SCOREview

Volume 1 – Number 1 – March 2009

SCOREview

Official bulletin of the IFMSA Standing Committee on Research Exchange

Research exchange experiences from around the world!

Special First Edition!

www.ifmsa.org

Word from the editor-in-chief Dear medical student, As editor-in-chief, it is my pleasure to discuss the background behind the creation of SCOREview: the Research Bulletin of the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA), and to convey the purpose of this bulletin.

SCOREview is the result of years of brain-storming between National Officers of National Member Organizations (NMOs) of IFMSA during the General Assemblies of our organization. The current issue is the result of hours of dedicated work and international collaboration between medical students, and it is no doubt that all members of the Standing Committee on Research Exchange (SCORE) of IFMSA are proud that the past years spent laying down bricks have finally amounted to a concrete structure with SCOREview.

This bulletin was created to promote IFMSA exchanges, to provide practical knowledge of medical research to medical students worldwide, and to promote IFMSA activities globally.

With the 10 research experiences in this issue, the readers can learn about 8 different countries to potentially visit on a research exchange. We hope that the authors’ experience will be beneficial to future travellers as well as to the hosting countries that have made their experience a great one.

With SCOREview, medical students can learn about the responsibilities of a medical student in a research project, and see the possibilities of professional achievement that can drawn from research, no matter where it is conducted.

Established in 1951, IFMSA is a major non political non-political, nongovernmental organization working in the fields of community health and capacity building for medical students. This bulletin is an international publication, and has the potential to reach out to over 1.2 million medical students from 95 countries on all continents. We hope that we will contribute to the higher ideal of IFMSA which is to give all future physicians a unique chance to develop cultural sensitivity and tolerance through the research experiences of medical students from different backgrounds, cultures and ethnicities.

As I hope that you will enjoy this first issue, remember that we are open to suggestions and constructive criticism. Please do not hesitate to contact the editorial staff in order to share your point of view on any aspect related to this publication.

Have a great read!

Sami P. Moubayed SCOREview Editor-in-Chief National Officer on Research Exchange, IFMSA-Québec

SCOREview Volume 1 – Number 1 – March 2009

SCOREview SCORE Director 08-09: Mert Karakaya (Turkey – TurkMSIC) Editor-in-chief: Sami P. Moubayed (Canada – IFMSA-Québec) Editorial staff: Dany El-Ghassan (Canada –IFMSA-Québec), Mori Mansouri (UK –Medsin) Web-design: Elena Tur (Russia - HCCM) Contributing authors (NMO): Petra Angebrandt (Croatia – CroMSIC), Dora Gabriela Antunes Correia (Portugal – PorMSIC), Carolin Bender (Germany – BVMD), Natalia Grigoryeva (Russia – HCCM), Tina Jereb (Slovenia – SloMSIC), Matilde Joana da Silva Duarte (Portugal – PorMSIC), Abdalla Mossad (Egypt – IFMSA-Egypt) Tatjana Orlova (Latvia – LaMSA), Silvia Spadacenta (Italy – SISM), Daniele (Italy – SISM).

Special thanks to: Zineb El-Hamidi, SCORE Director 07-08 (Netherlands – IFMSA-NL), Karolina Tuomisto, SCORE Director 06-07 (Finland – FiMSIC)

IFMSA-Egypt Exchange team 08-09

Word from the director You are currently holding the first issue of SCOREview – the research bulletin of the Standing Committee on Research Exchange (SCORE) of the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA). Every year, over 1500 students attend research exchanges in a foreign institute or university through the SCORE program. In addition to research, SCORE provides a unique opportunity to gain lifelong cultural experiences and create international friendships. SCOREview aims to communicate these research activities to reinforce the scientific recognition of SCORE.

SCORE aims to develop both culturally sensitive students and skilled researchers intent on shaping the world of science. This is achieved by providing a network of locally and internationally active students that facilitate access to research exchange projects. One of our main concerns is Global Health and Neglected Diseases, which is the main topic of many research exchanges, workshops and summer schools that take place each year.

Finally, SCORE does not solely focus on exchanges. Through its programming, style, publications and trainings, SCORE is a leader in the medical student world, an engine to foster a new generation of young scientists who will break new grounds in the medical science. I personally recommend you to prevail yourself with the unique opportunity of attending research exchanges: you will be contributing to global health and development through SCORE.

Among SCORE news, SCORE is implementing an innovation this year: SCORE Pre-Exchange Trainings and Research Workshops. These workshops are intended for students that are leaving on a research exchange (outgoing students) in order to increase their knowledge, skills and motivation before attending the exchange. During these workshops, students are exposed to research methodology, ethics, literature reviewing and biostatistics. They also have the opportunity to practice in virtual

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IFMSA website: www.ifmsa.org SCORE Project Database: www.ifmsa.net/public

laboratories in order to refine their laboratory skills.

Dear medical student,

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Word from the editor

I hope you will enjoy reading this very first issue!

Mert Karakaya IFMSA Director on Research Exchange

2008-09

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Word from the director InterVIEW. Research in Medicine Letter to medical student from Ana Marusic, MD, PhD, Professor of Anatomy, University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia What is SCORE?

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Student’s reports about their international research experience

Carolin Bender (Germany – BVMD), Dora Gabriela Antunes Correia (Portugal – PorMSIC), Petra Angebrandt (Croatia – CroMSIC), Silvia Spadacenta (Italy – SISM), Tina Jereb (Slovenia – SloMSIC), Daniele (Italy – SISM), Natalia Grigoryeva (Russia – HCCM), Tatjana Orlova (Latvia – LaMSA), Teles, Matilde Joana da Silva Duarte (Portugal – PorMSIC), Abdalla Mossad (Egypt – IFMSA-Egypt)

InterVIEW

SCOREview Volume 1 – Number 1 – March 2009

Letter to medical students: importance of writing and publishing in medical research

Ana Marusic, MD, PhD Professor of Anatomy, University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia Editor in Chief, Croatian Medical Journal Past President, Council of Science Editors (CSE) and World Association of Medical Editors (WAME)

You may think that research has nothing much to do with being a good physician, but this is not so today when we should practice medicine based on evidence and not eminence (how our professors do practice) or practice (how we have always done it). To effectively practice evidencebased medicine, you need knowledge and skills in scientific research and critical appraisal of information. For each clinical question you will have as a physician, whether you work as a general practitioner or a superspecialist in a tertiary health care center, you will need to get evidence, critically appraise it and make a decision – just as you would do in a research project. Finally, you will need to communicate your experience in a clear way, both to your colleagues and to your patients and the public.

