Agnes Strachwitz, a student of the University of Munster in Germany, Faculty of Medical Sciences, has undergone an internship as part of IHSM elective courses. 

The internship of Agnes Strachwitz took place in the chosen course "Obstetrics and Gynecology" under the guidance of our experienced and highly professional Dr.  Saikal  Osmonova at the Clinical Maternity Hospital No. 6 of the National Center for Maternal and Child Health in Bishkek. 

Below is her report on an election course. 

💬 From 7th of November to 4th of December in 2022 I took a short-term course in Gynecology and Obsterics at the University ISHM.
I have spent four very interesting weeks in the hospital. I got to see the daily work of doctors especially in postpartum care, admissioning office and in delivery department.

Most interesting for me was the parts where I could actually try to do practical work myself. I got the opportunity to assist during deliveries and during the 3rd period of labor. I could assist during cesarean’s section, and I could practice vaginal examinations as well as Leopold`s maneuver, listening to fetal heart beats or performing a CTG. This was a very valuable practice.

Very helpful for me were case studies. Looking at a patient’s history, talking through her case and trying to come up with own strategies and ideas about treatment were extremely valuable lessons.

Furthermore, I found  Dr. Saikal a very calm and patient teacher creating a pleasant environment and the best conditions for me to learn effectively. Especially accompanying her on a night shift was a very valuable experience.
In the end it maybe would have been interesting if I could have worked my own patients under direct supervision (obviously also because of the language barrier).

Before starting the course, I was asked to roughly design my own timetable. Generally, I think it is a good idea to plan a timetable in advance. However, without knowing anything about resources, the possibilities, or the subject this does not really make sense. Especially because in the end we did not follow this timetable at all.

It is better to know in advance, what kind of resources I will be able to use during my stay. Questions like: Where will my internship take place (which hospital?)? Who will be responsible for me? How much time during the day would my mentor be able to teach me, how much time do they usually work?

Overall, I found it rather difficult to communicate a structure during my stay. My intention why I came was to have an internship in the hospital, which might be similar to a residency program. The University on the other hand offered me a short-term course. In the end it was probably a mixture of both, which made it sometimes a little bit confusing for me.

However, I found communication very convenient, and I enjoyed  Dr. Saikal ́s as well as the University ́s flexibility.