David Byrne from Galway is in his pre-clinical year of medicine in Semmelweis University in Budapest, and hopes eventually to practice in neurology in California.
David graduated from Dublin City University with a BSc in computer applications in 2001, and worked as a computer programmer for a year and a half. He originally wanted to study medicine, but with 530 CAO points, he was one grade away from medicine. He felt disappointed with the system and was not certain what he wanted to do.
"I initially tried to secure a mature entry place in medicine in Ireland, but did not get an interview. I investigated different colleges in Eastern Europe and was surprised to find that they had English language programs. I studied hard for the entrance interviews at the Hungarian Embassy and succeeded in getting a place at Semmelweis. In 2002 I left for Budapest.
"Budapest is a great city to be a student," says Byrne. "To start with, it is a beautiful place. For half the price of a room in a house in Dublin, you can rent a decent apartment in the city centre. For about €30, you can access all the public transport for over three months as a student.
"In the first two years you study the basics - biology, chemistry, physics, anatomy, immunology, physiology and biochemistry. At first I was a bit sceptical of taking longer to get started - the degree is six years overall - but we've been working hard for these two years, and I can't see anything I'd do without. We have even taken part in research activity on campus. That has to be a good thing.
"The lecturing standard here can be lower than in Ireland. There are some exceptionally good lecturers, but also some not so good. Some lectures do not seem to follow the topic lists for the examinations, which mean students have to rely on the books. However, it is the practice classes that are the strength of Semmelweis. They are much more important and the standard is very good. Much of the theory is given in these smaller groups, headed by researchers.
"In the end, you can do well if you work hard, but you will not breeze through here, and that is what you want in the end; to have a qualification you know is worth the paper it is written on. Around 20 per cent of the second-year English programme failed last year - and they had already made it through first year.
"For students who want to qualify as vets, Budapest is a home away from home, with a large Irish student population. For students interested in other disciplines, they would need to have a burning desire to qualify as they are on their own among a multi-cultural student body studying through English."
