Bosnia and Herzegovina - Rep. of Srpska
From IFMSA SCOPE Wiki
| Bosnian and Herzegovinian Medical Students' Association (BoHeMSA) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 
| |||
| Location | 
| |||
| Participating cities (LC's) | Sarajevo
Mostar Banja Luka | |||
| Languages | Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian | |||
| Currency (how much is a Bigmac?) | Shekel. Big Mac= 15 Shekel (3.7$/4.2€) | |||
| Time zone | GMT+1 | |||
| Number of Doctors and beds per 1000 people | 3.49 | |||
| Member of IFMSA since... | enter year | |||
| Number of incoming students per year | 30 - 40 | |||
| Who are our NEO's | Jovana Panić | |||
| Our official website / Forum / Facebook group | http://www.bohemsa.com/ | |||
| ||||
Welcome Note
Hello and welcome! We hope that the information found on this wiki page will be usefull!!
Overview
Identification
The name "Bosnia" is derived from the Bosna River, which cuts through the region. Herzegovina takes its name from the word herceg, which designated the duke who ruled the southern part of the region until the Ottoman invasion in the fifteenth century. The two regions are culturally indistinguishable and for much of their history have been united under one government. Although cultural variations in Bosnia and Herzegovina are minimal, cultural identity is currently extremely divisive. The three main groups are Muslims (Bosniacs), Serbs, and Croats. Before the recent civil war, many areas of the country had mixed populations; now the population has become much more homogeneous in most regions.
Demography
The population was 4,364,574 in 1991. A U.S. estimate of the population in July 2000 was 3,835,777; however, that figure is not reliable as a result of dislocations and deaths from military activity and ethnic cleansing. In 1991, approximately 44 percent of the people were Bosniac, 31 percent were Serb, 17 percent were Croat, 5.5 percent were Yugoslav (of mixed ethnicity), and 2.5 percent were of other ethnicities. Since that time, the Bosniac population has declined and that of the Serbs has risen because of ethnic cleansing by the Serbian army. (The terms "Bosniac" and "Muslim" often are used interchangeably; "Bosniac" refers more explicitly to an ethnicity, to avoid confusion with the term "Muslim," which refers to any follower of the Islamic faith.)
Since 1995, the country has been internally divided into a Bosniac/Croat Federation, which controls 51 percent of the land and whose majority is Bosniac and Croat, and a Serb Republic, which has the other 49 percent and has a Serb majority. Herzegovina, which borders Croatia, has historically had a Croat majority.
Linguistic Affiliation
Croatian, Serbian, and Bosnian are virtually identical; the distinction among them is a matter of identity politics. Serbians write their language in the Cyrillic alphabet, whereas Croatian and Bosnian use the Latin script. Turkish and Albanian are spoken by a small minority.
Religion
Religious Beliefs. Forty percent of the population is Muslim, 31 percent is Eastern Orthodox, 15 percent is Roman Catholic, and 4 percent is Protestant; 10 percent of the people follow other religions. Most of the population is not particularly observant, but religion is an important aspect of national identity. (Islam is associated with the Bosniacs, Eastern Orthodox with the Serbs, and Catholicism with the Croatians.)
Icons, which are images representing Christ, angels, saints, and other holy figures, hold an important place in Orthodox practice and are considered a connection between the earthly and spiritual realms.
Religious Practitioners. The central religious figures in Islam are called muezzins, scholars of the Koran who call the faithful to prayer. The Koran is seen as the ultimate authority in the religion. In the Eastern Orthodox religion, priests are the primary religious authorities; they are permitted to marry. The Eastern Orthodox religion does not recognize the authority of the Pope but follows a group of patriarchs who have equal status.
Rituals and Holy Places. Mosques are Muslim houses of worship. It is customary to remove one's shoes before entering. The prayer hall has no pews or seats; instead, worshipers kneel on prayer rugs. After Ramadan, people exchange small gifts, visit friends, and have a large family meal.
Eastern Orthodox religious ceremonies are held in elaborate, beautifully designed churches, many of which date back hundreds of years. Each family has a patron saint who is honored once a year in a large celebration called Krsna Slava. A candle is lit in the saint's honor, and special foods are consumed. Christmas (observed 6 and 7 January in the Orthodox Church) is a major holiday. Christmas Eve, called Badnje Vece, is celebrated with a large bonfire in the churchyard and the singing of hymns. In addition to church services, Easter is celebrated by dying eggs and performing traditional kolo dances.
