Hello BGU 2010 Class.

[Buendia]

I just thought I would post a thread where we can post all our queries/comments. So, anyone here going to Be'er Sheva this summer?

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[sharkchaser47]

I am definitely going. I'm really excited about it!

Just wondering if anyone has started the visa application process? Do you have to send them your passport, or is a photocopy of the passport enough?

 

[clafond]

I too have decided on attending and am excited to meet everyone. Currently I'm in Ann Arbor, MI finishing my MPH. I'm disappointed I won't be able to make the Darfur Rally, since SSA, specifically Northern Uganda is my main region of interest/experience.
As far as the visas, I think we need to send in our actual passport, but I'm not 100% sure, most visa's are a stamp in your passport so a copy wouldn't work.
What are people doing to cover the first tuition payment, since Stafford Loans won't disburse until the Fall?
Peace,
Chris

 

[cdf29]

Hey Everyone-

I called the consulate of Israel as well as spoke to Alice in NY about the Visa process. You will need to send your passport, the original letter of acceptance to BGU, a copy of your round trip flight information, $20 in cash, and two passport photos. Visa processing takes about two-three weeks. Alice recomended that everyone holds off on the Visa until around the second week in June because the Visa is only good for one year at a time and we will be in Israel until the beginning of July. I think I got all of the information, but you might call the consulate in your district to make sure.

Colin

 

[Antiviral22]

I just thought I would post a thread where we can post all our queries/comments. So, anyone here going to Be'er Sheva this summer?

Hey class of 2010 ... I'm finishing my 1st year at BGU in a few more months. Congrats on your acceptances!! Many students in my class are looking forward to meeting everyone in your class. I will be living in Israel this summer and will likely meet some of you during the summer orientation. If anyone has questions or concerns please feel free to post a reply or private message me - I'll do my best to help. Get ready for the Beer Sheva heat!!

 

[alx943]

I'm still trying to make the right decision: Sackler or Ben Gurion.

I love international health and will go into it, but it seems that Sackler may prepare me just as well for that--at least it wouldn't hinder me from chosing to serve in needy places, right?

Anyhow, there are so many things to consider:

living situations (apartments/houses etc.)
cost of living
option of residencies
what type of peers generally (younger, older etc?)
the cost is about the same as far as tuition i think.
and a whole world of "the feeling" of the schools that I cannot see from here.

any tips, thoughts, advice would be great!

Alex

 

[a_ditchdoc]

I'm still trying to make the right decision: Sackler or Ben Gurion.

I would recommend searching the forums. BGU and the "atmosphere" has been discussed several times. It is hard to give the "feel" of a school over the internet. I have met some of the students from Sackler and feel that we, as a student body, are miles apart. This is neither good nor bad, just different. Most students at BGU have a strong interest in international health and seem to care a lot about the international scene, travel, and the third world. The students here are known for their communication with patients; Kind of "touchy feely" if you will. The school tries to nurture the humanitarian instincts that made most of us want to be physicians, in the least they do not try to destroy them.

As far as the international aspect goes, I have to say that this is constantly stressed here. Exposure to international issues continue throughout our training. While attending Sackler will certainly not prevent you from working in the third world, I can't say it would prepare you any better than an american school, educate you about the issues that are prevelent in developing nations, or surround you with people with similar interests. I also feel that BGU has a much more diverse student body than does Sackler, although I acknowledge that my exposre to Sackler students is limited.

If you are interested in Israel for idealistic or practical reasons, and otherwise have an interest in American style schools, Sackler is probably a great choice. I must say that Tel Aviv, as a city, blows Beersheva out of the water on many fronts. However, none of the students I know at BGU had to "decide" between here and Sackler (I am not aware that any applied...or at least they don't tell). For most of us, based on our interests, the choice was clear.

I wish you the best of luck with your decision and, regardless of what you choose, either school is a great choice. If you have any specific questions feel free to PM. Perhaps some sackler students can give you a heads up on the "Feel" of their program.

 

[a_ditchdoc]

To all of you incoming first year students, I also look forward to meeting you. I am a third year, so I will only meet you briefly before I jet off to the states for a while. If you're nice I'll let you buy me a beer....