Working as journal editors, my colleagues and I learned that the best way to increase the level of research and professional competence for evidence-based medicine is to teach principles of scientific research and communication to medical students as our future authors. We have developed a mandatory course to help the students understand (1) research terminology in medicine;

(2) importance of setting and testing a hypothesis; (3) principles of study design in clinical research; (4) importance of a statistical way of thinking in medicine; (5) principles of finding information in medicine; (6) structure of a scientific article and other forms of scientific communication; and (7) basic principles of responsible conduct of research in medicine.

The pages of our student section of the Croatian Medical Journal are opened to students’ research articles.

Marusic A, Marusic M. Teaching students how to read and write science: a mandatory course on scientific research and communication in medicine. Acad Med. 2003;78:1235-9.

Marusic M, ed. Principles of Research in Medicine.

Zagreb: Medicinska naklada, 2008.

www.ifmsa.org/score

SCORE

What is SCORE? The IFMSA Research Exchange Program is one of the activities initiated and administered entirely by medical students who are members of the Standing Committee on Research Exchange (SCORE). Presently there are more than 60 National Member Organizations (NMOs) involved in SCORE Definition of the research exchange program - IFMSA: International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations, representing all medical students worldwide - SCORE: Standing Committee on Research Exchange, the IFMSA committee responsible of research exchanges - NMO: National Member Organization, usually representing a country (for exceptions, please refer to www.ifmsa.org) - NORE: National Officer on Research Exchange, medical student coordinating SCORE in an NMO - LC: Local Committee, representing a medical school or faculty LORE: Local Officer on Research Exchange, medical student coordinating SCORE in an LC The SCORE research exchange program enables medical students to take part in research projects abroad. Exchange students participate in a specified research project for a period of time under the direct supervision and guidance of a tutor.

This program is purely educational for students are not intended to receive salaries or payment. The official language of the research exchange program is English. In general, lodging, board, and social program are arranged by the hosting local committee of the National Member Organization (NMO).

The academic recognition of the research exchange program varies among the medical schools. Some universities recognize exchange projects as a part of their curricula and award their exchange students with academic credits. The participating student should find out before departure if his/her chosen project meets the criteria given by his/her home university.

Objectives of SCORE Research projects organized through SCORE are designed to deepen medical student knowledge in the various fields of medical and clinical research. The possibility of participating in research abroad is intended to broaden medical students’ body of knowledge, and introduce them to different approaches to clinical investigation, medical education, health care, and ethical research standards. The maintenance of affordable exchange tuition insures that students from across the world can participate without incurring a financial burden.

Structure Internationally SCORE is coordinated by the SCORE Director.

Each NMO is represented by the National Officer on Research Exchange (NORE). This person is responsible for the national exchange program, both on the national and international level like signing exchange contracts with NOREs from other countries. In order to carry out the actual exchange work, NMOs usually have several Local Committees in their country representing one medical school or faculty. The people working for the Local Committees are the Local Officers on Research Exchange (LOREs). The LORE is responsible for the exchange work on a local level and is the contact person for exchange students.

Please check http://www.ifmsa.net/public/ecscoreselect.php to see the countries that provide research exchanges.

Research projects IFMSAs Research Exchanges are based in projects specially adapted to medical students, which often are part of a bigger investigation projects carried by one or a group of academics. One of them will become the tutor of the research project and will be the one that will guide you in and will provide a detailed description of the project. The description is checked by the Supervisory Board of SCORE, formed by a group of experienced committee members that will revise it and decide if the quality and the description is enough to make it a SCORE Research Project. This allows us to keep a standard academic quality.

Once the project is approved, it will be uploaded to the database (http://www.ifmsa.net/public/searchredb.php) Most projects on SCORE last 4 weeks, but some last more. Please ask your local officer for more information.

Application You can only apply for a research exchange if the NMO in your country has an active standing committee on research Exchange and has a SCORE contract with a country and duration of your interest. Please contact your Local officer on research exchange and ask him/her about these details.

There are many ways to select the outgoing students. It is up to the National Member Organization to decide how they want to carry out the selection. Please ask your local officer on research exchange about the selection procedure and application deadlines in your faculty/country.

International experience

SCOREview Volume 1 – Number 1 – March 2009

My experience in Brazil Host country: Brazil FAMERP, Hosptial de Base, São José do Rio Preto Project : Pre-neoplasic Changes In Lung Cancer Project supervisor: Patrícia Maluf Cury Carolin Bender, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany 4th year of study Spoken languages: German, English, French

The aim of the project was to study immunohistochemical markers in pre-neoplastic lesions of lung cancer. Mice with manipúlated genes were marked and dissected. One group of mice had to swim and work out and another group did not do any physical tasks. Slides of lung samples were sighted to look for areas with pre-neoplastic lesions and an immunohistochemical study of the slides was done and a comparison of the expression in normal lung cells and in the areas with invasive carcinoma was drawn.

There were few results so far and thus no conclusions.

I really enjoyed doing research at this Brazilian hospital. My schedule at the Pathology Department was not tight. I was able to come and go whenever I wanted to, but I tried to arrive with my co-workers at about nine in the morning and leave after lunch or around 3 pm.

My coworkers were really nice and friendly. Most of the time, I was with the residents who always tried to help me and explained a lot of Basic Pathology to me. I was allowed to attend autopsies and fine-needle aspirations and thus gathered experience which will benefit me for my studies. Not all of the residents and doctors were able to speak English, but by taking Portuguese classes or talking “with your hands and feet” one can avoid this little problem.

City and country The city of Rio Preto is rather large (with over 300 000 inhabitants), so there were a lot of things and activities one could do. The major part of my spare time I spent with my Brazilian roommate and her friends. I loved to be around the Brazilian girls because they were so funny and joyful. In the evenings we often went to pubs and restaurants.

I also got the chance to visit my roommate’s parents’ house in another city and go to a Brazilian Carnival party. There was always something to do!

In Rio Preto, I met two other foreign girls. One of them was Alexandra from Rumania, who did her Research Exchange on the same project I did, and Silvia from Italy. She did a medical clerkship in Cardiovascular Surgery.

With Silvia I went to Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo do to some sightseeing. Overall we spent a week in these cities and got to see Copacabana, Christ the Redeemer statue and we also managed to do a trip through a favela (with a guide of course). It was one of the most exciting weeks I have ever had!

