Travel / What is the cheapest way to get from Modlin airport to Warsaw? [106]

Right here:

ModlinBus . Pl

Law / Where can I get a money order in US dollars in Poland? [3]

thanks for the suggestion but I need to specifically provide a money order for what I'm trying to do - it's very frustrating that they are requiring it instead of allowing me to pay by credit card but I can't really do anything about it.

Life / What is wrong with Poznan? [197]

Is it a rule to take things literally here? Seems like that's how ppl do it

Life / What is wrong with Poznan? [197]


You do realize what you've said applies to both foreign and Polish medical students right?


If you bothered to read what I mentioned earlier, there are a number of students in my group and most others who are fully fluent in Polish and are able to put the patients at ease.


You don't have to be able to speak to somebody in their language to have empathy for them. And when it comes to patient Privacy and Dignity we often do care more than a lot of Polish doctors. This is a cultural fact and the behaviour of these doctors is not meant in an offensive way, but it is simply their way of doing things here. For example, we had a doctor asking a 16 year old girl about her menstrual cycles in front of her father. After the interview we asked the doctor why she hadn't asked the father to leave prior to talking with the patient and the doctor said that she simply hadn't considered it.


I said they should be happy with students, foreign or Polish. However, it is obvious 99% of patients are not happy to have students present (I know I wouldn't want them there either). Unfortunately if this was the case there would be no future generation of doctors so it has to be this way.


We're not making any decisions with regard to patient care, all of that is decided by their doctor so there is no risk to the patient at all.


This is an extremely obvious statement


I already responded to this so no need to repeat myself. I have a lot of respect for the doctors that train us.


This is a fault with the University which does nothing to get rid of bad students because they want our $, I totally agree with that. All I can say is that not all students are like that and there are those of us who truly care.

Life / What is wrong with Poznan? [197]

Sorry for the confusion but by translators I meant that we have students in our group who are fluent in Polish and do the translating. In groups where there are no Polish speakers the doctors translate. In any case, it wouldn't be the "health care system" paying for a translator, it would be the university that we pay a tuition fee to attend funding it so don't worry.


You simply don't like the idea of a Polish patient encountering a foreign medical student, as if that some how takes away from the quality of their medical care.

The program is offered as an English language program which means we are not expected to have a working knowledge of Polish to be here. Most importantly, just because we don't all speak Polish doesn't mean that we treat patients here with any less respect and dignity than we would in our home countries. We all have extreme empathy for the patients we encounter and students from NA often give far more care and attention to a patients privacy and dignity than most Polish doctors care to consider.

Most patients should be happy to have an encounter with students (Polish or foreign) because that means they often have 5-6 fresh minds considering the state of their health in addition to their regular health care provider.

Life / What is wrong with Poznan? [197]


Translators

Life / What is wrong with Poznan? [197]

Foreigner4

Lol I assure you I have no problems living in Poznan, I just needed to vent was all and this forum has been a great outlet. A lot of what people have said about missing home is definitely true. I've done my best to focus on the positives about living here while trying to ignore the negatives but every now and then it's good to blow off some steam.

I pretty much figured out on day 2 in Poznan how to give the stare-down to drivers that cut me off and how navigate my way around dog crap on the sidewalks like a pro. Here's the major difference - people from this city grow up with those things and would go mentally insane if they let it bother them every time it happened so they are good at brushing it off whereas I am not. The following forum I think summarizes this well:

Automobiles vs. Pedestrians in Poland

So let me turn it around - if you live in Poznan do you really not care about the crap-covered sidewalks that are falling apart? Are you really not bothered when you're almost run over by a careless driver? Or are you that driver? Just because things are the way the are, doesn't mean they have to stay that way.

Life / What is wrong with Poznan? [197]


I actually have a very good knowledge of Polish vocab and an ok understanding of basic Polish grammar. I can speak enough to get by with no problems, including talking to patients in the hospitals. My grasp of the language has nothing to do with my fear of dying due to poorly thought out intersections and terrible drivers.

Life / What is wrong with Poznan? [197]


I'm not trying to say Poznan is a crap whole. To be honest, I was just venting after almost being run over by a car for the 100th time at the same intersection I cross every day. Of course there are places that are better/worse but I still stand by my assertion that there things they could do to make it safer for pedestrians, not just in Poznan but in Poland and Europe in general it seems.

