Kuwait University 2014
This experience is something that I will never forget because it allowed me to grow in terms of my medical career, my personality and perspective on life. I did many things that I never thought I was strong enough to do and had to overcome my fears and learn to adapt to a new environment in a short period of time. I definitely recommend other medical students to participate in a Work the World placement.
The best part of this experience was going to the hospital everyday. I have noticed that the doctors and nurses are very welcoming and supportive. They assisted us with all the procedures that we were capable of performing. Their support built our confidence in performing a range of these procedures.
they were more open to having students assist in their medical care, which was very different from patients in my country
Another positive thing was the patients and their families themselves. I found that they were more open to having students assist in their medical care, which was very different from patients in my country who requested the most experienced doctor on the team to perform very simple procedures.
One thing that fascinated me was the communication and respect between the doctors and the nurses in the wards. They were working as a team and their main goal was to give the best care to their patients. Also, I liked how the staff tried to work with what they had to provide the best medical care possible. Even though they lacked much of the equipment we are used to, they were still able to follow the same universal management protocols. It showed me that all we need to provide the best care is medical knowledge with a little bit of creativity to improvise and find alternatives for missing equipment.
When I first thought of doing an elective abroad, I decided I wanted to do it abroad because I thought I would have more opportunities to learn and perform basic procedures I had been taught on my course. When I first found out about WTW and browsed their website, I noticed that they had many different options for placements. I also liked how they have detailed information about each country and what to expect from their placements. It was very beneficial to know the language spoken in each country as well as the locations of the house and hospital. It was a huge relief to know what to expect from the experience.
Upon arrival, the WTW staff were very helpful and friendly. They were always so helpful and offered advice about where to go for weekend getaways. Their presence definitely made the experience and we felt so welcome, even though we were so far away from home.