Preparations, travel and arrival I was in contact with my roommate and some of the girls from the hosting organization three weeks before I went to Brazil. This way I was able to get all the information I needed, for example which airport I was supposed to go to and how to get to Rio Preto by bus. It was well organized, I always felt welcome and as if they were really looking forward to meet me.

I was not picked up at the airport, but at the bus station. This was because I had decided to go to Rio Preto by bus.

I did not need a visa for my trip. There were a couple of forms one had to fill in on the airplane though.

I was allowed to take 64 kilograms of luggage with me so I had plenty of space and did not forget a lot of necessary things. Extra things one should bring

International experience

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from home are an adapter, a lab coat and of course a little present! It always puts a smile on peoples’ faces.

Stay I shared a flat with my flat-mate Eloísa. She was a medical student at the medical school right next to the hospital I did the research at. The flat was nice and there was enough space for the two of us. Eloísa even had a cleaning lady working at her apartment once a week. The flat was really close to the clinic and hence I was able to walk by foot.

That is why my general impression of the lodging is really good!

I got money to buy lunch and stuff for breakfast.

Most of the time I went out for lunch with the residents or with some of the medical students. Eloísa also took me to supermarkets to get fruits and cereal. Additionally I was able to buy some things myself because all the stores were within walking distance.

I got in touch with the Brazilian medical students very easily and went to pubs, restaurants and bars with them. While I was in Rio Preto there were Medical Games (with other medical schools from all over Brazil) taking place with a lot of competitions and parties. This was a really fun thing to do, too.

On another week end there was a huge Carnival party taking place and I could experience the Brazilian dancing moves and music. I am still in touch with the Brazilian girls. Currently they are doing their clerkships in Italy and Czech Republic. We will meet shortly after New Year’s in Berlin. I cannot wait to see them again!!!

I prepared meals with my flat-mates and sometimes we went to eat out. It was a great opportunity to taste national German food.

Although I was in Halle during the examination period (July) and I was the only IFMSA exchange student that time, we (me and my flat-mates Laura and Katharina) were able to organise interesting social program. We had outside barbeque parties, housewarming party and a birthday party. I attended sport classes with Laura and jumped on trampoline. I got acquainted with their friends.

We traveled together to Dresden, Leipzig, Mainz and Frankfurt on Main on weekends and stayed overnight at the Katharina friends’ flats or Laura’s family house. Now I’m trying to keep in touch with friends I met.

Brazil Location

Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

Area

total: 8,511,965 sq km land: 8,456,510 sq km water: 55,455 sq km note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo

Area-comparative slightly smaller than the US Land boundaries

total: 16,885 km border countries: Argentina 1,261 km, Bolivia 3,423 km, Colombia 1,644 km, French Guiana 730 km, Guyana 1,606 km, Paraguay 1,365 km, Peru 2,995 km, Suriname 593 km, Uruguay 1,068 km, Venezuela 2,200 km

Climate

mostly tropical, but temperate in south

Population

196,342,592

Religions

Roman Catholic (nominal) 73.6%, Protestant 15.4%, Spiritualist 1.3%, Bantu/voodoo 0.3%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.2%, none 7.4% (2000 census)

Languages

Portuguese (official and most widely spoken language); note - less common languages include Spanish (border areas and schools), German, Italian, Japanese, English, and a large number of minor Amerindian languages

Capital

Brasilia

International experience

SCOREview Volume 1 – Number 1 – March 2009

Experimental neurology in Germany Host country: Germany University Hospital of Jena, in Jena Project : Endogenous stem cell proliferation and neurogenesis after stroke Project supervisor: Prof. Dr. Christoph Redecker Dora Gabriela Antunes Correia, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Portugal 4th year of study Spoken languages: Portuguese, English, French, German

To analyse the mechanisms and functional consequences of endogenous stem cell proliferation/neurogenesis in the lesioned brain.

I was involved in several projects which at the Experimental Neurology department including, sensorimotor/cognitive behavioural tests in rodents, immunocytochemistry (with different staining techniques), confocal microscopy, laser scanning, ischemia models, in situ hybridization and neuron tracing.

Responsibility Enthusiasm Search Empowerment Attitude Rigor Calm Hope Ethics Xcelence Courage Help Anxiety Network Giving Enrichment

Throughout the day, from 9 a.m. till 4 p.m., in addition to observing clinical work, I helped in different projects, and attended lab meetings, where on one occasion I presented a scientific article with great success.

During my 4 weeks of commitment, learning and discovery, I felt science flowing in my viens. I was warmly welcomed and integrated in an excellent team,

who made me feel like a colleague and helped my development.

This has been an experience of a lifetime; a big step in my journey in the world of medicine.

City and country The majority of the people I met were Germans, but I also met people from Italy, Serbia, Portugal and Czech Republic. I spent some days visiting the city before going to Jena. However, at Jena, we went for picnics, saw various concerts, spent some time in bars, went up the Jena Tower several times for sightseeing and climbed up the surrounding hills more than once.

We used all our free time in the weekends to travel around. Places we visited include Weimar and all its historical attractions, Eisenach and the Wartburg Castle, Sangerhausen with the Light Festival in the Rosarium, Leipzig, Dresden by night and Prague, in the Czech Republic.

Preparations, travel and arrival On my arrival in Berlin, nobody picked me up at the airport, but we agreed for a pick up at the Jena train station. I’m very pleased with my contact person, as she took care of us, introduced us to the city life, was available when we needed her help and travelled around with us.

Stay My room was in the inner city, far from the labs, but with a direct connection by tram. I liked it, despite some troubles with the washing machine (which I overcame). My flat-mate was really busy and went on holidays soon after I arrived, so basically, I was living alone.

International experience

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We had some pocket money and meal coupons.

Most of the times I ate outside: for lunch, in the hospital cafeteria with some meal coupons; for dinner, mainly in restaurants, paid for by our contact person. I also cooked on rare occasions.

My contact person was waiting for me at the train station. I went out with her, other students on the Professional Exchange, some Medical students, some German friends and with some of my lab colleagues, as well as our supervisor. There are several nice bars and restaurants, a lot of historical sights in the area and various interesting activities.

Some of the local medical students came to visit me and I try to keep in touch with the others.

I met a Teletubby who sang and played a toy guitar with us, prisoners and various strangely dressed human beings, as there were a lot bachelor parties in the first weeks of August (several marriages on 08.08.08)!

In our road trip to Prague, we got lost through the Czech Republic villages and once in the capital, we took several hours to reach our hostel, driving around in circles, mainly due to the insane traffic...

