A fresh graduate in September 1961, Aurel
described his six years of medical school quite succinctly – four years
filled with communist propaganda, basic science classes, political
classes, and the Russian language; two years focused mostly on hospital
training, public health, and hygiene. He wrote, “very little practical
experience was accumulated during those final years. The final exam
consisted of three medical subjects and the mandatory Marxism-Leninism
oral test.”
Part 1: The Medical Journey of Dr. Mircea
Part 1: The Medical Journey of Dr. Mircea
The Marxism-Leninism test required the
memorization of about 50 volumes of communist propaganda. The wise
classmate Valeria managed to condense the 50 volumes into 2. It was
easier to regurgitate two volumes of the worthless rhetoric that nobody
will ever need, including the Useful Idiots.
To pay back the free education, graduates had to accept assignments wherever the communist party sent them. To make sure they complied, the health authorities in Bucharest withheld their medical diplomas until the rural assignment was completed or a replacement was found.
Aurel’s assignment was in two villages in Oltenia which had no electricity, no phones, no running water, no medical supplies, and no medical clinic. One room provided by the local “Feldscher” doubled as occasional examination room and bedroom for the Barefoot Doctor. A feldsher was a term derived from the German word Feldscher coined in the 15th century, given to medieval barbers who practiced ancient medicine in the army.
Patient care was provided on foot, making house calls, rain or shine. After eight months of torture and deprivation of human rights, Aurel resigned, telling the medical commissar in Bucharest to keep his diploma and dropped out of the medical profession temporarily and became a musician.
During his last two years of medical school, students were exposed to some surgery but most of the hands-on medicine was accomplished during the 3-year long mandatory service in rural areas, practicing on desperate people who needed medical care the most..........To Read More....
To pay back the free education, graduates had to accept assignments wherever the communist party sent them. To make sure they complied, the health authorities in Bucharest withheld their medical diplomas until the rural assignment was completed or a replacement was found.
Aurel’s assignment was in two villages in Oltenia which had no electricity, no phones, no running water, no medical supplies, and no medical clinic. One room provided by the local “Feldscher” doubled as occasional examination room and bedroom for the Barefoot Doctor. A feldsher was a term derived from the German word Feldscher coined in the 15th century, given to medieval barbers who practiced ancient medicine in the army.
Patient care was provided on foot, making house calls, rain or shine. After eight months of torture and deprivation of human rights, Aurel resigned, telling the medical commissar in Bucharest to keep his diploma and dropped out of the medical profession temporarily and became a musician.
During his last two years of medical school, students were exposed to some surgery but most of the hands-on medicine was accomplished during the 3-year long mandatory service in rural areas, practicing on desperate people who needed medical care the most..........To Read More....
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