Erasmus in France: Before, There and After

Ensure that you take with you everything that is required, as you will only have to send to off to England for what is missing. This includes:

Work out when you want to take your OSCEs and tell the office!
You do not need your white coat, as one will be provided for you. Also, smart hospital clothes that would be worn in England eg. shirt and tie, are not needed. French students can wear anything into hospitals.
Make sure you have all relevant curriculum handouts, and the year booklets. Especially important are the official booklets for TUBES and MDEMO.
Take out relevant text books to work from while in Paris. We recommend:

Be confident in examining all systems. Ensure you get this teaching during AERN. It will be invaluable when practising for OSCEs!
Have a chat to the French medical erasmus students who have come to Bristol.
Ask the clinical office if they have been sent a list of your French timetable.
Check you phone is unblocked to receive a French sim card.
Talk to any doctors who you think may be able to do some revision with you before the OSCEs and set this up in advance.
If you want French lessons email Sabine Lopez at UPMC. Sabine.Lopez@upmc.fr

Print out all Bristol lecture notes posted on blackboard as you go a long.
Get French Medical Indemnity from MACSF, 86 bis boulevard de l’hôpital. This costs around 25 E.
On arrival, introduce yourself to the erasmus office at UPMC. They will enroll you as students. Don’t forget all your documents!
Also on arrival, introduce yourself to the erasmus office at the hospital ( Medical Faculty, ground floor. Open from 13.30.tll 16.00, closed on Wednesdays).
If you want French lessons email Sabine Lopez at UPMC. Sabine.Lopez@upmc.fr
French SFR sim cards, will work in unblocked phones, and cost about 30 E.
Get a carte orange. These are metro and bus passes which can be bought at any metro station. We recommend getting monthly ones which cost 49 E. You need a passport photo for this.
You may be told that it is necessary to get a carte de séjour. However, for 4 months in Paris, we did not find it necessary.
Attend any erasmus evenings. It is the only time when all medical erasmus students are together.
Get friends to send out any useful lecture notes, or do some photocopying during the Christmas holidays, so you have an idea what they are being taught.
Meet up with the other Bristol students to practise examinations.

Tell the Erasmus office when you plan to go.
Check the Bristol office know when you have chosen to do your OSCEs.
If you feel you need more preparation for OSCEs, try setting up revision sessions.
Make sure you know your theory and examinations for the OSCEs, there are many opportunities to practise other clinical skills when you get back.

Practise examinations with students who have stayed in Bristol.
Tell the Bristol office you’re back!
Attend any revision sessions, go onto the wards and use the clinical skills lab for revision.

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