Life / What is wrong with Poznan? [197]


It depends on the program. There are four year and six year MD programs, and there is also a five year dentistry program.

Life / What is wrong with Poznan? [197]


That's utter nonsense. The "real" reason they don't learn Polish is because they are students and not permanent citizens. They are all acutely aware that their time in Poland is limited so there is very little use in learning detailed Polish. I have never said anything in my posts about the locals being stupid and for you to say something like that makes you look very insecure.

Life / What is wrong with Poznan? [197]

@delphiandomine

I guess as a medical student you know what you're talking about right??? Oh wait, you have no idea and just talk sh*t hahaha

Why not come to the hospitals and follow around a group of medical students before you talk about our language competence. Most students will use the most basic phrases they know in Polish with patients such as greeting them politely, asking them to breathe deeply (prosze głęboko od dychać) etc. You talk about my arrogance but it's your assumptions about the way we conduct ourselves that really stands out.

Life / What is wrong with Poznan? [197]


Medical students have far to much important material to commit to memory rather than to waste their time learning Polish. Would you rather know how to speak Polish or recognize the signs and symptoms of a myocardial infarction?

Life / What is wrong with Poznan? [197]

I understand now what you are saying and do believe you are correct as the standards for admitting foreign students in to Polish medical schools seems to be little to none. As many reading this will take the opportunity to flame me I want to point out that there are a minority of foreign students who actually do come here to study their butts off and become competent doctors.

Life / What is wrong with Poznan? [197]


So please prove it.


This is true

Side note - please don't get me wrong, Poland has some of the best and brightest young people of any country, but the schooling system here turns them in to a bunch of cheats which is really unfortunate. There are no consequences for this and as such it becomes rampant. If they actually managed to crack down on this and hold students accountable to the same standards as elsewhere the quality of the medical graduates (and graduates in other fields respectively) would increase dramatically.

Life / What is wrong with Poznan? [197]


WOW - You have NO idea what you are talking about. You are obviously not a medical student because your comment is hilarious to me. I am not talking about the tests that are given to me by the university. I am talking about the tests that are administered by the National Board of Medical Examiners in the US. The tests given in Poland written by the Polish faculty are meaningless, and that includes those given to English speaking students and Polish students alike. The SINGLE final exam given to Polish medical students at the end of their six years is a complete joke as compared to the multiple multi-hour/multi-day tests that Canada and the US administer to medical students in order to allow them to graduate.

And let me clarify because you clearly don't have a clue - I am talking about the comprehensive examinations that any medical student (US trained or foreign trained) must pass if they want to practice medicine in the US. The actual subject exams that are given in Poland are not even close to comparable to those given in the US and Canada as they largely focus on meaningless details that will never help the student be a better doctor.

The Polish doctors we have met here that have actually written the USMLE Step exams know first hand how bad the testing system is in Poland, how much Polish students cheat without consequence and how much knowledge is lacking when they graduate. If a foreign student cheats his way through his education in Poland he/she will never pass the qualifying exams to get back to the US or Canada, but that same reasoning doesn't hold true for Polish students. So again, unless you've actually gone through the medical school system here don't open your mouth because you have no idea what you are talking about and it makes you look stupid.

Let me repeat, what I am talking about are the medical licensing exams administered by the actual countries (ie. US and Canada), not the university. By far the vast majority of Polish medical graduates would not stand a chance at passing the USMLE based on the knowledge they receive in their Polish medical education alone.

Because we learn from doctors who teach in highly competitive hospitals here in Poznan they were thankfully part of the minority of Polish medical students who actually learned the material well in order to secure spots in the top hospitals. They do not hold back with their criticisms of their own countries failings when it comes to medical education and this is information I have received first hand vs. you talking out your ass.

Life / What is wrong with Poznan? [197]

I don't think the city owes me anything and I'm extremely grateful that I was able to come to Poland to pursue a medical education (not purchase one). I just think as compared to other Polish cities the pride I see in Poznan citizens is well undeserved. For a city with twice the average income of the rest of country it certainly doesn't show in the city infrastructure (the roads and sidewalks are crap as has been mentioned by some other posters). The issue with tram tickets definitely does apply to first time visitors to the city getting nailed with fines for not being able to buy a ticket - a very nice welcome.

