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| Location |  | |||
| Participating cities (LC's) | 5 LCs are available : | |||
| Languages | German in Basel, Bern and Zurich French in Geneva and Lausanne | |||
| Currency (how much is a Bigmac?) | Swiss-Francs, a Big-Mac cost about 8.- | |||
| Time zone | Central Europe Time (GMT+1) | |||
| Hospital beds per 1000 people | 18.3 (in 2009) | |||
| Member of IFMSA since... | 1951 | |||
| Number of incoming students per year | Between 80 and 100 students | |||
| Who is our NEO | Samuel Zweifel | |||
| Our official website / Forum / Facebook group | www.swimsa.ch (in German/French) | |||
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Contents |
Welcome Note
We want to welcome everyone to the SCOPE and SCORE of Switzerland. In this wiki page you will find some general information about our country. For more specific informations you can go to the descriptions of each city.
Have a nice time reading this.
Overview
Switzerland lies in the middle of Europe, but is not a part of it. This country has about 7 millions inhabitants who lives mostly in the plain surrounded by two mountain chains, on one side the Jura (North) and on the other the Alps (South). There are 5 LC in the 5 main cities, each has his own specificities.
Our health care system
The swiss health care system is one of the most expensive of the world after the USA. But it provides us a length of life around 80 year, which is the longest after Japan.
Every one in Switzerland must be insured for health care, that is why every incoming student needs an health care insurance. The insurance is manage by private companies and the hospitals are mostly fundraised by public money.
The hospitals
Our hospital are at a high level of competence. The five LC provide clerkships in the five universitary hospitals which are more than just health care centers. Included in the structure of the hospital, you will find wide research groups and projects. Our hospitals are very active in many researchs.
The technology avaible to cure people is also very sophisticated, for example in surgery or in medical imagery. The medical team can have access to them very easily.
Our medical education
Our medical studies is on a universitary level. The length is a little bit more than six years. The three first years are mostly centered on theoretical knowledges and we obtain at the end of it a bachelor in medical science.
The last three years are centered on clinical and pratical knowledge and at the end of it, we obtain a master in medical science. This master gaves us access to the federal exams of medicin. After that we can do our Internship (post-graduated) for at least 5 years.
Cultural differences
The swiss people are people who like a simple life. They are discret and not very expressive. In a first time, swiss people may even seem cold, but Swiss friends will always be their.
One of our biggest differences with other countries, is that we have four official langages, German, French, Italian and Romanche. Our LC are distibute over the German and the French part.
Accommodation & Boarding
The accomodation is done in the hospital, if available, in rooms that are used by the staff of the hospital. Otherwise, it is in students appartements depending on what is available.
We always find an accomodation that has an easy access to the hospital.
Social program
Because there aren't enough people for it, we have a national social program only in the summer when most incomings are here. The rest of the year each LC makes his own social program within possibilities.
Local & National transportation
The public transportation is very well developped everywhere. You can gain acces to almost every village in the country by bus or train.
Between the big cities the best way to travel is by train, although it is expensive.
In the city, buses are circulating every five to ten minutes.
Weather
The weather is very difficult to forseen more than a few days, rain and sun are possible at every season. In the summer, we have temperature between the 20° and 30°, but temperature under the 15° are not an exemption. In the winter, it can easly go to -10° with sometimes snow even in the cities, so not only in the montains!
Social life
In all the cities with an LC, there is plenty of social life with museums, parks, bars, restaurants, concerts, etc. Every day you can do something different if you want. And if your city is not enough, you can be in another one in less than an hour!
Exchange conditions
EC Switzerland
http://www.ifmsa.net/public/ecscope.php?id=4