I was part of the first class to do the Pre-Med. I wanted to become a doctor but I was also interested in more than just medicine. I’m very glad that because of EUC, I was able to expand my world view. After EUC I followed the Pre-Master, this was a tough year. I am now at two-thirds of the Master, so only one year left to go and then I am a doctor!
Trui van Essen
EUC alumna (2016), Pre-med
In 2013 I started EUC and belonged to the first class that graduated EUC in 2016. I was also part of the first class to do the pre-med. I wanted to become a doctor but I was also interested in more than just medicine. I’m very glad that because of EUC, I was able to expand my world view because I could focus on more than just medicine for the first three years of my studies.
After EUC came the Pre-Master. I have to be honest, this was a tough year: 84 ECTS to achieve in 1 year. We were only 5 girls, and we were taking part in year 2 AND year 3 of the Bachelor Medicine, with of course some dispensation of similar courses to those at EUC. Although it was a tough year with almost continuously studying for exams (since the exams of year 2 and year 3 were not following the same schedule), we passed the year quite successfully. Because we had to know so much in little time, I think we learned to divide our time and learned that we, all ambitious girls, don’t have to know everything perfectly to achieve something. After this year I think we all had a small break before starting with the Master of Medicine. I myself took a gap year and started one year later with my Master. I am now at two-thirds of the Master, so only one year left to go and then I am a doctor! I’m really glad that this is the way I ended up studying Medicine, because EUC taught me so much I would not have learned if I studied ‘just' medicine. We had such an interactive programme in small groups with close “guardianship” from all our EUC tutors. It really allowed me to develop all kinds of skills from which I now still benefit during my ‘coschappen’. I think most of all we learned to speak our minds, which is a really valuable tool for any job, since it enables you to be critical and speak about it. In addition, we learned to expand our perspective on the world because our ideas and views were challenged by tutors and by other students from all over the world.
Altogether I’m really glad I was able to experience EUC and I hope you will too! I wish you all the luck with following the medical track and if you have questions, you can always ask me!