From a tourist perspective there is no reason anybody should stop through Poznan for more than a couple hours tops. The people are definitely ruder - there is a subtle undercurrent of anger that seems to be simmering just below the surface everywhere you go and it takes the dumbest thing to set people off here and I have no idea where it comes from. If you look at it from a value perspective Poznan is well overpriced for what you get as compared to other cities in Poland.

All the bashing of the medical students really shows how little people really think. Please consider the amount of money they pump in to the Poznan economy! I suspect the anger stems from jealousy at the amount of money the students are able to spend vs. the average citizen. And of course a lot of students are f-ing retarded, but if they want to practice in the US or Canada the tests they have to pass hold them to a MUCH higher standard than Poland - in fact light years beyond what is required to practice medicine here. Yes doctors here may complain that some students from abroad are idiots, but only those who are of European descent will actually be able to practice medicine back in their home countries without having learned a thing and that says something. Polish students learn to cheat their way through six years of medical education and that includes their final exam at the end of six years.

Life / What is wrong with Poznan? [197]


Just because I'm a student in Poznan doesn't make my criticisms any less valid - you're assertions that it somehow does is ridiculous.

A traveler, permanent citizen or student will all experience the same things that I have mentioned. You are not doing anything but shooting the messenger and because why? I'm wrong about what I've said about Poznan having some serious issues? So far you've done nothing but prove me right.


You're ignorance is not surprising so I thought I would help you out a little by referring you to the following article:

cbc.ca/news/health/story/2011/02/22/canadian-students-medicine-overseas.html

"The acceptance rate for first-time applicants in Canada is under 30 per cent."

Thus I am studying medicine in Poland and getting great experience with some excellent Polish doctors. In the mean time, I have to deal with the city of Poznan and it's lovely inhabitants and problems.

Life / What is wrong with Poznan? [197]


Sigh, your assumptions and angry tone in your response proves my point and shows that I struck a nerve in a Poznan citizen with much undeserved city pride who also has much anger and rudeness within haha. Also you can talk as much smack about the school as you want, but my post has to do with the dumbness of the city of Poznan and not the University.

And on a side note - most Polish medical students cheat their way through six years of education and become terrible doctors with only a select few who actually care about their patients and do their part to learn what is necessary. Polish students need to pass a SINGLE exam at the end of their six years in order to become doctors where as those who want to practice in the US need to pass an 8 hour basic sciences exam, a 9 hour clinical knowledge exam, a clinical skills practical exam and another exam (Step 3) after that - so please don't even try to compare the competence of Polish vs. American doctors.


Is this really your response?? Just because it's done a certain way doesn't make it the correct way. The European system is dangerous! Walk in to the ER rooms in your city hospitals and talk to the doctors to know the truth about the dumbness of the traffic lights in Poznan. You're pride in your city is blinding you to the problems it has.


You are particularly rude to EVERYBODY, Polish people especially. In fact, most foreign students of non-Polish origin get treated much better than those of Polish descent and the consensus is that Poznan is by far the worst for this behaviour.


You have really done nothing but prove my point entirely, that people from Poznan are angry, rude and can't tolerate any criticism of their city. Truth be told, I came to Poznan to study medicine because getting into a Canadian medical school is amazingly difficult, and the opportunity to study in Poland with my Polish wife seemed like a great experience. As a smart Canadian I was able to write my first US Medical Licensing Exam and get a passing mark better than 90% of American medical students who took the same exam. I am actually well traveled, and may have exaggerated a bit with the "every city in the world" comment due to my frustration with the simple task of crossing the road in this city without getting hit by a car Every Single Day... but I digress.

Truth is that I love Poland and Polish culture. I have been to every major city in Poland except for perhaps Szczecin and Bialystok and loved them all. Poznan for me is the exception to the rule.

You obviously like your city and I'm happy for you and your ignorance, because once you see how it is like outside of Poznan you may never look at it the same way again...

News / Poland a top pot producer? Legalization? [30]

From a medical point of view there are mental health issues to be considered, but legalization would allow for better treatment and help. As far as consumption, eating or vaporizing marijuana is virtually free of any adverse health effects.

