University: Riga Stradins University

City: Riga

Country: Latvia

Continent: Europe

Field of study: human medicine

Study type: Other courses

Hello, everyone,

My name is Johannes and I’ve been studying medicine in Riga for a week now in my second semester. Check mcat-test-centers.com to see is there an ideal GRE score.

Like probably many of you, I thought long and hard about how I could make my dream of studying medicine come true and was finally ready to grasp at all straws, including studying abroad.
After I realized during my FSJ that it has to be medicine, the medical test went well but not well enough and I didn’t want to allow myself a 13-semester waiting period with two Abitur exams, I also decided here in Riga and in advertised in Hungary.
The confirmation from Riga came after just a week and I jumped for joy, but didn’t immediately confirm in order to keep everything open to me. In the end, I had the better first impression of Riga and decided to take the risk. I have nothing to lose, I just thought so.
As it turned out, that was far from a mistake, but the step into one of the absolutely greatest and insanely coolest adventures of my life. I can already say that the time in Riga had an incredibly positive influence on me.
So, as you can probably already tell from the first few lines, I am enthusiastic about Riga.

To apply:

I found out about Riga from a friend who had been accepted there but then turned it down because he didn’t dare (I think he’s kicking his ass with hindsight). I applied very early, just a week after the submission period opened, my application was on the desk in Riga.
I owe this to the absolutely helpful and competent work of MicroEdu, because in the end my application was checked so often that I am sure that there were no flaws left.
Personally, I believe that the admission board also attaches great importance to previous achievements (training, etc.) and the motivation letter.

As soon as you arrive here, the orientation week begins. Two weeks before the start of the semester, I flew by for a visit and took a look around the city and the university. At first I wasn’t too keen on Riga, but once you see the city’s charm, you quickly begin to identify with it.
It took me three evenings/nights in the old town to find out how to get my bearings, which means it’s pretty quick. Especially at the beginning you get to know an incredible number of cool people and I advise you to use the time to celebrate and get to know people, because later they are the ones you pull through the semester and who pull you through the semester. This results in a kind of family patchwork community in which you can move among your own kind (75 Germans in 180 first-year students) or in completely new waters. In a very short time you make friends with Finns, Portuguese, Norwegians and Spaniards, Israelis, Swedes, English and of course Germans who accompany you.
It is interesting to note that everyone is in the same situation: away from home, sometimes even moving out of the house, afraid of the big task of studying medicine. That welds people together and that’s one of the super positive aspects of Riga.

To the University:

The Riga Stradins University doesn’t look that nice from the outside, but it’s really well prepared inside. A huge free cloakroom for winter jackets and a modern canteen, whose menu is not the same as in Germany but is at least similar (you don’t starve;) ) can be found to the right and left of the entrance hall. There are 3 lecture halls in the university, which are never overcrowded thanks to the manageable number of students, and many classrooms in which classes such as chemistry, bioethics and language classes take place.
You also spend a lot of time in the Anatomicum (a separate building on the other side of the river), where, for example, anatomy, histology and physics are taught.
There are lectures and classes, there are 180 lectures, we have classes in groups of 10, which enable you to get all your questions answered. Personally, I also really like the school system with tests and work during the semester, which some perceive as negative. It keeps you on the ball and you can learn great without breaking out in total stress before the exams.

To Riga:

Riga is the European Capital of Culture 2014. This has prompted the Latvians to do their utmost and we have seen a lot of things happening in the last six months. With joining the euro, Latvia has now taken a very pleasant step for us students, the annoying conversion is no longer necessary. In my opinion, Riga and Latvia are definitely on the up and I’m sure that things will improve here over the next few years.

Conclusion:

Although I was hesitant to start a new chapter at first, it was definitely worth it.
I’m super happy here in Riga and I think it would be nice to maybe get to know one or the other of you applicants here in Riga.