Exchange report - incoming students
Home university: Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Study programme: Dentistry
Exchange programme: INK
Semester: Autumn semester 2018/2019
Name: Lu Lin
Email address: yesvrblulu@163.com

Arrival and registration

when I first arrived at Arlanda Airport, actually I was a little confused. I knew that our apartment is near Flemingsberg station because I had seen that information on the KI housing website. But I didn’t see any recommended route, and the routes given by Google maps was not direct to Flemingsberg at that time. Then I tried to ask the clerk in the information desk. She told me I could directly go to Flemingsberg station by commuter rail Pendeltag 40. Actually, here are many ways to reach the apartment in Flemingsberg: 
1.Commuter rail Pendeltag 40 directly to Flemingsberg station/ about 150 sek
2.Shuttle bus to stockholm city + Commuter rail Pendeltag 40 to Flemingsberg station/ about 130-150 sek
3.Taxi/ maybe 500 sek (luggage is usually very heavy, so this way is the most comfortable one)
You can improve the information on the website to help the students who first arrive at Stockholm.

But I think when arriving at Stockholm for the first time, it is best to choose the route without transfer.

After arriving at the apartment, with the help of our Chinese neighbor, we went to the supermarket nearby to buy some foods and Swedish SIM card. It took about 10 minutes. Because we can not use google with our Chinese SIM card, it was a little difficult to use map to find the place that we want to go. Then we went back home and slept very early, because it took about 9-11 hours to come here by airplane from Shanghai without transfer.

On the first day of introduction week, we went to the Solna campus of which the buildings are not very gorgeous but with long history. KI maintains its low profile but always does practical things. That was my impression. You prepared packages for every student which contained much useful information and by listening to the speech I tried to go into Swedish culture. Besides, I was delighted when I met a lot students from China. 

Acommendation

Everything of KI housing is so organized and considerate! You have your own KI housing website for application and you offered so much information, which really helped me a lot to adapt to the new life here. At first I was a little bit worried and also had some questions, so I wrote an email to the staff and perfectly they answered my questions. Everything is so organized and we just need to follow the instructions from the email. Although it is a little expensive for me, finally I chose here in Flemingsberg because I would study at Huddinge campus. But I am very satisfied with all the facilities. And I think before the application, the coordinator can remind the students which campus they will study at, so that they can choose the nearest apartment if they want.
Marchmont

Leisure time and social activities

Most of time, we got along with the students in Group 9/10 in Semester 7. I was really very glad to stay and chat with them. All of them were very kind to share their life and I also shared something interesting in China. I regard them as my friends.
Besides, Elin, the president of student union organized some activities for us. In the beginning of the semester, she invited us to her home for dinner. She made traditional Swedish meatballs for us with her friends. It was so kind of her to invite us. Also in cinnamon roll day, She invited us to a famous Cafe called Vete-Katten to celebrate it. That was the first time I knew what cinnamon was. During this activities we communicated with each other and know the different culture from different countries.

Additionally, I was informed by a friend to met in the introduction week to join a Friday dinner with the Chinese postgraduates downtown. They shared a lot of information with me and it was so happy to met some thoughtful Chinese friends. 

I am not very shy to talk to others. But you can not say they are your real friend by just meeting them during the mingle. But when you are totally free, it is better joint an interesting activity than just staying at home. 

Also, I received an e-mail informing me of the Nobel Calling in City Hall an Nobel Museum. It was interesting to taking the quiz, which enabled you to know more about Nobel Prize.
Glasgow

Pre-departure

In the spring of 2018, the director of our class in Shanghai sent a message to us that there was a program to Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. At that time I was thinking about whether I should go or not, because I would be absent from the study at my school. Besides, we could only know that we would be involved in the clinical work, without any information on the courses introduction that we would go through, or whether we would have our own patients. Also I think the information about the study and living expenses was too simple. We didn’t know much until we applied for this program. But now I can bring this information home and maybe I’ll show this in the introductory session held by our school.

I searched some information about KI on the Internet. On the QS ranking website, KI was ranked the top 1 in the field of dentistry in 2015, which surprised me. In addition, our school doesn’t provide us such exchange programs regarding dentistry which last for 3 months. So I thought it would be very precious experience in my life to study in KI, which would broaden my eyes.

I was not required to be vaccinated or to bring certain certificates.