 

[sharkchaser47]

Besides studying, what do people do on the weekends in Be'er Sheva? Do a lot of the students travel?

 

[Sikana]

Hi everyone!
I may be joining the class of 2010 - I am still undecided. There are several reasons, some personal, but one is that I feel the political situation in Israel is a lot less stable than I perceived it when I applied.
Is anyone else having second thoughts for this reason? I see there are some current BGU students here, so I'd also like to know how you guys feel about it. Does it feel any different since the Palestinian elections?
Great idea by the way, this forum.

 

[alx943]

#1 could someone please list the average MCAT/GPA for the accepted students to these programs over the last few years if possible?

#2. I am still on the fence between the two; I am very interested in going into surgery (mostly general, however, I'd like to at least have a shot at a specialty if I change my mind in 3-4 years).

surgery surgery surgery.

Am I right to think that if it's general surgery, either school will give me an equal shot at getting a good residency? If it is a specialty, am I right in thinking that Sackler has a clear edge?

(i imagine myself ultimately working in the 3rd world, however, I want to bring the most cutting-edge, advanced, competent, world class knowledge and skills as possible. Does that make sense? I want to go for the prestige of the top that America has to offer just so that I can take it to the most needy. "take from the rich and give to the poor").

although I want to be surrounded by Bgu students who care about helping the world, at the same time, i want to be in the environment that pushes me the hardest--specifically focused on developing boss physician skills. yes, i want to spend my life serving the poor, but first it seems right to focus 100% on becoming the best medical doctor I can in skills, knowledge and top-of-the-line resources.

 

[sharkchaser47]

On BGU's webpage it said that the average MCAT was a 28, and the average GPA was a 3.5; but, i don't know how old that statistic is. It's been up on the page for a while.

I feel like either school will give you an equal oportunity to match into the residency program that you want. You'll have to face the same challenges... smoking the boards and getting good recommendations.

You should choose the school in which you will feel at home. Afterall, it will be your home for 3 - 4 years... Do your fourth year rotations and make good connections with hospitals that you are interested in.

 

[alx943]

You should choose the school in which you will feel at home. Afterall, it will be your home for 3 - 4 years... Do your fourth year rotations and make good connections with hospitals that you are interested in.

Which program (Sackler or BGU) has the most time in the states? I haven't looked at that for a while. are they both around 6 months?

 

[a_ditchdoc]

I'll try to answer a few questions at once.

As far as the political situation...stop watching the news. I promise it will stop bothering you as much. No, there has been no real change as far as students and life here are concerned after the Hamas win. I must admit that I am not fond of riding on city buses, but Hamas has abided by a cease fire for quite some time...so it is not them that I am concerned about. Beersheva is, despite media attention on the conflict in Israel, safer than most towns in the US. I feel free to walk about at will, any time of the day or night, through most neighborhoods. And just so you know, I have no idealogical connection with Israel..I am here just to study international medicine...

Sharkchaser is correct, 4 years is a long time. Go where you feel it is best to be, where you will fit in. If you have to visit Israel briefly to determine which school that is, it is worth the trip. Medical school is difficult enough without feeling out of place. Something I have learned is that students here, in the US Ivy League Schools, and state schools, all use the same books to educate their students. Success is entirely dependant upon yourself. You will get out what you put in. Your grades and USMLE scores will tell the story to the residency committee. The only difference may be in how you are perceived at first glance. What would you think of someone that trained at Yale versus someone that trained in the Carribbean? Yale probably has more students in top residency training programs simply because Yale has more of the top students...it is not a coincidence.

Alx943; I need to be blunt for a moment, I hope you'll forgive me. From the posts I have read on your concerns, it seems that what you are asking is "Which school is closest to an american school." I can assume by this that you did not gain acceptance in the US. This, unfortunately, happens to many people. If you are simply coming here for an american medical school style experience, Sackler is probably more along those lines. BGU students spend an average of five months in the US, Sackler perhaps more because they do not do a required third world elective.

And finally...I think there was a question about travel. I would love to answer it in detail, but unfortunately I have to pack. I am leaving for egypt in the morning....

 

[Antiviral22]

Besides studying, what do people do on the weekends in Be'er Sheva? Do a lot of the students travel?

