- It’s the fastest way to get into medical school. (+)
- The studies are in English. (+)
- International experience. (+)
- I’ll be living far away from the people I love. (-)
- The educational system in Eastern Europe is very old school. The professor is God, you are no one. Just like in Portugal, or even worse. (-)
- My loan will be HUGE by the end of the 6th year. (-)
- Learning another language (Slavic languages are no joke), something that you’ll never use once you come back to Norway. (-)
- By the end of the medical studies, it’s harder to get a job compared to someone who studied in Norway. (-)
Why should I consider applying to medical school in Norway?
- It may take longer to get into medical school, but in the meanwhile, I can keep working and improving my Norwegian language skills. (+)
- It’s so much cheaper. Education in Norway is free. (+)
- No need to leave any of those I care so much about for 6 years. (+)
I can’t think about a single disadvantage of studying in Oslo. It would be just great.
What is it that bothers me so much about excluding the first option, then?
It’s the little stupid voice in my head which keeps whispering it’s the fastest way.
However, not always the fastest way is the best one. Sadly.
After many hours of sorrow, days of an enormous disbelief and tremendous apathy, I am still working on acceptance. Accepting the fact that applying to Oslo University is the most reasonable thing to do for 3 reasons:
- I must take examinations in Chemistry and Physics (high school level).
- These subjects are required by many medical universities in any way.
- I should do things based on what is best for me and not based on how quickly I want to get things done.
I feel sorry that I somehow created the illusion that I’d be applying to medical school in Eastern Europe at any cost. Unfortunately, that is just not reasonable since I have better options.
Should I go abroad to follow my dream? Yes, sure. But I think I should do it as the ‘last resource’.
The whole plan has changed. I must think things through a little bit more. I’d rather be realistic than too optimistic.
In Norway, the examinations at a high school level can be taken in May and December. If I don’t succeed in May 2015, I can improve my grades in December 2015 and again in May 2016 (if needed). By June 2016 I should be able to get a good shot at Oslo University.
Everything can change from the moment I get my papers translated and my official GPA in Norway. So let’s wait and see. I graduated (high school) with a GPA of 183 points out of 200 in Portugal. I don’t know how they will convert this into the Norwegian scale (it goes up to 60 points) but I’m curious to see how much I’ll get.
The most important thing is to get my motivation back and restart reading.
My next step is really depending on my Norwegian GPA. Until I get it I can only wait (and study).
I am looking forward to working towards a more concrete goal, whatever it is.
2015 has just begun with a lot of uncertainty. Everything happens for a reason. So if it’s meant to be, I should move along with the current rather than fighting against it.
