My name is Kevin Schreiber and I’m a third year medical student at the Royal College of Surgeons – Bahrain Campus. I’m 25 years old and was born and raised in Canada.
Moving to Bahrain was a big change, however as a person who has always enjoyed travel and adventure it was definitely an exciting and welcome change. I had the opportunity to experience a new and exciting part of the world while also pursuing my dream of studying medicine and I’m very glad I jumped at this opportunity.
Bahrain is a fantastic country. The people are amazing, the culture is welcoming and the environment is perfect for studying. There are cafés and restaurants everywhere, the weather is always perfect, and the ocean is never more than 10 minutes away.
The college itself is a beautiful facility. If you look beyond the attractive modern campus next to the ocean and the incredible new King Hamad University Hospital though, you will see that the true beauty of the university lies within the learning environment and caring staff. I had the great privilege of studying a semester on exchange to our RCSI home campus in Dublin, Ireland which has allowed me to compare the two campuses, which I think could be useful for any incoming student considering either.
Dublin was amazing as it is of course a very old, beautiful, well-established medical college in the heart of an incredible European capital city. The work with cadavers in the anatomy labs was amazing and the lecturers were very engaging. While there, I missed the smaller, more intimate feeling of the Bahrain campus, as RCSI Dublin is a much bigger college, however being a bigger school has its advantages as the campus events were sure to always be an amazing time.
Bahrain on the other hand is a completely different experience. The small class size and mentality of a young university means that everyone at the staff level is trying to build the university one student at a time. This means much more one on one time with professors who know your name and take an interest in your learning. It’s a great feeling to be asked in the hallways of the university, “Oh hello Kevin, how are you getting on?”
The new sports facilities at RCSI – Bahrain are also incredible, with a new fully lit soccer/football artificial turf pitch and hardwood floored basketball court – it’s easy to see why RCSI – Bahrain is doing a fine job establishing itself as the place to study medicine in the Middle East.
The cultural experience is also amazing, as I looked at the opportunity as, ‘when else would I be able to say I lived in the Middle East?’ I’m learning about medicine every day in the classroom and hospitals, while also rounding myself out as a global citizen and it’s amazing how much living in a new country can completely change you as a person.
All in all, RCSI – Bahrain has been a great experience so far. I would encourage anyone with an adventurous side to seriously consider studying here. You may at first get homesick, and culture shock is a possibility, but I promise you, you quickly adapt and feel right at home when you’re surrounded by great people, caring staff, sunny skies and clear blue ocean.
Looking forward to seeing you here with us soon.
Kevin Schreiber
RCSI Student Council Executive – Campus Events Officer
RCSI American Football Club President