Hi Everyone ... I'm enjoying the open discussion very much. I'd like to add a few things if I may from my own perspective:

I came to BGU because I felt that its teaching philosophy and mission are most in concert with my ideas about what a physician should represent. Most students at the school are big believers in primary care and likewise, most will end up in primary care roles (family med, peds, ob/gyn etc) - exceptions to this rule do exist, but in general it holds true. If you truly want an international health experience studying in Beer Sheva is unlike almost every US school and Sackler because of the community that the hospital serves. Where else can you find multi-ethnic mix of Bedouins, Ethiopians, Eastern Europeans, and North Africans, each group with unique socio-cultural-medical issues? I have written several posts about admissions to BGU - just search for them and you can see where I stand.

The political stability of Israel is of course a major concern, but life in Israel from my eyes, hasn't yet skipped a beat. Honestly, there is a low level of risk, but it does not outweight the opportunites provided by going to school at BGU. In theory, the places we could end up running refugee camps or providing relief will likely be much more dangerous than day to day life in Israel.

The official mean GPA and MCAT for the 2005 entering class was 3.5 and 28 respectively.

Like at any school (even the Ivys) there are things that students would like to change and there are things that students love. I am very very happy with my decision to attend BGU and I only see my experience improving.

 

[alx943]

I'm actually asking so many random questions because I am considering Ben Gurion over a few American schools. International health and future service definately is the plan, so i've been checking to see if BGU really has so much to offer--what I cannot gain from joining another med school's int'l health club or whatever they have. AND YES! Ben Gurion not only seems to have a tight program, but the chance to be with other students who deeply feel like I do is priceless.

Thank you all for your input... If I were you, I'd be like, "this is too tedious," but i want to let you know that things are starting to click more and more from my perspective.

BTW you should see my master-chart of considerations... Serving the needy as a goal is the easy part. There are a lot of deciding factors that each get a certain weight about every aspect of each school that can be imagined. fun stuff... but stuff's starting to add up.

 

[Antiviral22]

I'm actually asking so many random questions because I am considering Ben Gurion over a few American schools. International health and future service definately is the plan, so i've been checking to see if BGU really has so much to offer--what I cannot gain from joining another med school's int'l health club or whatever they have. AND YES! Ben Gurion not only seems to have a tight program, but the chance to be with other students who deeply feel like I do is priceless.

Thank you all for your input... If I were you, I'd be like, "this is too tedious," but i want to let you know that things are starting to click more and more from my perspective.

BTW you should see my master-chart of considerations... Serving the needy as a goal is the easy part. There are a lot of deciding factors that each get a certain weight about every aspect of each school that can be imagined. fun stuff... but stuff's starting to add up.

Many US schools are now recognizing the importance of serving the indigent populations of the world. It's a common to ask the question, What can BGU offer me that a US school with a good Int. Health club cannot?

Coming to Israel simulates international exposure because you must learn to live in a new culture and speak a completely new language (even if you are familiar with Israeli life, this can be challenging) - this also gives the student a perspective similar to new a refugee or immigant who has difficulty doing the basic things in a new society. Although I'm not very familiar with other schools, the faculty at BGU has a good perspective of world health and you notice it not only in the obvious IHM class (international health and medicine), but in microbiology and even biochemistry. Most unique about BGU is the population it serves - Bedouins, Ethiopians, Eastern Europeans etc. While the US has multiethnic cities, the socio-medical problems within these communities mimic more so the issues of developing countries.

My ultimate feeling is that an international health education primarily rests in the hands of the student. If you want to get involved and learn about the issues, then you make it your business. I came to BGU because I wanted to be in a challenging new environment with students that shared my view of what a physician should embody. The school still has many kinks to be worked out, and unlike a major US institution, the cash flow/resources are somewhat more limited, but overall I'm happy with my decision.

 

[sharkchaser47]

And finally...I think there was a question about travel. I would love to answer it in detail, but unfortunately I have to pack. I am leaving for egypt in the morning....

That's good to hear. I hope you have a great trip and I can't wait to do some exploring myself, when I get there! It's good to know that not every waking moment is going to be devoted to studying...

