian Language 2 on every Mondays and Fridays is an other course. It is also suitable for completing Hungarian language 1 subject. Since you can get credits only once for completing the same subject, you have to choose one of the courses based on the same subject.

In the ETR actually you book the course, and by this you express your decision that you want to complete that subject.

Course ≠ SubjectThe lecturer gives courses

= topic, schedule, place, spots

Group „A” – Hungarian Language 1

Mondays 14.00, lect. room II., 30 persons

You (in major X) have a subject in your curriculum to complete

Hungarian Language 1

An other guy in major Y also has a subject in his/her curriculum

Hungarian Language 1

Group „B” – Hungarian Language 1

Mondays 16.00, lect. room II., 30 persons

Group „C” – Hungarian Language 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

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

At UP MS subjects can be completed once.

That means if you were given a passing grade for a subject, you cannot take it up again in an other semester to make a better grade in it – you were already given the credit points allocated for that subject. (For the same achievement you can get credits once.)

A bettering grade can be only received in the same exam period.

Take up a subject max. 3 times

Hungarian Language 1

Subject lists

After the booking period the RO gives you a list with your subjects you booked.

By signing this list you admit that the list is correct, and you cannot attend, nor take exam in or get credit points for any other courses in this semester.

Students are asked then to copy the list into their gradebooks.

The Registrar closes the list by putting a „Closed” seal on the page of the last item on the list.

The course list

The gradebook

Tuition feeUsually 1-2 weeks before the instruction period starts the RO sends an information e-mail to

each students: how much do they have to pay, to which bank account they have to pay, what is the deadline, what delay fees can there be, etc.

Tuition fee is to be paid in USD!

Students are obliged to give a proof of payment (bank transfer receipt).

Deadline for payment and sending receipt is usually the end of the first instruction week.

Delay fee for delay in payment: 0.3% of tuition fee / week, delay fee for delay in bringing in the receipt: 3450 HUF / week.

Students can have a discount from the tuition fee: – Upon educational scholarship: if the average of averages in the first and second semesters of

the last academic year is 4.01 – 4.50 10% reduction4.51 – 4.99 20% reduction5.00 40% reduction

– Reduction • if signed up for only 1 obligatory subject (30%),• if signed up for only 2 obligatory subjects (15%),• if signed up for only elective and optional subjects – 1500 USD.

These two types of discounts are automatic.

The instruction

period

During the instruction period

During the instruction period you’ll have to

- attend classes – at practices and seminars a catalog is taken. Number of absences accepted is always issued in the program booklets or should be released at the beginning of the instruction period. If you were absent in 15-30% of the classes – usually practices and seminars – the course director can deny giving you the signature. Beyond 30% your gradebook cannot be signed.

- There will be mid-semester tests and oral interviews, tasks to complete.

Shortly before the exam period4 weeks before exam period the departments agree with student

representatives about the exam dates.The RO puts in the dates to the ETR.

On the last week of the instruction period the ETR opens for students so they can start registering and changing their exam dates.

Also on the last week of the instruction period students who owe nothing towards the UP MS (tuition fee, delay fees, C chance fees, absence fees, bank transfer receipts, shown their residency permit / visa and address card) can pick up their gradebooks for the exam period.

Students have to collect the semester closing signatures from the course directors on the last week, but at least before the exam.

Semester closing signature

Criterion requirement: only this signature is needed (they are fail/pass type subjects)

Subjects ending with a mid-semester grade (all of the elective and optional subjects and some of the obligatories): you can get the mid-semester grade only if this signature is given.

Subjects ending with a semester or final exam: you can take the exam only if this signature is given.

The course director has the right to deny this signature. If the student was absent at 15-30% of the classes the course director may decide, but if the absence was over 30% he has no right to sign the gradebook. In these cases a „did not attend – nem járt” notice is written in the gradebook.

Exam sheetsThere are two simultaneous ways to register exam results and other

achievements.

The exam sheetsThe student has to register himself/herself to an exam spot (date for a course +

number of students accepted) through the ETR. This way his/her name appears on an exam sheet containing the name of the students on that exam date in that course. (I said course: spots can be available for more majors in common.)

Students can cancel their names from an exam sheet until 2 working days before the exam 9.00 a.m. and they can register for an exam sheet until 1 working day before the exam 9.00 a.m..

After this deadline exam sheets are closed and the departments print them out and they organize the exam date.

A student can have only one exam spot in a course at the same time.If your name is not on the exam sheet, you cannot take the exam.At the exam the examiner fills in the exam sheets with the grades given. After the

exam the examiner fills in the grades into the ETR.

The gradebookThe other method of registering exam results and other achievements

is the using of the gradebook.

The student has to take the gradebook with him/her to the exam. Without the gradebook no one is allowed to sit for the exam.

The examiner has to check whether the signature is given in that course.

At the end of the exam the examiner writes in the result into the gradebook (and to the exam sheet as well) and signs it.

Warning: the gradebook is an authenticate document of proof. Faking it can cause someone being dismissed from the university and being put into jail! (E.g. signing instead of the examiner…)

If the result written on the exam sheet is different from the one written into the gradebook, the result written in the gradebook is valid.

At the graduation ceremony the gradebook will be given to you.

