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WELCOME LETTER FOR INCOMING STUDENTS FOR EXCHANGE IN PRAGUE, 3RD FACULTY OF MEDICINE:
Hello everybody!!
My name is Anna Mirova and I am a Local Exchange Officer in Prague at 3rd Faculty of Medicine. I am very happy to accept you at our Faculty for a Professional Exchange of IFMSA :) You already received a Card of Acceptance but I would like to inform you via this email and maybe answer usual incoming student´s questions about the clerkship and about staying in Prague for those 4 weeks.
First, I would like to tell you that there will be people - also medical students - who will be your "contact persons" and thought provide all stuff concerning your clerkship in Prague (picking up at the airport / train or bus station, accomodation, introducing you to the tutor first day of your clerkship, be there for you when you have any problems or to inform you...). Please, if you have any unanswered question, send email to your contact person stated in your Card of Acceptance.
Names and emails of those contact persons ("residents"):
Jan Svitil: leo.lf3@ifmsa.cz, jansvita@yahoo.com
Anna Mirova: leo.lf3@ifmsa.cz, annamirova@seznam.cz - if necessary.
ARRIVAL:
Please send your Card of Confirmation (CC) as soon as possible as we could arrange your pick-up. Your clerkship (for August 2008 students) starts on Monday 4th August 2008. Your accomodation is booked from 31st July so you could come earlier. But let us know!
There will be 18 students in February at 3rd Faculty of Medicine so there is a possibility that you will wait some time for picking up at the arrival point - sometimes we cannot go for each single student to the airport, especially when you come in night or early in the morning or on the first day of clerkship when we go with students to meet the tutors.... But we will try to! After sending a CC, Jan Svitil or another contact person will let you know about picking you up. If you arrive to Prague's Ruzyne Airport, we have an usual meeting point just in the arrival hall (there is only one exit). Your contact person will hold an "IFMSA" sign in his/her hand. Just wait in the arrival hall.
For emergency cases: telephone numbers: Jan Svitil: (+420 605 451 353), Anna Mirova (+420 602 366 360), Marcela Cechova (+420 723 485 659).
Just after your arrival, you will have to show your health insurance for the period of your clerkship (it is absolutely compulsory). European Union citizens: please bring your European Health Insurance Card (the blue one) if you have it. With that the standard care is covered. IFMSA CZ cannot be liable for any expenses.
Those of you who will come as an unilateral exchange, you will hand 290Euro over straightly (without this payment he/she cannot be accomodated!)
You will sign necessary documents (Rules Form, Form that you are vaccinated of Hepatitis B). Within these procedures you won't be accomodated.
ACCOMODATION:
Students will be accomodated in a student hostel (in czech language it is "kolej") named Hostivar. It is located about 20 minutes from the hospital (by tram).
The address and telephone of this dormitory:
Kolej (=dormitory) Hostivar
Weilova 1128
100 00 Prague 10
Phone to the reception: +420 267215211-2
If there is some serious problem with picking up, here is a guide how to get from the airport to Hostivar (this all will take about 1 hour). Don't forget to buy a 26 CZK ticket!
- exit the airport terminal and locate the bus station "Letiste Ruzyne" in front of the building
- take bus number 119
- exit at the bus station "Dejvicka?, there locate the metro station "Dejvicka"
- take a metro line A (green) - there is only this one - from Dejvicka to "Skalka"
- at Skalka station, take a bus number 271 or 154
- exit at bus station "Nadrazi Hostivar".
- use the included map to navigate to the student dormitory building:
At the dormitory, you will be placed in double-bed rooms with sanitary facilities in the room (WC+bathroom). You don't need to bring bed clothes, you will receive them. Kitchen is common for each floor and it is not equipped with dishes. If you can and want, bring a plate, fork, knife, cup and for example tea-kettle,...
INTERNET CONNECTION - possibilities
1) there is an internet cafe in main building of the dormitory
2) there is an internet room (number 222) at the Faculty of Medicine (just beside the hospital) - you can receive a login and password to access to the computers. It is free. Ask your contact person.
3) there are many Internet cafes in Prague (about 60CZK = 2 Euro per hour)
LAUNDRY+IRONING
A laundry room is available at the student dormitory, the prize is 20CZK (0,80Euro) / hour and you need to bring your own detergent. Also flat-irons are available.
MOBILE PHONES
As well as buying an ordinary phonecard, it is possible to buy a precharged SIM card for your mobile phone. There are three operators in Czech Republic, O2, T-Mobile and Vodafone. The last of these three has the best price on the prepaid card, which is called VodafoneKarta and costs 500CZK. The advantage is, that you can spend the full amount on making phonecalls and sending text messages. But it is preferable for domestic calls (for communication among other clerking students, with contact persons..). Your cellphone may be "blocked" for other SIMcard - then it is necessary to get it unblock in some "mobile phone service" for about 100CZK - contact person will help you, if needed.
