BudapestStudent.com - Semmelweis University
Exams at our University
First of all, you sign up for exams through the Neptun System. You will be given a username and password at the begining of the first year.
Each Department (subject) will post about two exam dates per week, but there is limited space for each exam.
Here is a picture of what it looks like (click to see bigger format):
Some exams are written, some are oral and some have both a written and an oral part.
Subjects such as Anatomy or Pathology have both a theoretical and practical part.
How are exams conducted?
Written exams
Most of the pre-clinical subjects (Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Biochemistry, Physiology etc) are written. Both the semifinal (after the Fall semester) and the final exam (after the Spring semester) are in written form.
Almost all the written exams I have seen at our university have been multiple choice.
In other words:
What is the capitol of Germany?
A - Finland
B - A plane
C - 455
D - Africa
E - Berlin
F - None of the above
Then you have to mark one alternative.
In some instances they have multiple answers, too:
Which one of these are animals? (3)
A - Frog
B - Goat
C - House
D - Water
E - Dog
Some subjects may use essay form questions:
Explain the photoelectric effect.
or
What are the risk factors for congestive heart failure?
You do not have to dress up for a written exam. I just wear jeans and a sweater (unless it's summertime, then I wear a t-shirt).
Oral exams
There are two aspects to the oral exam:
1 - The way you behave
2 - The way you answer the questions (what you actually know)
If you wear a big nose-ring, spikey hair and heavy make-up, then you are telling the public (or at least me) that you are not interested in being a doctor.
If you show up wearing sweat pants and a dirty t-shirt, then you are telling the examinor that you have absolutely no respect for him/her.
You have to behave in a respectful manner and dress properly.
Men should wear a tie and jacket (I always wear a suit), women should wear something nice, but conservative.
Your experience of oral exams are dependent on your preparation and how the examinor is.
Sometimes you may not have prepared very well and the examinor may be very strict. In this case you are likely to fail within 5 minutes.
Don't be surprised if the examinor gives you an unpleasant remark if your performance is poor and it is obvious that you didn't study (i.e. "why do you waste my time?").
I personally believe that oral exams are much better than written exams, simply because the practice of medicine is not about crossing off alternatives on a piece of paper, it is interactions with humans (be it a patient, the patient's family, colleagues, head of departments, ambulance personell etc).
You have to be able to present your knowledge in oral form. You have to be able to argue your view on a case, because medicine has no absolute right or wrong answers! I can understand that your knowledge of Biology or Physics can be checked using a written exam, but not internal medicine, surgery or even anatomy. They are hands-on subjects.
Almost all of the clinical subjects have oral examinations.