What an adventure!

Germany Location

Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark

Area

total: 357,021 sq km land: 349,223 sq km water: 7,798 sq km

Area-comparative

slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries

total: 3,621 km border countries: Austria 784 km, Belgium 167 km, Czech Republic 646 km, Denmark 68 km, France 451 km, Luxembourg 138 km, Netherlands 577 km, Poland 456 km, Switzerland 334 km

Climate

temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind

Population

82,369,552 (July 2008 est.)

Religions

Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 3.7%, unaffiliated or other 28.3%

Languages

German

Capital

name: Berlin geographic coordinates: 52 31 N, 13 24 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

International experience

SCOREview Volume 1 – Number 1 – March 2009

Laboratory research in Germany Host country: Germany University of Bonn, Dermatology and Allergology Project : Influence of inflammatory stimuli on the expression of TOLL-like receptors by dendritic cells of psoriasis patients Project supervisor: Dr. Sussane Koch Petra Angebrandt, University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Croatia 4th year of study Spoken languages: English, German

Dendritic cells (DC) of the skin interact with infiltrating pathogens via TOLL like receptors (TLR) and thus are activated by pathogen binding and uptake. We are interested in the influence of inflammatory signals on TLR expression by DC in psoriasis. We generate DC in vitro from peripheral blood monocytes from psoriasis patients and healthy controls.

DC are exposed to inflammatory stimuli like cytokines, bacterial products (LPS) and doublestranded RNA (poly I:C) and TLR expression is monitored using immunological methods and RT-PCR. I enjoyed working on this project a lot. I developed skills in working with human blood, in working in sterile conditions and putting human cells in culture. I did a lot of clinical work as well. I saw a lot of interesting cases in the dermatology department. All doctors and nurses were great, they all showed me a lot and I learned a lot. I learned about the health system in a foreign country and could compare it with my own country. The schedule was decent and there was no language barrier. I got experience and knowledge that I will use in my future student life and career.

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City and country I was the only foreign student in that time in Bonn, but I met so many nice people there that I did not feel alone at all. We did a lot of sightseeing in Bonn, but outside of Bonn as well. We visited a lot of festivals in small towns and that was really nice. I saw a lot of interested things and learned something new about German culture and people. I have improved my German language which is good as well.

Preparations, travel and arrival The trip was decent, and I did not need a visa.

My contact person was great, and gave me all the information I needed on the first day. However, I should have brought some more warm clothes from home.

Stay I had my own room and own bathroom which was really good. I was close to the hospital and the center of Bonn as well. The quality of the stay was really good, much better than I expected.

I got pocket money every week for food and outings. That was good as well. I was eating most of the time in the cafeteria but out in restaurants as well. I never cooked.

My contact person was great as well as my colleagues that were with me every day in lab.

Their friends and them were really nice. They helped me obtain everything I was missing, and did me many favors. I could rely on them in every moment. We did a lot of things together and they all tried to make me feel as relaxed as at home.

They did a great job! I am still in contact with them and I hope that we will stay in contact in the future and maybe see each other again.

Once, I went wall climbing!!! It was great, I did it for the first time and I liked it. I should try to continue doing that at home as well.

International experience

www.ifmsa.org

An unforgettable month in Kyushu Host country: Japan “Miyazaki University Medical College”, Miyazaki - Kyushu Project : Wounds healing and its control Project supervisor: Dr. Masugi Maruyama, Dr. Radha Kalaran Subramanya To investigate the effect of Grape Seed extract (GSE) on Upa expression in TIG 3-20 fibroblast cells. We used cell cultures, RNA extraction, RT-PCR, Western Blot, BCA Protein Assay, Spectrophotometric Analysis. Increased concentrations of GSE make the Upa genes activation increasing.

During the course of this project I became more comfortable with laboratories techniques, developing an accurate scientific method, managing experiments data, and drawing evidence-based conclusions. Being completely involved in a research project abroad further consolidated my desire to be a scientist and has contributed to my personal and professional development. I would like to thank all the people I worked with, because they not only taught me the “method”, but also infected me enthusiasm with their enthusiasm for their work. I had no difficulty with the language as everybody in the laboratory could speak English.

City and country Living in Japan was simply great. Kyushu is a wonderful, green island, full of culture and nice sights. Luckily, I lived with two kind host families (ten days with one, and 20 with another). They made my stay in Miyazaki very pleasant, visiting sights with me and my Indonesian friend.

I felt very welcomed into the Japanese culture.

The medical students took me and my friend to wonderful places around Miyazaki. I experienced the Japanese hot springs or “onsen”, visitied mystical places such as Takachiho, where I spent a weekend with my friends, and the Udo Shrine, which is along the wonderful western coast of Kyushu. We visited an active volcano, Aso-San, saw the surreal landscape of Kusasenri and the beautiful Kirishima temple. We also went surfing near Aoshima Island, which is one of the most attractive places I’ve ever seen. The island in its entirety, is surrounded by strange lava-like structures called “washboards”. My host families and lab staff also arranged for some interesting activities, such as making pottery, archery, learning the tea ceremony and wearing a kimono.

I also met people from all over Asia including, Indonesia, India, Nepal, Malaysia, Thailand. Being in contact with so many different cultures has been rewarding. I will forever cherish all the people I met during this experience. Thanks to their kindness and warmth, even though I was far away from Italy, I always felt at home.

Silvia Spadacenta, “La Sapienza” University of Rome, Italy 5th year of study Spoken languages: Italian, English

Preparations, travel and arrival Preparations were very easy. My contact person gave me detailed information and answered all my questions. I did not need a visa and some of the local medical students picked me up at the airport.

It was funny that I was on the same flight (Tokyo – Miyazaki) of Ulfa, the other research exchange student. We found it out while waiting for our luggage as we were the only foreigners on that flight!

Stay I stayed ten days with a host family and 20 with another one. The lodging was great. Both families were very kind and generous and the food was great. Both families were very kind and generous and the food was excellent! Living with them was very pleasant and I didn’t have any problems.

I really enjoyed my time with the first family as

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International experience

SCOREview Volume 1 – Number 1 – March 2009

they had very funny children and I often played with them.

I didn’t get any money or meal coupons, but the dinner was provided by host families and they often offered me and my friends very good meals outside in typical Japanese restaurants, such as sushi bar.

I usually had lunch in the university canteen.

I usually went out with my Indonesian friend, local medical students, the laboratory staff, and during the weekends with my host family.