HOSPITAL
You are placed in hospital (=Nemocnice) Kralovske Vinohrady. Your clerkship starts on Monday 4th August. Your accomodation is booked from 31st July so you could come earlier. But let us know!
Usually each day starts between 7:30 and 8:30 in the morning (depends on the department) and ends at least at 12 or more (= from 4 to 6 hours per day). Don't forget to bring your white coat, white trousers, stethoscope and white hospital shoes (NOT trainers but INDOOR white clean! "Birkenstocs/sandals/Crocs"..)
During the first week of your clerkship you will receive an identification card which you will wear in the hospital.
On the first day of your clerkship, all students will meet early in the morning and your contact persons will go with you in the hospital and introduce you to your tutors at "your" department. You should take white coat and other things with you. Take a passport sized photo to provide a one-month-ticket for meaning transport (you will received filled form. You need only one photograph and some identification card - passport or ID) This one-month-ticket will cost 260CZK - you pay). You can use every meaning of transport in Prague (underground, bus, tram).
Address of the hospital:
Nemocnice Kralovske Vinohrady
Srobarova 50, postcode 100 34, Prague 10
(the plan of the hospital will be sent by email to all of you as a part of Booklet about Prague).
WEATHER
In our country, August is usually very warm month. But expect temperatures ranging from 15 to 33 degrees Celsius and a few rainy days as well. The weather can change rapidly during the day. Do not underestimate proper clothing in case you are used to more tropical climate. Take an umbrella as well as sunglasses and swimsuit :)
SOCIAL PROGRAM
There will be a social program organized by contact persons and other ethusiastic medical students. It also depends of what YOU would like to do but usually on weekends there are trips organized to another cities of Czech Republic, castles, historical points (for example UNESCO monuments). We will provide a Tour of Prague with all historical monuments, cafes,.. :) There are many possibilities (picnic, sports as swimming, roller skating, having party at the dormitory, going in pub, in club, at disco, in 3D cinema, in theatre, ...).
Contact persons will inform you about the social program after your arrival.
For more info about Prague, visit www.pis.cz/en or www.czechtourism.com
MONEY FOR FOOD:
We have to give you some money for food. Because of quite expensive accomodation in capital city, it won't be much: about 2000CZK for month (it is about 70 Euro). The amount of money depends, of course, how long will you stay.
The currency is called Czech Crown (Kc=CZK). 1 EUR is approximately 30 crowns.
The prices are as follows:
A loaf of bread 15 Kc = 50 cents
Butter 30 Kc = 1 EUR
Milk 1 liter 15 Kc = 50 cents
Beer 0.5 liter in a supermarket 15-25 Kc
Beer 0.5 liter in a bar 25-35 Kc
Flowers - a rose 60-80 Kc
Cigarettes 50-70 Kc (3 EUR)
You can eat in a dinner for 70-80CZK, if you go somewhere more trendy you will pay around 100 Kc (3 EUR) for a pizza or 150 (5 eur) for something else. Of course you can find a restaurant where you will pay 500 for a meal if you prefer. Your contact persons will give you some pieces of advise where is worth to go, where are cheaper prises and so on.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
a) For how long do I have to work in hospital?
At least 4 hours a day, every day in week except weekends. For recieving the certificate the minimum is 80% of work days. Because August (from 4th until 31st) has 20 workdays, you have to clerk 16 days to get the certificate. Keep this in mind in case you would like to depart earlier because there will be no exceptions on this rule.
b) Can I get my certificate earlier?
No, you will recieve it during the last week in August. There are possible exceptions in case you comply with a).
c)Where can I change money?
Everywhere, in any bank or excange office.
For example: Ceska Sporitelna, near mestro/tram station "I.P.Pavlova", Jugoslavska street, opened from Monday to Friday until 18PM.
Or in Kaprova street, near undergroun station "Staromestska" is Exchange office called "Exchange" and they have very good rate..
d)Where can I buy a card to my cellphone?
We recommend buying Vodafone SIM card called "Vodafone karta" for 500 crowns, because you do not pay for the SIM card itself as there is 500 crowns credit on it.
Where? Shopping centre "FLORA", Vodafone shop near station "MUZEUM".
Your cellphone may be "blocked" for using this SIMcard
e) What type of shoes is required to wear in hospital?
White indoor shoes which are used ONLY in the hospital, not outside. It means no trainers even they are white. Try to google images of "Birkenstocs" or "Crocs" :)
I really hope you will enjoy your staying in our beuatiful country and will happily return home with many expierences and new friends :) But please don't forget the main purpose of this all - that you are going to undergo an Professional IFMSA clerkship in the hospital with all relevant duties.
I am looking to meeting you here in Prague soon!
For more info (if necessary), please turn to Jan - jansvita@yahoo.com
Best regards,
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Anna Mirova
Local Exchange Officer
IFMSA CZ, 3rd Faculty of Medicine, Prague
email: leo.lf3@ifmsa.cz
cell-phone: +420 602 366 360