 

[sharkchaser47]

alx943 -- You know I was thinking about your dilema, and realized that what made my decision a lot easier was that I went to Israel in January and visited BGU.

Having the opportunity to meet some of the students, sit in on classes, and tour the hospital really was a huge help in making my decision. It convinced me that BGU was a place that I could feel comfortable and be happy, meet like-minded individuals with whom I could be friends, get a great medical education, and become the physician that I have envisioned myself being.

If you have the means and the time, I would really recommend going to Israel in the next month or so and visiting both the BGU and Sackler campuses. See what each school feels like, and see which one makes you feel more at home.

 

[alx943]

visited BGU.

You know what... why not? I think that I'll try to. The financial investment will definately be worth it in the long run. I had thought about going, but it seemed extravagent... But it's really not that hard to travel is it?

How can i get hooked up best with tickets?
Do I need anything besides my Passport?
Does my Japanese wife (currently w/ only a Japanese passport) need anything else?

Thanks!

 

[sharkchaser47]

You know what... why not? I think that I'll try to. The financial investment will definately be worth it in the long run. I had thought about going, but it seemed extravagent... But it's really not that hard to travel is it?

How can i get hooked up best with tickets?
Do I need anything besides my Passport?
Does my Japanese wife (currently w/ only a Japanese passport) need anything else?

Thanks!

I usually just use www.travelocity.com to find my plane tickets. You will just need to have your passport, but I don't know about your wife. If you go to the website for the Embassy of Israel, they should have that information.

Be sure to get in touch with BGU (through Alice) and Sackler and schedule a "prospective student" visit once you figure out when you're going to go.

I hope you have a great time in Israel.

 

[chg971]

Hello Class of 2010, I'll be attending BGU this summer as well. I'm in the midst of forms, forms and more forms and was wondering how many students are taking the prearranged flight from Newark. The cost is $1700, and after looking on travelocity at tickets that cost $1000, I'm wondering if flying solo would be more suitable. I know the chartered flight includes a bus trip to BGU, and we're met at the airport by a school representative. It's also an open ended ticket. Any feedback?

 

[sharkchaser47]

Hello Class of 2010, I'll be attending BGU this summer as well. I'm in the midst of forms, forms and more forms and was wondering how many students are taking the prearranged flight from Newark. The cost is $1700, and after looking on travelocity at tickets that cost $1000, I'm wondering if flying solo would be more suitable. I know the chartered flight includes a bus trip to BGU, and we're met at the airport by a school representative. It's also an open ended ticket. Any feedback?

Hey there! Glad to hear that you're going to be joining us. I've signed up for the group flight. I liked the open ticket, because I really am not sure when I will be coming back to the states, and having the extra luggage allowance, and the bus pick us up in Tel Aviv seemed like it would lessen the headache. With all the arrangements that need to be made as is, I didn't want to have to worry about getting transportation to Be'er Sheva, finding a school rep, and then finding the temporary housing on my own.

And, I am really looking forward to getting to know some of my fellow students during the 11 hours that we'll be stuck in the plane!

 

[Buendia]

Hello Class of 2010, I'll be attending BGU this summer as well. I'm in the midst of forms, forms and more forms and was wondering how many students are taking the prearranged flight from Newark. The cost is $1700, and after looking on travelocity at tickets that cost $1000, I'm wondering if flying solo would be more suitable. I know the chartered flight includes a bus trip to BGU, and we're met at the airport by a school representative. It's also an open ended ticket. Any feedback?

Good to hear you have joined the school. I am also signing up for the group flight. I'm looking forward to meeting all of you.

 

[prinky28]

Hello Class of 2010, I'll be attending BGU this summer as well. I'm in the midst of forms, forms and more forms and was wondering how many students are taking the prearranged flight from Newark. The cost is $1700, and after looking on travelocity at tickets that cost $1000, I'm wondering if flying solo would be more suitable. I know the chartered flight includes a bus trip to BGU, and we're met at the airport by a school representative. It's also an open ended ticket. Any feedback?

I'm glad you brought this up, I'm debating the same question myself. I really would rather save the money, but I am also tempted by the bus waiting at the other end. I am in the middle of a busy part of the semester, and haven't had a lot of time to research this yet, but I do think I will end up flying on my own in order to save money. Perhaps we could find other like-minded students and fly together.