Sightseeing with them was always very pleasant. One of my favourite activities was visiting temples and shrines and, obviously, having dinner in typical Japanese restaurants! I’m still in contact with almost everyone I met during the exchange, and I’m more than certain that I will stay in touch with them for a long time!

One of the funniest things I experienced in Kyushu was that in a lot of places I was the only European girl and people were very curious about me. One day I was in the Japanese “hot spring”, where you can bath, butt-naked! So, I was in the outside swimming pool with my Indonesian friend and as usual we were the only foreigners. Suddenly we noticed that some children and their parents inside were throwing water on the windows in order to clear the condensation and look at us!

Another funny thing happened while we were in Kyoto. I was in a little bar having a drink with some friends and a drunk man started to tell me that I looked like a Japanese model!

Japan

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Location

Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula

Area

total: 377,835 sq km land: 374,744 sq km water: 3,091 sq km note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto, Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)

Area-comparative

slightly smaller than California

Land boundaries

0 km

Climate

varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north

Population

127,288,416 (July 2008 est.)

Religions

observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including Christian 0.7%)

Languages

Japanese

Capital

Tokyo

International experience

www.ifmsa.org

Research in Japan Host country: Japan University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki Project: Regulatory mechanisms of endoplasmic reticulum stress response Project supervisor: Kazunori Imaizumi We investigated the function of the two proteins that are tranducers in the endoplasmic reticulum stress signalling pathway. We performed our experiments mainly by using the methods of molecular cloning and we expressed the proteins in the cells. The results were not conclusive and further research is needed in the future to answer the questions about the ER stress response.

I worked in a lab with very nice and helpful coworkers and my work was not hard at all. I have learned some methods used in molecular biology and exercised my brain trying to think scientifically.

This project gave me an insight into biochemical research of the human body so it was an important experience.

I also had to do many experiments by myself (although my tutor was giving me the instructions) and that helped me to become more self confident about working with DNA, cell cultures etc.

City and country For me, Japan is an extremely interesting country. I experienced surprises every single day and almost all were very positive and fun. At the time of my exchange I was probably the only foreign student on the medical faculty, so the students there had lots of time for me and I got lots of attention. I met many people who were almost exclusively Japanese. There were only a few Thai students who arrived on some other exchange to the hospital and I met a British English teacher.

We went sightseeing every weekend: they took me to shrine, we visited a very high bridge, we went to the Miyazaki city and Saito city, where we made clay figures.

I visited Kyoto before going to my exchange and Osaka just before flying back home. I also went to Tokyo (by plane) for a few days, where the students I met in Miyazaki (but happen to live in Tokyo) showed me around the city and accepted me to their homes overnight.

Preparations, travel and arrival The flight to Japan was long and tiring, but it was worth it – I arrived to an exotic world, so interesting that I was unable to sleep for a few days. Everything was so colourful and beautiful and people were very nice, too. The climate was extremely humid, which I hated for a week, but then I started to enjoy being in a sauna all day. My contact person was very kind, I got all the information I needed before arrival. When I landed at the Miyazaki airport I was sooooo positively surprised – there were many students waiting for me. But this was just a start of their hospitality!

Tina Jereb, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia 4nd year of study Spoken languages: Slovenian, English, German

Stay I lived alone in an empty apartment of one of the students. It was only five minutes (by bike) away from the medical faculty. The apartment was small, clean and Japanese: I was sleeping on the floor on a futon, which was quite comfortable when I got used to it. I had almost no work with this apartment at all – I was only cleaning the floor regularly. The Japanese like to keep their floor very clean!

My “host family” consisted of a student in whose apartment I lived and his girlfriend. They both lived only two doors away from my flat. They were preparing breakfast for me everyday and usually a dinner, too (they were really so incredibly kind to me). Sometimes I went eating out with other students.

Members of the club on their medical faculty, which was accepting foreign students, organized some social program for me almost every day!

There was a welcome party for me, a farewell party and some other parties during the course of the month I stayed in Miyazaki. The other days I usually went out for a dinner with different students almost every day, so I met lots of people!

Once we went to a festival in the Miyazaki city (the capital of the Miyazaki prefecture). A few times we went body boarding to the beach and than to the onsen – bathing in a Japanese hot spring. I never

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was left alone as they organized everything for me!

Japanese hospitality and kindness are unforgettable!

And their culture is cute and gentle, a bit childlike. But from time to time it is also a little conservative. It is still different from ours (although Western culture certainly is very apparent in Japan) and it made me think about people’s behaviour for very long time after I arrived back home. I am still a bit obsessed with Japan. I love this country!

Neuroscience in Czech Republic Host country: Czech Republic Dept. Neuroscience, 2nd medical faculty, Prague Project : Electrophysiological and morphological properties of glial cells after brain injury and transplantation Project supervisor: Prof. Eva Sykova Daniele, Università Studi di Pavia, facoltà Medicina e chirurgia, Pavia, Italy 4th year of study Spoken languages: Italian, English, Spanish

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The aim of the proposed project is to use electrophysiological and immunocytochemical techniques to study the membrane properties and morphology of oligodendroglia and astroglia in rat brain and spinal cord after transplantation and brain injury. The purpose of the study is to obtain new information about the electrophysiological, morphological and immunocytochemical properties of glial cells in transplanted nervous tissue, in implanted hydrogels and about reactive glial cells in injured nervous tissues.

I didn’t find any language barrier neither among my friends nor in the lab, because on average the level of English was quite high. I was really pleased with my schedule, as in addition to following my program, I was able to visit other labs and observe their activities.

This provided me with a overview

of the major techniques used in neuroscience labs. I was doing lab work only and if I was ever in doubt, there was always someone around to ask questions.

City and country There were people from Eastern Europe, Portugal, Spain, North Africa and one crazy guy from Azerbajan.

I spent most of my leisure time travelling around Prague and we also organized trips to Budapest and Bratislava. I had never been in Prague before and I really enjoyed the city.

Beyond the popular sights in the city e.g the old town Square, Wenceslas Square, Charles Bridge and so on, Prague had a lot of other beautiful streets, bridges, gardens on offer that were off the clean and dusted tourist track.

Although a month is not a long time, it was just enough to have an idea of the capital and the surrounding major European cities such Vienna, Berlin, and Budapest.

Preparations, travel and arrival I didn’t need a visa and my ID card was enough.

My contact person was very kind and ready to help at any point. A few days before my departure, she

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sent me an email with all the necessary information to find my way form the airport to the bus station where we met. Transportation in Prague is very efficient and I had no difficulty finding the right bus.

