Participating in a Medical Fellowship in Serbia For Free
I was a medical fellow in Serbia for a month and got to shadow doctors in the Bel Medic Hospital in Belgrade, Serbia. Check out my photos and even vlog throughout the experience!
Experience is the key to sparking a passion that can survive through anything. Atlantis provided me with real exposure to the medical world and sparked my passion for aiding others through medicine. I experienced the stress doctors feel, the importance of education and training, and the impact medical care can have on surrounding communities. Not only did the program change my expectation of life after medical school, but it also kindled my passion for providing care to others. By welcoming international students into Serbia to shadow in the teaching hospital in Belgrade, an opportunity was provided for me to develop cross-cultural skills and develop relationships with members of diverse cultural backgrounds.
My medical knowledge has been dramatically increased as a result of my hospital shadowing. The hospital staff was accommodating and knowledgeable about the hospital in general and their relative specialties. The doctors I shadowed were also easy to communicate with. They were always willing to practice and improve their knowledge of the English language to explain what they were doing and answer any of my questions. I have now developed a lasting professional network with doctors from across the globe.
After experiencing the culture in Serbia, I have a greater motivation to act on my societal responsibilities. I observed that though the capital city of Belgrade provides public transportation to many areas, the residents tend to travel to most of their destinations by foot. With the experience of living in such a different culture, I have a greater appreciation and respect for people living in lower levels of financial stability and am more aware of the difference in social engagement. After returning home, I am also more likely to engage in diverse and competing perspectives to increase my learning and global outlook.
Post-program, I have a greater knowledge of socio-cultural factors that affect interactions and behaviors. Observing the tourism in Belgrade, illustrated the importance of the cultural backgrounds of tourists as they brought diversity and economic support to the Balkans. The considerable amount of marketing around the city provided me with an understanding of the cultural background of many Serbian businesses and gave an idea of the cultural groups targeted by such advertisements.
The five hours a day that I spent in the hospital were very interactive and educational. I spent time shadowing doctors in the Endoscopy Department, ER, Forensics Lab, and Gynecology Department. The ER was very busy and the surgeon we followed around was helpful in explaining everything he was doing as we moved from patient to patient. Another doctor, while inserting an intravenous catheter into a woman’s neck, walked me through the steps as he selected the vein, prepped the skin, applied traction, inserted a catheter into the vein, and threaded the catheter. In the Forensics Lab, the doctor quizzed each student on the name and function of the organs as he removed them from the cadavers. The process was very delicate because of the importance of thorough examination in order to conclude the cause of death.
The relationship that I was able to create with the other fellows, our site manager, and the doctors will continue to thrive and remain useful in years to come. The Forensics Lab on the first day of the program, gastrointestinal surgery, and the natural birth on the last day was very memorable for me. I have observed many procedures that I would not have otherwise had the opportunity to see and learn about outside of class.
I am more tolerant of stressful, changing environments, and unexpected situations. The greatest challenge I faced during the fellowship was being unprepared for specific situations. I learned that life is full of things I cannot control or avoid. I know now that when moving into a new culture, there will be situations, with which you are not always comfortable. Life is about flexibility and a willingness to try and learn new things.