 

[PMNsOrBust]

I'm glad you brought this up, I'm debating the same question myself. I really would rather save the money, but I am also tempted by the bus waiting at the other end. I am in the middle of a busy part of the semester, and haven't had a lot of time to research this yet, but I do think I will end up flying on my own in order to save money. Perhaps we could find other like-minded students and fly together.

My first post: I know it's sort of a downer, but what do you all think of the latest bombing. I know it's nothing new, but what are your thoughts as it pertains to being at Ben Gurion, doing clerkships in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, etc??

I'm still trying to decide to go to Ben Gurion and, despite my concerns about the location I think it would be a wonderful school.

Thanks.

 

[chg971]

Hey there! Glad to hear that you're going to be joining us. I've signed up for the group flight. I liked the open ticket, because I really am not sure when I will be coming back to the states, and having the extra luggage allowance, and the bus pick us up in Tel Aviv seemed like it would lessen the headache. With all the arrangements that need to be made as is, I didn't want to have to worry about getting transportation to Be'er Sheva, finding a school rep, and then finding the temporary housing on my own.

And, I am really looking forward to getting to know some of my fellow students during the 11 hours that we'll be stuck in the plane!

thanks for the welcome. I hadn't realized that we were allowed extra baggage on this particular flight. Is there any weight limit? I'm leaning towards the group flight just for convenience sake, but the cheap side of me then thinks I can handle getting there on my own. ....but extra baggage hmmm is a nice perk. So for those of you that are going to BGU, what are your backgrounds'?
I'm currently an ER nurse, ex Peace Corps volunteer, living in Athens, GA

 

[sharkchaser47]

I think the standard weight limit (50 lbs) applies, but we are just allowed to check three pieces of luggage instead of just two. And according to all the info that the school has sent us so far, they say that it is more cost effective to pay the extra-weight charges than it is to ship stuff to Israel.

I'm not too worried about the new attack. Saddly, that's just how life is over there... But, Be'er Sheva usually is not a major target. I have friends who have lived in Israel, and family that currently lives in Israel and they all say the same thing. Just stay cognizant of your surroundings. The way I look at it is, there's nothing you can do about it besides try to be aware, so there's no point in aggonizing over something that you can't control.

I'm currently working for a large consulting company. I specialize in emergency management and weapons of mass destruction, specifically biological weapons. I've been an active volunteer EMT for five years, in Prince George's County, which is a pretty bad area... shooting and stabbing galore! I finished firefighter training about 3 years ago, but never really went into it because of an injury.

School-wise I did my undergrad at University of Maryland in Psychology and grad school at Georgetown in Biohazardous Threat Agents and Emergeing Infectious Diseases.

I'm currently living in the Washington DC area.

 

[sharkchaser47]

Hey there,

Has anyone started filling out the health insurance forms? I was rereading the letter that Alice had sent out, and it says that the Shira UMS health insurance is required, but that it's supplementary insurance. Does that mean that we also need to have health insurance in the States?

 

[hhryu]

Hey everyone,

I sent off my acceptance to BGU a couple of days ago - thought I should come by and say hello. I've heard such wonderful things about the program and only hope our experiences will be even half as good. I'm very excited to meet all of you. Just a little bit about myself: I'm Canadian and currently finishing up my undergrad in life sciences at Queen's University. It's a total college town and kind of in the middle of nowhere (i'd like to think). Being away from the city really blows (grew up in toronto - will miss it very much) but living/studying/working in a student oriented community is awesome and I'm guessing BGU will offer something similar. Sorry i can't be much help re: your queries on paper work, israel, etc - I really haven't gotten around to it... finishing up undergrad after having been accepted somewhere is harder than i thought. It's gonna be a slow crawl to the finish.

I'm assuming most of you have a lot more life/international health experience than myself...seems like I have a lot of catching up to do - I've been involved with some student outreach organizations and done some volunteering overseas but I can't say i've been much help. I can't wait to meet you all and hear about your experiences.

So I'll be bumming around Toronto between may and mid july when we have to leave. If anyone happens to be in town and feels like takin advantage of the patio weather, gimme a shout.