Stay I shared a room with Pedro, a Portugese student.

Together with the Azerbaijani guy, we had a lot of fun. We stayed in a dormitory very close to the hospital where I and my mates went to work. We shared the kitchen and the bathroom with the former not always in a clean state.

me become familiar with the city very quickly.

I met great people and I was surprised on how in such a short time, one can develop such long-lasting friendships. Also, the fact that in addition to lesuire, it contributed to my career development made this experience more enjoyable. Of course I had sexual mishaps but as you know, I was in Prague, and believe me, it’s not that easy to stay sober for more an hour a day.

I received pocket money and most of the times I ate outside. If you have a look around Prague, one can find several budget restaurants however if you would like to cook, there is always the “clean” kitchen at the dormitory.

I didn’t find my contact person, SHE found me. We communicated with each other via email several days in advance and made all the arrangements.

I enjoyed the fact that all the incoming students were in the same dormitory or in dormitories very close each other. This is very helpful as they helped

Czech Republic Location

Central Europe, southeast of Germany

Area

total: 78,866 sq km land: 77,276 sq km water: 1,590 sq km

Area-comparative

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries

total: 1,989 km border countries: Austria 362 km, Germany 815 km, Poland 615 km, Slovakia 197 km

Climate

temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Population

10,220,911 (July 2008 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 26.8%, Protestant 2.1%, other 3.3%, unspecified 8.8%, unaffiliated 59% (2001 census)

Languages

name: Prague geographic coordinates: 50 05 N, 14 28 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Capital

name: Prague geographic coordinates: 50 05 N, 14 28 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

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Endocrinology in Croatia Host country: Croatia University of Rijeka, Department of Internal Medicine-Endocrinology, Clinical hospital Rijeka, Rijeka Project: Influence of endocrine disorders and bowel diseases on bone mineral density Project supervisor: Dr. Zeljka Crncevic -Orlic Grigoryeva Natalia, Saint-Petersburg State Medical Academy named after I.I. Mechnikov, Russia 4th year of study Spoken languages: Russian, English

This project is devoted to the problems of secondary osteoporosis and its identification. It also involved hormonal analysis and bone mineral density test by DEXA analysis. It’s important to analyze the connection between osteoporosis and bowel diseases and if gastroenterological pathologies are serious prerequisites for osteoporosis.

The project was based in the Department of Internal Medicine-Endocrinology in Clinical hospital Rijeka. I got acquainted with work of the hospital, work of departments of endocrinology and department of Endoscopy.

I saw how densitometry is performed and analysed. Also there was opportunity to observe gastroenterologists in action and procedures like gastroscopy, colonoscopy, ultrasound gastroscopy and liver biopsy. It was extremely interesting to engage with doctors of another country, to see their work and their way of communicating with patients. I found this to be an incredible experience as I’m yet to decided my future specialization. It helped me much.

I didn’t do any clinical work as it required much experience. But I participated in discussions and watched procedures.

City and country

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There were people from Ukraine, Egypt, Finland, Kazakhstan and Japan.

There were students of different age groups with different temperaments.

But we found c o m m o n language and soon we became friends.

Even now we keep

communicating with each other.

While in Rijeka, we had several excursions. It was exciting to discover beautiful sceneries and see so many picturesque places. We visited the marvellous Opatia, the charming Lovran, the merry Icici, the “venetian” Rovinj, Pula with its famous Coloseum, Brijuni Island with residence of Joseph Bros Tito and wonderful safari park, world-known Plitvice Lakes with its breathtaking views and impressive waterfalls. And of course, beautiful Zagreb-capital of Croatia, which has so much in common with my native city SaintPetersburg!

We saw many small towns on the seaside. They are so beautiful, charming and being there feels like living in a fairy tale.

The Adriatic Sea is fantastic! It’s absolutely pure and with its untouched nature it brings you to heaven on earth. One can easily forget all casual thoughts, problems and all negative emotions.

However, the weather was different. Rijeka is called the “Croatian London” because of its frequent rains and thunders. We also witnessed impressive and powerful winds that knocks you down. One has no choice but to be humble and respect the authority of the Element of Air. I liked Croatians so much! They are so kind and open-hearted. We have much in common. Similar peculiarities of temperament and a common way of thinking.

I felt like a guest but in the best meaning of this word!

I enjoyed the Croatian hospitality. It was great!

Preparations, travel and arrival I didn’t need visa. An invitational letter is enough for Russian tourists to enter Croatia.

I flied from Moscow to Zagreb and then I took bus to Rijeka. There I was met by students where they droped me at my hostel. I took some common things from home – hair dryer and small iron. In

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general I didn’t need extra things as I was able to find all necessities in the local shops.

Stay I lived in a students hostel not far from the city centre. I lived alone in my room for several days.

I was later joined by a girl from the Ukraine. The room was comfortable, big enough to stay there, but I spent most of my time outside. The hostel was very good. There was free Internet on the ground floor. It was extremely convenient because I could check my mail, get fresh news from my homeland and write back about my life in Croatia.

I had two meals each day. Lunch at 14.00 and dinner at19.00 at the hospital canteen. The food was enough and tasted very good. The meals were varied and included healthy-meat, vegetables, milk products and vitamins everyday. And the staff were very friendly and kind. In the evenings, together with other students, we visited the cafes in the city centre for a coffee.

As mentioned previously, my contact person was very friendly and outgoing. She and other students were very hospitable, showed us their city, places of interest and picturesque sites around Rijeka. They

also organised a wonderful dinner for us, where we could try some of their national cuisine and delicious seafood.

We made friends with Croatians and I even met with some of them at another IFMSA project. We write emails to each other regularly and share pictures, etc.

I have invited them to Russia and when they come I’ll show them the best of my country and I’ll do my best to leave lasting memories about my city as they made about theirs.

There were funny moments when we spoke with Croatians who didn’t speak (and understand) English at all. But as Russian and Croatian languages are of one origin, understanding them was not a major problem. For example in the canteen-many terms sounds alike. Our group mates from Egypt and Finland were shocked that we could communicate with the locals even though they do not speak a word of English.

