Exchange report - incoming students
Home university: Panepistimio Kritis
Study programme: Medicine
Exchange programme: Erasmus
Semester: Spring semester 2011/2012

Arrival and registration

I did not participate in the introduction day, since I arrived one month later than the beginning of the semester. However, everything was ok since I received an email before the beginning of each of my clinical rotation that was very informative and made it easy to find my way. 

As for the contact with the student health centre, it was made through email. I just sent an email and they responded immediately making an appointment and giving detailed instructions how to get there.

Acommendation

I applied for housing through the University Accommodation Center (UAC). The websites of KI and UAC were very informative. I was satisfied with the room I was provided since it was furnished, I had Internet access and good heating. The price was more expensive than in my home country but, since Stockholm is generally expensive,  it was good enough.

Leisure time and social activities

I was registered in the student union "Medicinska Foreningen". I was able to be informed about the social activities organised through their website. I expected that some kind of trip would be organised by the student union, but it did not, at least during my stay. Social activities were also organised by the exchange students living in Pax/Strix. I participated in some social events and was glad to participate in them. As for the Swedish friends, unfortunately I did not have the chance to meet Swedish students, since i had chosen "options in English" for my clinical rotations and I had a seperate schedule.

Pre-departure

Choosing to go on exhange gives you the opportunity to get familiar with other health care systems (as far as medicine, that i study, is concerned), other cultures and meet new people. Ι chose Sweden for my exchange studies because Sweden is famous having one of the best health care systems. The reason I chose Karolinska Institutet is because it is one of the best universities worldwide. Furthermore, Stockholm is known to be a really beautiful city, something that I saw myself. Another reason for choosing KI was that there were "options in English".

As for the exhange information, the site of KI was really informative and also the international exchange coordinator was really helpful and responded immediately to any question. In addition, the Welcome package that I received before my arrival was very helpful.

As for the vaccinations or other cerificates required, I was just asked to have an MRSA screening test, due to the fact that I was going to attend clinical rotations and consequently come in contact with patients.

Courses during the exchange period

ELA004 : Paediatrics 1
I was really satisfied with the course in Pediatrics. I had the chance to make a rotation through different parts of Pediatrics, eg. emergency ward, outpatient clinic, neonatal unit etc., which were all interesting. The stuff was very friendly and I always felt welcome. I had my own schedule during the four weeks of the rotation. Once a week we had a seminar, for which we had to prepare some pediatric clinical cases and then discussed them with our supervisor. It was really educational. There was not an examination. The seminars were possibly regarded as a way of examination, despite the fact that they were mostly educational rather than an examination.
ELA002 : Neurology 1
I was also satisfied with the course in Neurology. I also had the chance to go through different parts of the Neurology clinic, such as strokes, general neurology, and also emergency department. Every day there was a meeting in which MRIs and CTs of some patients were discussed. Despite the fact that it was in Swedish, it made us a little bit familiar with the images in these scans. There was usually a doctor, whom i was following, who tried to explain to me in English. As a way of examination, we had to write a log book with the most interesting cases we came in conatct with.
ELA003 : Ophtalmology 1
Finally, opthalmology was a satisfying clinical rotation too. Like in the other rotations, I had the chance to go through different parts of Opthalmology, like emergency ward, surgery, outpatient clinic, retinal ward. I also had my own schedule. Everything was well organized. In most wards, there was a teaching tube through which I could see what the doctor was looking at, while he was simultaneously explaining to me. The big problem, like in all clinical rotations, was that the interview was mostly in Swedish. As a way of examination, we had to write down some common opthalmological clinical cases that we considered interesting.

Summary

I was very glad to have exchange studies at KI. The Erasmus period was educational, made me familiar with the health care system and the working conditions in Sweden and gave me the opporunity to come in contact with a different culture, different customs and meet new people. The city is also wonderful and gives you the opportunity to make lots of activities. I would definitely suggest it for any student.

Language and Culture

I participated in the first lessons of the Swedish language course organized by KI. But I do not think that the teaching of Swedish was really satisfying. Many students stopped coming to the lessons. In the third lesson, I was the only one to go. Unfortunately, I could not be there during the fourth lesson and later I received an email that the courses were stopped due to the fact that the students did not participate in the lessons. I would like to have the chance to participate in a Swedish language course from the beginning until the end, but unfortunately I did not.

Studies in general

I was very satisfied with my studies in KI. In each one of my clinical rotations I had my own schedule. In 2 of the 3 clinical rotations, the schedule was given to me during the first day, that the meeting with the professor took place. In the other rotation, it was sent by email even before the beginning of the rotation. Everything was well organized. The teachers/supervisors were all really friendly and helpful. As for the ralationship between me and the patients, i had the chance to communicate with the patients just when they were eager to speak in English. But most of the times, the doctor spoke in Swedish with the patients and then I was discussing with the doctor, who explained to me in English. So, a big problem that I had to cope with during my clinical rotations was the fact that the interview was in Swedish and I could not follow. As a result, I completely depended on what information the doctor would give me later. But I can understand this, since the patients are more familiar with describing their problems in their native language, although most Swedish people speak English too. 

I did not attend theoretical courses, since my clinical rotations did not include any lectures.