 

[alx943]

my family is worried about me going to israel, so according to the best stats i could find, i sent the following reply...

dear fam etc.,

in case you are worried about me going to israel for medical school, i wanted to let you know that you should be. this is because Israel is the only country where people die. (obvious sarcasm)

today in israel, 9 people died in a suicide bombing attack. It has been all over the news all day and received international responses from every top leader.

it is interesting to note what didn't make the news however...

today in America (just like every day):

48 people were killed by someone else
86 people decided to kill themselves
300 people died in senseless accidents
5000 people (or more) died due to health reasons
7000 people, in all, died today.

if you look at the numbers, israel is safer.... adjusting for population, you're still 3x less likely to die from gunfire and 2x less likely to die in a car accident in israel.

So... I am going to Israel. I'm taking my wife to a safer place, and we'll be worrying about all of you.

 

[chg971]

Hey there,

Has anyone started filling out the health insurance forms? I was rereading the letter that Alice had sent out, and it says that the Shira UMS health insurance is required, but that it's supplementary insurance. Does that mean that we also need to have health insurance in the States?

I'm not sure. I have yet to read it indepth. I've just filled out my immunization form and am sending in my group flight reservation. Yes, I've decided to go with the herd. I figure peace of mind and extra luggage are great reasons, or at least enough to spend an extra $700. I'll let you know what I've figured out when I tackle the health insurance part of it all.

 

[cdf29]

Hey Everyone-

I have been a little confused about private loans, so I called Lynne Conroy at BGU last night. Here are some of the recomendations that she had. If you are planning on taking out loans without a cosigner, Lynne suggested taking out the Wachovia loan. She said that this loan ends up being the most economical in the long run. She also suggests that students set four dates throughout the year for disbursement of the loans because interest does not start to accrue until the date that the money is paid. This will help save on interest. The fees charged on the loans are in addition to the amount of money taken out, so there is no need to take out additional funds to compensate for fees. Lynne suggests that the first loan payment for first year student include enough funds to cover tuition, airfare, living expenses, and six months of rent (she said that Israel requires the first six months of rent up front). Stafford loans will be disbursed one month after the start of orientation (end of August) because this is considered the beginning of scholastic study. Finally, it was also suggested that students look for bank accounts or credit unions that offer interest bearing accounts. This may compensate (on a limitted basis) for the interest rate on the student loans. Some interest bearing accounts may be found at credit unions in your area or another suggestion is an online account with ING Direct.

I hope this is helpful to some of you! Have fun at the rally for Darfur for those of you who will be able to attend. Unfortunately, I am broke and will be unable to make it...

 

[cdf29]

Hello again-

I have been looking into the purchase of a new bike, but I am unsure if I should buy that bike in the States and ship it to Israel or if I should just buy the bike in Israel.
For those of you who are already at BGU, are there bikes available in Beer Sheva? If so, how much do they cost? Would you suggest waiting on this purchase?

I am also wondering the same thing about a printer for my computer...

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you...

 

[Antiviral22]

Hello again-

I have been looking into the purchase of a new bike, but I am unsure if I should buy that bike in the States and ship it to Israel or if I should just buy the bike in Israel.
For those of you who are already at BGU, are there bikes available in Beer Sheva? If so, how much do they cost? Would you suggest waiting on this purchase?

I am also wondering the same thing about a printer for my computer...

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you...

Hi cdf, welcome to BGU. It really isn't necessary to bring a bicycle from home for several reasons. #1 Bikes are cheap in Beer Sheva; used = 200 - 400 shekels and new = 500 - 800 (4.7 shekel to 1 US dollar). These bikes aren't high end, but they do the job of making it around the city in once piece. I just bought one last month and I'm very happy with it. #2 Bike theft is really hot here. If you own a bike in Beer Sheva for 4 years, guarantee it will get stollen at least once. I really toyed with the idea of bringing my nice high-end Lemond road bike, but it's a waist of energy unless you are training for road races throughout the year. I do recommend bringing a good bike lock from home and if you have a comfy helmet bring that too.

 

[ariwax]

My first post: I know it's sort of a downer, but what do you all think of the latest bombing. I know it's nothing new, but what are your thoughts as it pertains to being at Ben Gurion, doing clerkships in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, etc??

