Exchange report - incoming students
Home university: Universitetet i Bergen
Study programme: Medicine
Exchange programme: NordPlus
Semester: Autumn semester 2013/2014

Arrival and registration

I already speak Swedish and thus did not attend the Swedish class. The introduction days were useful as they allowed me to sort out KI-cards and student card etc and provided information on the sort of things one needed to organize for ones exchange period. It was paramount that all students take an MRSA test. This was all organized by KI and went very smoothly.

Acommendation

 I applied for housing early through UAC on but did not get an offer until I sent an email asking directly the status of my application. I was lucky enough to get a room at Jägargatan which is vey central (Södermalm) and reasonably priced. I was very pleased with the accomodation. The standard varyed from floor to floor. I had a very small kitchen which I luckily shared with many tidy individuals which made life a lot easier. I know from other sources that this was not always the case. The room was in a corridor with many others and thus a lot depends on the other people who live there.

Leisure time and social activities

I did not participate in any social activities arranged by KI. I had a friend who was also on exchange here and met others on the introduction day and we explored the city by ourselves. Living at Jägargatan was very useful from a social standpoint. My class was so friendly and welcoming! I got on very well with my class and made many friends.

Pre-departure

I chose KI as it has a very good reputation the world over. Many students from my university has gone on exchange to KI and have been very impressed and the reports from these students were very positive. KI was very informative and organsizied and it was very "pain free" from my side, to organize an exchange there. There was ample information available from both my own university and KI.

Courses during the exchange period

D9XX01 : Clinical Medicine- Neuro, Senses and Psyche
Psychiatry (incl addiction): Good quality lectures and a very good placement. There was a good balance between the theoretical and clinical parts of the course and I felt I learnt a lot and have a good grasp of psychiatry. Eyes: A very good and intense course. We got a lot of practical practice and the learning environment was very good. Ears-nose-throat: The part of the course I was least impressed with. We were too many students per patient at the clinical parts. The PBL-seminars were however, helpful. We could have had less students per patient. Neurology: The lectures and seminars very good! The placement at the ward was below average but the open clinic part of the course was one of the best learning experiences of the whole course. A very well run and conducted course which I enjoyed tremendously. PU/VetU: The PU day "when swedish law clashes with human rights" was the best day of the whole term. So very inpiring! I really liked that KI focused a lot on ethics and other aspects of the medical profession. General medicine: It was very useful to put in practice at the primary level what we have been learning during the term. The course as a whole: A very holistic and well-integrated course. The course was highly relevant to my degree and the learning experience very active which resulted in me gaining solid knowledge of the areas covered. The exam was very different from what I am used to and it was useful to have set previous exam papers beforehand.

Summary

 I cannot recommend KI more highly! It lives up to it's good reputation. The course was of a very high standard and I felt I learnt a lot.

Language and Culture

I spoke Swedish fluently beforehand.

Studies in general

The educational aspect of KI was without a doubt the highlight of the stay. There was a lot more focus on the clinical side on medicine and in general the theoretical part complemented the clinical part nicely. The lectures were of a very high standard for the most part, I was well met by all the staff and they all took an interest in the students and enjoyed teaching. My university has a lot of theory and less practical and the standard of the theoretical part is below average so being at KI was a welcomed experience. Even though my fellow students at my home university can a lot more details that I can, I feel that what I learnt stuck and I feel very secure with the knowedlge (both practical and theoretical) I gained. I also found the lecturers attitude towards students a lot more progessive at KI than my home university; we were introduced as "future collegues" and they wanted the students to be involved. There was also a lot more focus on patient-centred learning at KI (also in contrast to my own university) which I very much enjoyed. I feel that KI teachers future doctors to be doctors in all that that entails and not just good theoreticians or clinicians. All in all, a very good experience!