Arrival arrangements

We were welcomed by a student from KI who helped us find our way to the student accommodation building. It was so good to have someone who knew the way and the language and could advise us on how to get to places. It was a relief not to have to worry about getting lost on the first day! 

Introduction day

Unfortunately, my stay was so short i missed the introduction day.

Student health center

Our coordinator arranged the whole visit. She booked appointments for us and gave us the directions to the student center. Everything went well.

Arrangements: 

I applied through the University accommodation center and all the arrangements went well. Our place of abode was well furnished. I was glad to have a chair and table to use when studying in my room. The place was clean and all the other exchange students were very friendly and cooperative. I enjoyed my stay at Jagagatan. It was also close to the hospital where I had my first rotation and the centre of Stockholm. Located near a water front, there were many beautiful things to see and enjoy. 

Costs:

Compared to other places, the student accommodation was quite cheap but it was obviously so much more than I would pay at home.

I was able to make a few friends at church and did participate in the church activities. I was unable to get information about the international students' activities because my email account for KI was not activated until the lats two weeks due to some technical fault.I was able to socialize with the other exchange students and some of the midwives on the ward who volunteered to show us some parts of Stockholm.

Applying I applied for the exchange program because I desired to participate in providing care for patients in an Ideal setting that is different from my home hospital setting.

Why KI?KI is known worldwide as an excellent Institution for science and Medical research. There were several students that had participated in the exchange program before who also shared their experiences with me and that made me desire to participate in the program too.

Information provisionThe course coordinator from KI and the one from my university were quite helpful. They aided us in all the preparations and were very prompt in responding to our questions. Bookings for travel and accommodation were all done well in advance saving us a lot of trouble. We were given a lot of advice from the international office that helped us to prepare for the journey and our stay in Stockholm.

The study abroad information:Our university had little information about what one need to study abroad but the KI international team manged to give us most of the information we needed. It is unfortunate that some information came a bit late, just before we set off.

Vaccinations:I was not required to be vaccinated before departure.

I enjoyed my stay at KI and I am glad for all the skills learned while there. The organizers were very good and made the whole program enjoyable.

I was unable to participate in the Swedish language course. As per the information I was provided, the course was starting later during my stay and so would not be able to complete it before leaving.

Study environment: 

We had our introduction class on the ward and that helped us to get acquainted with the ward staff and the ward environment. From the very beginning all the staff were supportive and approachable. They were very helpful when I had questions and needed any help. 

The ward chosen for our clinical placement was so comprehensive, we were able to rotate in antenatal, delivery and postnatal at the same ward. It was quite interesting and gave me a new perspective about holistic care. I now can see a way to provide care from one unit that meets all the midwifery needs of a pregnant woman. The other placements also went well. I was able to rotate through antenatal clinics and the youth centers.

Relationship between Students and teachers:

My supervisors were very friendly and assisted me in doing several procedures and explained all that was happening to me therefore helping bridge the language barrier. I most cases were worked together as a team and I was given responsibilities which made me feel like a part of the team.some patients were uncomfortable with having students but generally most were courteous and pleased to have me on the health team.

Differences between home and KI:

The setup was new to me and I was really impressed with the way that services are set up in areas close to the people. Unfortunately, I had a limited time to rotate in the other clinics but overall the supervisors and the other staff in all the clinics were very helpful. this was good because it aided my learning.

At home students have general case studies in groups more often and rarely have personal supervisors like at KI. Having a personal supervisor make the assessment of students easier and more related to events they have experienced.