I'm still trying to decide to go to Ben Gurion and, despite my concerns about the location I think it would be a wonderful school.

Thanks.

Hi,

As an outgoing MS4 from the MSIH program at Ben Gurion, I can honestly say that the impact of the political situation on my daily life over the last four years has been minimal compared to my colleagues at Sackler. Beersheba is a fairly remote city, by Israeli standards, and there has been exactly one attack during my sojourn here. That attack, which was in late 2004, was quite a shock to all of us, but in reality nobody seems to want to target Beersheba in particular, probably due to its relative innocuousness. It's a dusty town in the south without the social significance of a metropolis like Tel Aviv or the politically charged qualities of Jerusalem. The hospital is big and it's the only game in town as far as trauma surgery in southern Israel, so back when the IDF was still in Gaza there was an almost daily flow of helicopters bringing people in, but in recent months that has cquieted down considerably. These days, if you didn't watch the news, it would be almost possible to forget that there even was a political situation here - knock on wood.

As far as the most recent attack, the only impact it had down here was for security to be noticably tightened at the hospital for two or three days. That's the sort of thing you get used to after a while, and to me anyway it's not that big a deal. I'm typing this from a cafe in the center of town, and I have to say I feel totally safe here.

ariwax

 

[alx943]

hey there, I"m coming to israel may 24- june 5 to see what there is to see. when would be the best time to spend a few days around BGU? Can I meet any of you? let me know. [email protected]

thanks

 

[j802002]

Congratulations to everyone who has been accepted to MSIH's class of 2010 and decided to come to Beer Sheva. You're in for an unforgettable and amazing time. I'm an MSIII with 8 weeks left in Israel (off to the US/Canada for my electives early July). If any of you have questions, comments, etc., feel free to send me a private message through this forum.

 

[PMNsOrBust]

- I am planning on returning to the US for December break. Does the semester end prior to the break? are you pretty "relaxed" for this time or is it too far to go back to the US for this amount of time?

- Anyone know if the Israeli health insurance covers you for time in the US? First Summer etc...?

- I think that's it for now, thanks!!

 

[j802002]

December Break

December break is a great time to go home and yes, barring any unforseen changes to the schedule, you will be finished your semester and therefore have a "relaxed" period of time home. During my 3 years in Israel I chose to go home both December breaks in first and second year and travel during the October and April breaks. In 3rd year, you don't get a December break so I went home during the April break.

Insurance

I really didn't like the Shira/Shiloah insurance, and neither do most students. It doesn't cover time home, and a lot of girls have problems with the gynecological care aspect of coverage. You do, however, have to have insurance while here. As far as I know, you can't really study at MSIH without it. What I did was just sucked it up and paid for insurance for 3 years.

 

[PMNsOrBust]

December Break

December break is a great time to go home and yes, barring any unforseen changes to the schedule, you will be finished your semester and therefore have a "relaxed" period of time home. During my 3 years in Israel I chose to go home both December breaks in first and second year and travel during the October and April breaks. In 3rd year, you don't get a December break so I went home during the April break.

Insurance

I really didn't like the Shira/Shiloah insurance, and neither do most students. It doesn't cover time home, and a lot of girls have problems with the gynecological care aspect of coverage. You do, however, have to have insurance while here. As far as I know, you can't really study at MSIH without it. What I did was just sucked it up and paid for insurance for 3 years.

So you just covered yourself for three years with US insurance in addition?

Thanks for the information, very helpful!!

 

[j802002]

I'm Canadian...fortunately we don't have to worry about being insured

 

[sharkchaser47]

I'm Canadian...fortunately we don't have to worry about being insured

Do you know if any of the US citizens kept their US health insurance in addition to the Shira Plan? Also, as I am a female, what kind of difficulties do the women have with the gynocological care issues, if you know?

 

[PMNsOrBust]

Do you know if any of the US citizens kept their US health insurance in addition to the Shira Plan? Also, as I am a female, what kind of difficulties do the women have with the gynocological care issues, if you know?

Sharkchaser,

I'm planning on keeping a high-deductible plan in the us. Most companies offer these. Just add it to the climbing debt!!!!

