Medical Education in Russia

Disadvantages of medical education in Russia

• Russian medical universities are very theory heavy, while practical knowledge takes the back seat. While in European countries and the USA, medical students spend more time in practical exercises using various simulators, in Russia such luxury is not yet available to all universities;
• Since the curators are not paid for mentoring residency students, young residents have to do the most rough work in the department in hospitals, which is practically not related to treating patients. Students have to independently look for an opportunity to practice.

Admission requirements at medical universities in Russia for foreigners

A foreign student can enter a medical university to undergo bachelor’s or specialty programs immediately after graduation from high school. If you wish, you can take a preparatory course to adapt to the new cultural environment, increase the Russian language proficiency and enhance knowledge in basic subjects.

What is required from a foreigner for admission?

• Document on the received secondary or vocational education, equivalent to Russian (with notarized translation into Russian);
• Application for admission;
• Referral from Rosobrnadzor (upon reception of a state-funded quota);
• Copy of the information pages of the passport with a notarized translation;
• Copy of a student visa;
• Certificate confirming the absence of infectious diseases and HIV;
• 6 photos in 4x6cm format;
• Migration card or temporary or permanent residence permit;
• TOEFL, IELTS certificate or equivalent for training in English;
• For applicants from the CIS countries, when enrolling to state-funded places it is necessary to have a birth certificate of one of the parents born in the USSR, or a marriage certificate.

Preparatory programs for admission to medical universities in Russia

Foreign applicants who do not have sufficient knowledge of Russian language can choose to participate in preparatory programs. The duration of training depends on the initial level of knowledge of the student. As a rule, foreigners enter a standard one-year course, which includes intensive classes in Russian (4-5 hours daily) and the study of several basic disciplines, for example, chemistry, biology and mathematics, which will help the student to consolidate existing knowledge and successfully pass the introductory exams. Moreover, the preparatory course most often includes various cultural events that allow a foreign student to quickly adapt to the new environment and get to know their classmates in an informal setting.

Most medical schools offer preparatory courses of varying lengths for students with different levels of Russian language proficiency, for example, a 5-month program that accepts foreigners with basic knowledge of the Russian language. To get training exclusively in Russian without studying additional disciplines, you can enter an intensive course. If the student wants to get more thorough training, then he should enroll in a two-year preparatory course, which includes the study of several specialized disciplines for medical specialists. During the first semester, students master the basics of the Russian language, and from the second semester, specialized disciplines are added to it, which students study in depth.

As a rule, classes in preparatory departments start at the beginning of the school year in September and end in June-July, but many medical universities enroll students for the course later, depending on when the foreigner arrived in Russia. At the end of the training, students pass an exam, according to the results of which they are enrolled in the main program at a medical university. If a foreigner does not gain the required number of points for the exam, he is expelled.

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Transfer from a foreign university to a medical university in Russia

Transferring from a foreign university to a Russian one cannot be called easy, since not all foreign qualifications are recognized in Russia and are equivalent to Russian ones. It is more or less clear with the university diplomas of participants in the CIS countries, since international agreements on the mutual recognition of documents on education are in place between them and the Russian Federation. But when it comes to universities in Europe and the USA the process is a little more complicated. In any case, the foreign applicant at the first stage notifies the selected university of his desire to continue his studies, prepares the necessary package of documents, which includes the applicant’s passport data, an application with the specified specialty and mode of study, documents about the education received from a foreign university, photographs, and also a medical certificate. More detailed information on the list of documents for transfer from a foreign university can be found on the website of the selected university.

As a rule, an application for transfer is submitted digitally and filled out on the website of the educational institution, digital copies of documents can be attached to the application (again, it depends on the requirements of a particular university). No later than 14 days after the application is submitted by a foreigner, the university certification committee, evaluates the documents for compliance with the qualifications received by the applicant in a foreign university with the requirements of a Russian university. The commission evaluates the list of completed disciplines, internships and scientific work credits for which can be reapplied in the future, after which the applicant will be allowed to study in the chosen specialty. The decision to consider or refuse documents of a foreign applicant is made by the commission within three calendar days. The commission shall notify the candidate of its decision via email.

A foreign applicant may receive a letter of refusal or transfer to the chosen specialty with the need for competitive selection. In the latter case, the applicant passes certification in the format of computer testing. Some universities may conduct additional tests in English (if the applicant does not have a language certificate). Computer testing can be carried out both in Russian and in English, if the applicant does not know Russian sufficiently.

Benefits and scholarships for foreign students in Russia

A huge advantage of studying at a medical university in Russia for foreigners is the opportunity to study for free and receive a state scholarship on an equal basis with citizens of the Russian Federation. However, for this you need to go through a very strict competitive selection. It should be noted that the size of the scholarship for foreign citizens can be called "symbolic" of only 17 USD (in 2018), which is equivalent to 25 USD per month. But together with the scholarship, a foreigner gets the opportunity to study and live in a university dormitory for free. Another nice bonus is that the scholarship is paid regardless of the academic performance of a foreign student, which is not the case for Russian students.

The scholarship does not cover travel expenses to the place of study, accommodation (food) and medical insurance. The student must take care of this on his own accord. In some cases, a foreigner can apply for other scholarships organized by private foundations and non-governmental organizations. To do this, the student must demonstrate excellent academic performance, participate in various competitions and contests, as well as be an active member of the university community.

Recognition of a Russian medical diploma in other countries

Diplomas of Russian medical universities are not recognized by most countries of the world (USA, Europe), but are quoted in the CIS countries due to existing agreements on mutual recognition and equivalence of educational documents, academic degrees and ranks. Even if a diploma issued by a Russian university falls within the scope of this agreement, it is quite possible that upon further examination of educational documents the receiving party (university, employer) will oblige a graduate of a Russian university to undergo legalization and/or recognition procedures for his diploma, pass additional exams or study. This decision may be affected by the accreditation of the institution that issued the diploma, the difference in the number of hours worked in a particular discipline, and the content of the curriculum itself. You should also take into account the fact that higher requirements are imposed on graduates of medical universities for employment, since the lives of patients depend on the level of competence of the former student.

As for the recognition of medical diplomas of Russian universities in foreign countries, everything here is much more complicated. A university graduate and even a doctor with experience must have their diploma officially recognized and pass a qualification exam. This is due to the fact that Western doctors study at universities and medical schools longer than their Russian counterparts. In some countries (Germany, Czech Republic, etc.), a graduate of a university can immediately get a job as a doctor’s assistant, while his diploma is being recognized, but has to be proficient in the local language.

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