Our health care system
Primary care is provided through health centers ( dom zdravlyas ) and outpatient branches called ambulantas. As of 1999 there were 87 dom zdravlyas in the Bosnian Federation, staffed by general practitioners and nurses, providing primary care, preventive care, health education, and rehabilitation. Among the secondary and tertiary care facilities in the Republika Srpska is one in Banja Luka that has 1,327 beds and one in Sarajevo with 776 beds. The country has five medical schools. As of 1999 public, health expenditure was estimated at 8% of GDP.
The hospitals
These are our major hospitals...
1. Clinical Center University of Sarajevo - Sarajevo (KCUS)
2. Clinical Hospital Mostar - Mostar
3. Clinical Hospital "Paprikovac" - Banja Luka
Our medical education
STRUCTURE OF EDUCATION SYSTEM
Pre-higher education:
Duration of compulsory education:
Age of entry: 6
Age of exit: 15
Structure of school system:
Primary
Type of school providing this education: Primary school (osnovna škola)
Length of program in years: 9
Age level from: 6 to: 15
General Secondary
Type of school providing this education: General Secondary School, Art School and Theology School (Gymnazija, umjetničke i vjerske škole)
Length of program in years: 4
Age level from: 15 to: 19
Certificate/diploma awarded: Diploma (Secondary School Leaving Certificate)
Specialized Secondary
Type of school providing this education: Vocational and Technical Schools (srednje stručne i tehničke škole)
Age level from: 15 to: 19
Certificate/diploma awarded: Diploma
School education:
Primary education lasts for nine years.The pupils enrol in primary education when they are between 5 and 6 years old. Secondary education is provided by general, vocational and technical secondary schools. Pupils graduating from general secondary schools, art schools and theology schools obtain the Diploma o završenoj srednjoj školi and can enrol in any faculty or academy by passing the qualification examination prescribed by the institution. Vocational secondary schools offer courses lasting for three years and including a period of practical instruction. Technical secondary schools offer courses lasting for four years. Pupils graduating from technical secondary schools obtain the Diploma and can enrol in any Faculty or Academy by passing the qualification examination prescribed by the Institution.
Higher education
The Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina has eight universities: the University of Sarajevo, the University of Banja Luka, the University of Tuzla, the University of Džemal Bijedić (East Mostar), the University of Mostar (West Mostar), the University of Bihać, the University of Zenica and the University of East Sarajevo. All higher education activities are subject to national (Republic Srpska) or cantonal (in the Federation of B&H) laws on higher education.
University level studies:
University level first stage: First degree: Diploma Visokog obrazovanja:
Courses leading to the Diploma Visokog obrazovanja last from three to six years.
University level second stage: Second degree: Magister:
Courses leading to the Magister require two years' further study and the defence of a thesis.
University level third stage: Third degree: Doktorat:
The Doctorate (PhD) is the highest scientific degree. It is the result of independent research. The public defence of a doctoral thesis is required.
Grading system
Main grading system used by higher education institutions
Full Description: Main grading system used at Universities of Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Tuzla, Džemal Bijedić, Bihać, Zenica and East Sarajevo: 5-10 scale with 6 as minimum pass.
Highest on scale: 10
Pass/fail level: 6
Lowest on scale: 5
Other main grading systems
Main grading system used by University of Mostar: 1-5 scale with 2 as minimum pass.
Food :)
Food in Daily Life. Bosnian food has been influenced by both Turkish and Eastern European cuisine. Grilled meat is popular, as are cabbage-based dishes. Bosanski Ionac is a cabbage and meat stew. Cevapcici are lamb sausages that often are eaten with a flat bread called somun. Pastries, both sweet and savory, are common; burek and pida (layered cheese or meat pies), zeljanica (spinach pie), and sirnica (cheese pie) are served as main dishes. Baklava, a Turkish pastry made of phyllo dough layered with nuts and honey, is a popular dessert, as is an apple cake called tufahije. Kefir, a thin yogurt drink, is popular, as are Turkish coffee and a kind of tea called salep. Homemade brandy, called rakija, is a popular alcoholic drink. Alcohol use is down since the rise in Muslim influence, and in certain areas of the country drinking has been prohibited.
Accommodation & Boarding
Either student flats or Dormitory
Social program
Local & National transportation
Railways: total: 1,021 km (795 km electrified) standard gauge: 1,021 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Highways: total: 21,846 km paved: 11,424 km unpaved: 10,422 km (1999 est.)
Waterways: Sava River (northern border) open to shipping but use limited because of no agreement with neighboring countries (2004) Ports and harbors: Bosanska Gradiska, Bosanski Brod, Bosanski Samac, and Brcko (all inland waterway ports on the Sava), Orasje
Airports: 27 (2003 est.)
Weather
Hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along coast.
Social life
Exchange Conditions
Feedback
Cities offered for exchange
[1] Sarajevo
[2] Banja Luka
[3] Mostar