Courses during the exchange period

ETL002 : Child and Adolescent Dentistry - Odontology
In pediatric clinic time, we could ask the nurse for patients. Even if sometimes I didn’t have any patient, the teacher will give me patients directly. Everyone had a co-worker to assist you, because we can’t leave a child alone. Thanks to my co-worker Shahab, communication difficulties between young patients and me were lowered. But when teachers came to check the status and during the initial and final summary, they were always speaking Swedish, which made me confused. Sometimes they would explain to us.
ETL001 : Comprehensive Care - with subject specific courses
we started our study with Preclinic. It took about three weeks for us to finish it and get the signature for all the items. By practicing on simulation teeth, we were more skillful. The content of the preclinic contains the preparation of 11, 16 and 36, provisional crown making, the use of Cerec, the preparation of the post, root canal treatment and the introduction of the clinic rules. before the practice work, we had the lessons for each part by Calle, Peggy and other teachers. It is impossible to have patients with all kinds of problems in three months, so the preclinic helped me to know these kinds of treatment in Sweden. And I think the biggest difference between the clinical work in Shanghai and here is that you have a so strong mind of aseptic operation while doing the endo treatment, especially the use of rubber dam.
2EE075 : Comprehensive Care in Odontology
After preclinic practice, it was so exciting that we could have our own patients for general clinic! That would be fascinating experience! At first, we had five patients given by Jennie and Krestin. Three of them needed general check-up, one of them needed a filling and one needed a zirconia crown. Even though we had had the course about how to use the system and began with the check-up, we were so confused of the process. So maybe you can give us some details about the treatment process. After two to three visits and with the help of Fatma, one of the local students, I was more familiar with it. Then I became more confident. And when I came across some problems that I could not solve, I booked for teachers’ check on a special website, which made your clinical teaching so organized. After the work in the morning, we would had a summary at last, when we could share our experience and raise some questions. All of them tried to speak English for us. Beside, the Swedish patients are all very kind and co-operative. We also had orthodontic courses and teeth extraction clinic work. Orthodontic learning consists of demonstration and clinic learning. In the demonstration, Simon tried his best to use English, also in clinic. They would always make efforts to make you understand, even if sometime it was difficult for them to translate. And compare the orthodontic education to what I’ve learned in Shanghai, here you teach students more on the clinic, especially the design and application of appliances. In addition, you teach students the detailed and sound examination, which help me do better in the clinical practice. But in the teeth extraction clinic time, we were not allow to extract any tooth. You have less patients, who should have their teeth extracted, than those in Shanghai. So the clinic time for teeth extraction is less. It was a little boring for me. And by chatting with the students here, I feel that maybe the students in Shanghai do better in the knowledge of maxilla-facial and neck anatomy and surgery. And Calle organized visits to the clinic for gerodontics and periodontal surgeries. That was very nice because it was an opportunity to know more about the dentistry in Sweden.

Summary

KI is an excellent medical university, which provides students a fair and free platform to learn and share our knowledge. You attach great importance to education. Here, the supervisors really help you to improve your theory and especially clinical skills. You tell student the mission of KI, to improve people’s health, by every detail during education.

Language and Culture

I didn’t join any course of swedish. I can only speak some simple words for greeting.
a Swedish bar

Studies in general

I divide our learning time into seven parts, which are pre-clinic, general clinic, pediatric clinic, orthodontic, teeth extraction clinic, courses and lectures, self-study time.

Compare the study in Shanghai, here the school pays more attention on the clinic practice. You don’t have to study math, physics and chemistry in the first year. Besides, you have more case based discussing, which not only helps students’ learning but also guarantees the quality of the treatment. It is the organized regulations, free and fair communication that make the major of dentistry ranked one of the best in the world. Another thing to appreciate is that people here really take oral health care very seriously. We should learn from you to improve the prevention of oral diseases and enhance the propaganda on daily oral health care.

Here, everyone in Sweden is very friendly to you. If you ask them for help, they will spare no efforts in solving your problem, whether it is regarding theory or clinical work. However, when taking the courses in Swedish, of course I wouldn’t always ask them for help because it would bother them too much. Almost all the demonstrations and lectures were in Swedish, excepting some demonstrations that were given by our director Calle on prosthodontics, Peggy on endodontics and Simon on orthodontics. We also had so much “free time”. Besides asking for extra clinic time, Calle organized a visit to the clinic downtown for gerodontics. It is meaningful to organize such a visit. If possible, I hope you can provide more opportunities to visit different clinics to enable us know more about the dental care system in Sweden.

I am not very familiar with curriculum in KI, but I know that you pay more attention on the pre-clinic training to simulate the real condition in clinical work, which is responsible for patients.
The Highlands