Croatia Location

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia

Area

total: 56,542 sq km land: 56,414 sq km water: 128 sq km

Area-comparative

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries

total: 1,982 km border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km, Serbia 241 km, Montenegro 25 km, Slovenia 455 km

Climate

Mediterranean and continental; continental climate predominant with hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry summers along coast

Population

4,491,543 (July 2008 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, other Christian 0.4%, Muslim 1.3%, other and unspecified 0.9%, none 5.2% (2001 census)

Languages

Croatian 96.1%, Serbian 1%, other and undesignated 2.9% (including Italian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and German) (2001 census)

Capital

name: Zagreb

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Study of vascular alteration in Hungary

Host country: Hungary Semmelweis University Project: Immunohistochemical monitoring of vascular alterations following ischemic conditions Project supervisor: prof. Mihaly Kalman Tatjana Orlova, Rigas Stradins University, Latvia 3th year of study Spoken languages: English, Russian, Latvian, German

The aim of this project was to monitor the ischemic alterations in cerebral vessels, by immunohistochemical methods, revealing immunohistochemical markers of the stages of degeneration, and re-vascularisation, the disintegration and re-organisation of glio-vascular connections, and blood-brain barrier. Methods: experimental surgery, occlusions to obtain ischemic models, and transplantation, immunohistochemical detection of the components of the basal lamina and dystroglycan-dystrophin complex. Unfortunately, the project is still ongoing and therefore I can not report any results.

I will remember the first day at the host university for a very long time. After meeting my supervisor and the getting the introductions out of the way, my colleague and I were quizzed on immunohistochemistry, I had not prepared for this ‘inquisition’ and wasn’t able to answer any of his questions. I felt like the Professor had a very low opinion of us but by the end of the project we managed to reverse this! I had some difficulty in communicating in English. However, after some time and getting used to the setting, I realised that this is not a major issue as I dealt with other students with a ‘not so perfect English’ regularly. As I intend to be a neurosurgeon, this project made me more knowledgeable in the neurosciences, particularly on the topic of neuroglial interactions.

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City and country Budapest is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. There are a lot of picturesque places in Hungary. Old relics and monuments are here, there and everywhere, caves with prehistoric

signs, amusement parks with ancient castles with ponds, and most importantly, in these parks, there is a certain place where one can find that special someone.

One weekend we went to the Balaton lake. At first, I thought, a lake? What can be so special about this? At first, I did not want to go, but nevertheless I went and I did not regret my decision. It looks like a small sea, the water is sky blue in color and the mountains could be seen on the other side of the lake. We waited to see the sunset by boat and the captain entertained us with a glass of Champaign. I really enjoyed the drink and the lively company. Of course, we swam and went to the local club, but I did not really enjoy the club, because of the music. It was too out-of-date!

However, the cheerful company, compensated for the lack of good music. We arrived there during the Hungarian wine festival, where we tried various types of wine at bargain prices. We spent three days in Balaton and I was crushed to leave that wonderful place.

In Budapest, I made a lot of new friends and of course fell in love. At the hostel, I was living with students from all over the world, especially Italy and Egypt. By the end of the project I thought I might forget my native language and start speaking in Italian and Arabic. There were also students from Taiwan, Tunisia, Spain, Greece and Mexico.

It was very interesting for me to communicate with people from other countries and to learn their traditions and ways of life.

Finally, I would like to say that if I get the chance to go on another exchange next year, I will definitely jump at this opportunity and in my humble opinion, everyone else should follow suit!

Preparations, travel and arrival My travel preparation were complicated as I had to prepare several documents. I travelled by bus for two whole days and by the time I arrived at the hostel I was exhausted. I was met by my contact

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person and a few of the students who showed me around the hostel, provided me with some food and the Mexican students entertained us with their national drink, tequila with worms! I was pleasantly surprised by this friendly and amicable greeting.

Stay My first impressions of the hostel were great.

It is situated in the greenbelt, near Budapest downtown. Next to the hostel, there was church and I was woken up evey morning by the sound of the chanting bells. It was very romantic indeed.

My roommate was a girl from Taiwan and I’m still in touch with her till this very day.

We had a free lunch every day. It was tasty more often than not. However, if we wanted to eat more, we had to cook. As we were not gifted in the culinary art, the food was often inedible. One evening there was a “National food and drinks” party, where every student from each country had to cook a national dish. I have to say, that it was a really good idea, because we sampled dishes from all over the world.

The social program was very, very interesting. Each evening after finishing work, we went sightseeing or hit the Hungarian disco and pub scene. However, when we decided not to go out, we had our own parties at the hostel were we start the evening with

various alcoholic cocktails and then went dancing till the early hours of the morning. One should note that the hardcore drinkers are the Italians and not the French! The worst thing was that in the morning we had to go back to the university.

My favorite party was the “Welcome Party” where we met all the students from all over the world and where I met my boyfriend from Mexico who I’m still in touch with till this very day.

I would like to tell you a ‘not so funny’ story (at least for me). One day another Latvian student and I, were sitting in café, speaking in our native language, Russian. We decided to go home and asked for the bill. When I was paying, a fly sat on my hand (I am very afraid of flies) and I started cursing in Russian, thinking that no one would understand me. The waiter nearby smiled and said to me in Russian: “Oh, you speak Russian?” At that moment, I turned red and we did not return to that café anymore.

Hungary Location

Central Europe, northwest of Romania

Area

total: 93,030 sq km land: 92,340 sq km water: 690 sq km

Area-comparative

slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries

total: 2,185 km border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km, Serbia 166 km, Slovakia 676 km, Slovenia 102 km, Ukraine 103 km

Climate

temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers

Population

9,930,915 (July 2008 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 51.9%, Calvinist 15.9%, Lutheran 3%, Greek Catholic 2.6%, other Christian 1%, other or unspecified 11.1%, unaffiliated 14.5% (2001 census)

Languages

Hungarian 93.6%, other or unspecified 6.4% (2001 census)

Capital

name: Budapest geographic coordinates: 47 30 N, 19 05 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

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Beautiful Verona Host country: Italy University of Verona Project: Adverse Drug Reaction, Database Project supervisor: Roberto Leone Teles, Matilde Joana da Silva Duarte, School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Portugal 2nd year of study Spoken languages: Portuguese, English, French, Spanish

The main objective of this work was to study the adverse drug reactions in a few animal models and input the results into a database. The database was also updated using adverse drug reaction reports completed by doctors, nurses, other health professionals and patients. Some of the drugs were found to have unexpected effects on the patients. In collaboration with other laboratories around the world, the project team also studied the pharmacogenetics of adverse drug reactions.

However, there are no results to be reported as this project is still at its infancy.