As far as mental health goes it's really a Chicken-and-the-Egg scenario about whether people who are crazy tend to abuse marijuana, or whether marijuana abuse causes mental health problems. A combination of genes and environment is probably the answer but obviously more research still needs to be done.

Life / Im a Black American Moving to Poland. Worried about adaptation. [47]

Living in Poland can be a real huge pain in the ass. There are no words to describe how bad the bureaucracy is - I have seen people reduced to tears by it. You will go crazy for the first while trying to sort everything out. When it comes to Polish people you will find they are either extremely friendly and open, or the exact opposite. They don't try to hide their feelings, and if they are an ******* on the inside, they will show it on the outside - and this goes from your everyday thug on the street to the cashier in your local grocery store. Don't be surprised by the attitude, rather expect it. Also, you will get a lot of looks and that is also something to prepare for. Best of luck, I hope it works out.

News / Poland liberalizes drug laws in effort to focus on treatment [35]


Comments like this highlight the hypocrisy of drug laws as they currently are written. Have you ever taken an aspirin for a headache? Ever had a cup of coffee? Ever taken an herbal supplement? Ever taken any of the Thousands of different medications that are available for the thousands of different ailments and diseases? If so, guess what - You've used Drugs! Granted some do more harm than others and should be monitored, but allowing the sale of alcohol and tobacco while prohibiting the sale of marijuana simply makes absolutely no sense and legalization is the only rational way to go.

It's not about drugs being "cool, trendy, etc" - drugs are Everywhere and are a common part of everyday life, it's just that people choose to be selective about what drugs they'll tolerate and which ones they'll demonize. When you take emotion out of it and get down to simple facts it's hard to deny that current attitudes towards illegal drugs need to change.

Law / Karta Pobytu interview... what do they ask? [12]

I can confirm that in Poznan a sworn translator was required.

Law / Karta Pobytu interview... what do they ask? [12]

I went through this with my wife last summer and the worst thing about it was having to pay for a translator, otherwise the interview is nothing you have to worry about as was mentioned. They asked us questions about each others families like if we knew the other siblings. They asked what we did over the weekend. They also asked what was the last gift I gave her and things like that. It's not going to be anything that will trip you up so I would not worry about it.

Love / What do Asian boys think about Polish girls? :) (and vice versa) [150]

My parents are from India but I was born and raised in Canada. In university I met my future Polish wife (who came to Canada when she was 8). I'm writing this to basically say that there are an infinite number of ways for two people to find each other. To generalize that Polish girls get with Indian guys for whatever reason is just ignorant. Ultimately it's between those two people and everybody else can suck it. I don't really understand why these threads keep popping up - does it really matter who a Polish girl (or any girl for that matter) chooses to date???

Law / Problems with Polish Bureaucracy, residency [17]


Fair enough, but somebody please try to explain this. In Canada I was able to go to the Polish embassy, hand them 5-6 papers and $100, come back in a week an have a 1 year Student Visa.

This summer I decided to stay in Poland with my wife and figured I'd get the Temp Stay Card instead (since it's also good for a year).

- I handed them a stack of papers two inches thick that took me at least two weeks to collect
- I was forced to have several documents legally translated (at my expense)
- I was forced to go through an hour interview (with a translator I paid for) after I handed in EVERYTHING that was required because they just "decided" to throw an interview into the mix

- I was forced to register my marriage which meant getting my marriage license sent from Canada (two weeks wait), having it translated, having my wife de-register herself from Krakow and re-register in Poznan (for some stupid reason) and after all that we still had to wait for a "decision" as to whether they would accept our marriage or not.

I have paid around 600 Złoty, wasted I don't know how many hours (it's taken me at least two months), I was temporarily an illegal citizen as my student visa had expired while I was attempting to take care of all this madness, and at the end of the day its for the EXACT SAME privelidge of being able to stay here legally for a year as a STUDENT. How does this make any sense???

They treat us like criminals and soooooooo many other students in my program are experiencing the same issues (some with the threat of deportation) simply because the bureaucracy is out of control. It is not uncommon for students to hear conflicting instructions time after time because none of the bureaucrats actually seem to know the law, let alone how to apply it properly.