ResultsResults can be:In case of criterion requirement subjects (where only a signature is given) =

signing the gradebook or „nem teljesítette / did not attend”In case of midsemester grades = 1 (elégtelen / fail), 2 (elégséges / satisfactory),

3 (közepes / average), 4 (jó / good), 5 (jeles / excellent) or if signature is denied: „nem teljesítette / did not attend”

In case of exams = 1 (elégtelen / fail), 2 (elégséges / satisfactory), 3 (közepes / average), 4 (jó / good), 5 (jeles / excellent) or if signature is denied: „nem teljesítette / did not attend” or in case of absence as shown below.

If the student was absent from the exam without medical reason, a note will be entered to the ETR (and to the gradebook after returning it to the RO) = „nem jelent meg / absent”.

If there was a medical reason and the student could prove it to the examiner before sitting for the next exam chance, the following note will be entered to the gradebook and the exam sheet: „igazoltan nem jelent meg / justified absence”.

Being absent without medical reason from an exam means you lose that chance and you have to pay an absence fee (4000 HUF).

A, B, C exam chances

In every semester you take a subject, you have 3 chances to complete the exam (if it ends with an exam).

First chance is called the A chance.Second chance is called the B chance.Third chance is called the C chance (a fee should be paid

for C chances: for semester exam = 4000 HUF, for final exams = 8000 HUF).

If you retake this subject because you couldn’t complete it, during this second semester all your chances are considered as C chances.

You can sign up for the next exam chance if the result is entered into the ETR by the examiner.

Retake / bettering exams - 1

In case of mid-semester grades: since the result is determined upon the overall achievement shown during the instruction period (this was not an exam), no retake or bettering examination can be taken.

If there was something missing during the instruction period (e.g. you missed a test), and the department has declared to give a chance, in the first 2 weeks of the exam period this missing thing can be made up and then the department will determine the grade you get.

…

Retake / bettering exams - 2

In case of semester or final exams

you can sign up in the ETR for retake/bettering exam spot only if your previous result is already put in the ETR by the Department. This usually happens on the afternoon of the exam date (deadline: next working day 12.00).

The signing up deadline should be considered in this case: probably you’ll not be able to sign up for the next 1 or 2 days.

The Dean’s exam chance

The Code of Studies gives the students the chance called the „law of equity”.

This section is dedicated to help those students who – for reasonable problems – need an extra help (favor granted by the Dean) during their studies.

Once in your studies you can use this „law of equity” chance – e.g. for asking for a 4th exam chance in an exam period.

Once you have used this „law of equity” for any of the reasons given, you lost this chance and you can not ask for a favor on the basis of this again – Law of equity only once in your studies.

Dean’s exam chance

This chance can provide you a fourth exam chance in an exam period.

This chance can be granted on the law of equity (that can be used only once during your studies) – if anything else was granted for you on the law of equity, you lost the dean’s exam chance.

You have to give in a request on a form, it is judged in one working day and then you can register for the exam spot through the RO.

Returning gradebooks

2 working days after your last exam date in the semester you have to return your gradebook to the RO – but not later than the last day of the exam period (delay fee: 2000 HUF in 8 days and 11000 HUF beyond 8 days).

The RO compares the entries in the gradebook and the ETR.

The RO closes the semester by counting the weighted average of the grades (the credit points are the weights) and the number of credits completed.

The Vice-dean of Education signs and seals the results on the right side – just opposite to the signature of the Registrar.

The RO copies every entries from the gradebook into the registry book.

Credits taken / credits completed

What happens if you register for a course but you cannot complete it?

If it is the 1st or 2nd time you booked it – nothing harmful.If it is the 3rd time – you’ll be dismissed from the program.

The tuition fee is designed to cover the completion of an amount of 360 / 300 + 10% credits (that’s normal).

If you booked more than 396 / 330 credits (no matter how much you have completed), there is an extra fee you have to pay: _____ USD/credits.

30 / 60 credit rulesThere was a rule saying if a student:- by the end of his/her 2nd active semester couldn’t complete 30 credits in

obligatories and in electives or - by the end of his/her 4th active semester couldn’t complete 60 credits in

obligatories and in electiveshe/she has to be dismissed from the program.

GOOD NEWS!

This rule is cancelled!

In fact only modified: scholarship receiving students – at the Hungarian program – will loose their scholarship and can continue their studies on a self-financing basis – but no one can be dismissed upon this reason.

Cases of automatic dismissal

- Booking a course / subject for the 3rd time and not completing it (at the moment electives and optionals are also taken into consideration for this!)

- Not setting your student’s status for the semester to active or passive in the ETR at the matriculation period for the 2nd time after each other.(You may remember: you can be passive by setting your status to passive or not setting anything). You can be passive for 2 semesters continuously – but you have to set your status to passive.

- etc. (see in Code of Studies and Examinations Article 23)

Experts and misc

Building is open: from 6.00 to 22.00

Tünde Gracza

Tamás Téczely

Gábor Rébék-Nagy

Student Council

A few words about the Year Opening Ceremony (the oath, the seating…)

SOLEMN PROMISE OF THE FIRST YEAR STUDENTS

I, ……………………… , student of University of Pécs 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.