 

[rajesh85]

Hi guys!

My name Raj, and i'm currently thinking about BGU. I really want to go, but my parents arent' too crazy about it because of the whole security situation in Israel. SO its definatley going to be a uphill struggle.
I"m currently a senior doing my undergrad at the University of Illinois and I am seriously thinking about not taking the group flight. Adding the connecting flight and everything to NY, its puts the price up a lot.
But then again, iwon't fly alone... so if anyone else is interested. lets see how to put this together.

Well. are any of u guys on AIM or MSN? i prefer it a lot more...
my SN is rrajesh85 and my msn is [email protected]

GET IN TOUCH WITH ME!
peace

 

[clafond]

I came across this Ashoka (a social entrepreneur organization) competition for proposals to improve health for all. http://www.changemakers.net/journal/300603/competition.cfm
Although the entry deadline is almost passed, if anyone is interested in working on projects like this, I'd love to hear your ideas.
Cheers,
Chris

 

[bubbles!]

Hey-

BGU student here. There is actually a travel plan through the school reccomended insurance that covers time at home for $1/day. It seems pretty comprehensive and covers any kind of emergency or illness.

But true on the gyno issue- I'll be paying out of pocket to see mine over the summer at home. Those services are available here if you need them, it's more of a comfort/communication issue for me.

 

[secretwave101]

But true on the gyno issue- I'll be paying out of pocket to see mine over the summer at home. Those services are available here if you need them, it's more of a comfort/communication issue for me.

'05 graduate here - happy to answer questions about "life after BGU" if you have them.

Shiloah insurance was, I thought, not a good deal. The only thing you can be sure they'll cover is the pizza party they throw for you when you first sign up (if they're buying pizza, it's a sure sign you paid too much). Paying out of pocket for health care in Israel isn't like paying out of pocket in the US. I had 2 kids while at BGU, and I paid for them with my Visa card. Even got the classic cash register receipt that said "have a nice day" on it...and the whole birth thing cost around $1400. That's without coverage. BGU will accept anything for proof of health insurance. So I used this online thing (try www.internationalstudentinsurance.com, but there's others) with a HUGE deductible and printed the "insurance card" from the confirmation email they sent me on my own printer. BGU was cool with it, and I probably saved quite a bit of money. Somewhere in the millions of dollars, I believe.

As for safety: Went to Israel with a wife and a kid. Returned with a wife and 3 kids (same wife, believe it or not). We arrived as the intifada was just reaching it's peak. We were there for (if you were following) Jenin, Bethlehem, Passover, a gnarly one in Hebron and almost constant violence in Gaza and parts of Jerusalem. The U.S. and Sadaam were squared off in their respective corners...eventually leading to the invasion. Trying gas masks on my kids was a disquieting experience. In all, however, we took some basic precautions, but never worried. But then again, people in the program are like that. We play it smart, and just really don't really worry about that stuff. The part of us that doesn't worry about the violence in Israel is similar to the part of us that chose BGU.

On that note, to the guy obsessing about Sackler or BGU, I'd advise skip BGU. You'll just second-guess yourself endlessly. 90% of the students in the class knew from day 1 that BGU was the place/program for them. The program is so different from what you'll experience in the States, you're either for it or not. One friend of mine who debated endlessly then turned down some U.S. schools and went to BGU HATED her first year because she kept thinking it woulda been better in the States. She even called back to one of the schools - NYU or whoever - and asked that they re-offer her admission. They weren't too keen on picking her up after she had dissed them for some off-shore, backwater school in the dust of Israel.

 

[alx943]

Could anyone tell me what the best company is to rent a car from at the airport? We'll be there for about 12 days and need a cheap car.

Also, can you drive in Israel w/ only a US driver's license? do you need one of those triple A international licenses?


Thanks!

 

[prinky28]

Could anyone tell me what the best company is to rent a car from at the airport? We'll be there for about 12 days and need a cheap car.

Also, can you drive in Israel w/ only a US driver's license? do you need one of those triple A international licenses?


Thanks!

I can answer that. Last summer we were able to rent a car and drive with just a US license in Israel. We used Hertz, and that worked out fine, but I don't think they were the cheapest.