My schedule was very suitable as it allowed for exploring the host city. I had to be in the hospital from 9:00 until 12:30. Language was not a problem, because I can understand Italian and speak a little bit. Everybody in the lab also made a great effort to communicate with me in English or to understand my terrible Italian or even my mother tongue, Portuguese. I did not have any major responsibilities and I felt quite restricted. I helped fill in some forms and practiced taking pictures with a Confocal Microscope, none of which were used in the reports. Most of my coworkers in the lab were helpful and tried to explain everything to the best of their ability. However, I did not find the coworkers in the office where the database was updated, helpful and frankly, I felt like they don’t really care.

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I believe this project will help me understand some adverse drug reactions and how to report them. Additionally, if necessary, I would be able to use a Confocal Microscope. Finally, I’m now

familiar with the role of mice models in medical research.

City and country Although I was on a Research Exchange I was able to mingle with students from Professional Exchange too. They were from Germany, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Japan, Ukraine, Brazil, Mexico, Bulgaria, Greece and Egypt. It was a great experience because it was a huge “melting-pot” of cultures. The people I met during this experience will not be forgotten.

Verona is a really wonderful city with much to see and do. It’s a really special place and I advise everybody that goes to Italy to pay Verona a visit.

During my stay, I also visited Padua, Sirmione, Lago di Garda and Jeresolo. I didn’t do more than this because I already knew Italy. All the places I visited were just amazing.

Preparations, travel and arrival As I’m from the European Union, my trip was really easy to arrange. My contact person was great and helped me with everything. He gave me all the information I needed and he picked me up at the airport. On the last day, another person also from SISM dropped me on the airport.

Stay My roommates were ‘cool’, but I didn’t spend

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much time with them. My residence was located in the centre of Verona but was an hour drive to the hospital. The rooms were good but I found some of the receptionists to be unfriendly.

We were given some pocket money and a cards that allowed us access to the local diner. We had a kitchen and therefore, most of the time, preferred to cook at home. We sometimes had our lunch at the university or in a restaurant in the area.

I was picked up by my contact person at the airport.

We usually held our own parties at the residence and together with my contact person and other exchange students we sometimes visited the city centre for drinks. I really enjoyed my social life and I’m still in contact with some of the people I met during the exchange.

Italy Location

Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia

Area

total: 301,230 sq km land: 294,020 sq km water: 7,210 sq km note: includes Sardinia and Sicily

Area-comparative

slightly larger than Arizona

Land boundaries

total: 1,899.2 km border countries: Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 199 km, Switzerland 740 km

Climate

predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south

Population

58,145,320 (July 2008 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 90% (approximately; about one-third practicing), other 10% (includes mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community)

Languages

talian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are predominantly German speaking), French (small French-speaking minority in Valle d’Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)

Capital

Rome

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Forensic medicine in Greece Host country: Greece Aristotle University,Thessaloniki Project : Methods of analytical toxicology and clinical forensic medicine Project supervisor: Assistant Prof. Papadimitriou,Prof. Helena Tsoukali,Prof. Samuel Abdalla Mossad, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt 6th year of study Spoken languages: English, Arabic, German

During this month, I had the opportunity to examine different organs, tissues and fluids of the body such as kidneys, urine, sputum, and blood using chemical reactions and special laboratory machines in order to find the presence and the level of drugs or other toxic substances. The methods used were Thin Layer Chromatography, Gas Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid Chromatography, and ADX. At the same time, I managed to participate in examinations of wounded persons, drug addicts and cases of other types of criminality, and learn how to find the reason and the time of death. The purpose was to familiarize the student with the methods used in analytical toxicology and forensic medicine.

The only obstacle I faced was that I was considered as working on two projects, the forensics project and the toxicology project, and the tutors from both fields were asking me to show up on some specific time and sometimes there were conflicts in schedule. Thus, I had to organize my time efficiently. I gained much laboratory experience and my supervisor was with me with every step of the way, explaining everything as we worked. It gave me such an interest that I may consider toxicology as my main speciality later.

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City and country I was the only exchange student, and it was so exciting for me as it was the holiday season, and the streets were a piece of golden art with their Christmas and New Year lights, and a huge Christmas tree on the main street.Thessaloniki should be called the city of students, as it has countless places where the young people can hang out, The spectacularly decorated bars are breathtaking and the prices were

very reasonable in cafés. I never went to a place on the weekends where I found a free table, as the prices are very good and from the coast you can see a big mountain. I was amazed when I knew that this mountain is hundreds of kilometres away from the coast. There was also another thing that I found in Greece that I did not find anywhere else: almost everyone can speak almost perfect English, and the people are very friendly and willing to help out at any time.

Preparations, travel and arrival My visa processing went well: I got it in 9 days. My contact person was very helpful, and my friend Tasos picked me up from the train station and drove me to the apartment. It was January, and I should have brought gloves with me because it was freezing, especially at night.

Stay My flat mate Dimitris was very nice, helpful, and understanding, especially when I broke some of his stuff. It was a perfect apartment, the best lodging I have ever had through my exchange experiences. It was perfectly situated, just 10 minutes walking distance from the University. I could not have asked for more !

Thessaloniki is probably the only city where unlimited free meals are provided to students.

There is even a restaurant where you can eat absolutely for free, no matter who you are.

Of course, the best thing is to try the Greek food, which is absolutely the most delicious food you will ever taste, like a piece of heaven! I almost never cooked as I could not resist the delicious food outside!

Considering that all my contact persons and the people volunteering in HELMSIC had exams at that time, they did a great job by taking me with them everywhere they went. I made great friends that I will remember for the rest of my life. They took me skiing also in some place near Thessaloniki.

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The best place to go out is Thessaloniki, as every place in this city is nice and you can really enjoy it with your friends. Unfortunately, I missed the summer and the outstanding islands because it was freezing.

There were many hilarious situations while I was in Greece, but the funniest thing that happened to me was when I was attending the HELMSIC general assembly, because everyone was shouting and talking at the same time, and the strange thing is that at the end they came up with a solution after it seemed like an unsolvable disaster.

Greece Location

Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

Area

total: 131,940 sq km land: 130,800 sq km water: 1,140 sq km

Area-comparative

slightly smaller than Alabama

Land boundaries

total: 1,228 km border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, Macedonia 246 km

Climate

temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Population

10,722,816 (July 2008 est.)

Religions

Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

Languages

Greek 99% (official), other 1% (includes English and French)

Capital

name: Athens geographic coordinates: 37 59 N, 23 44 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

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Just fill out this form (in English, electronic) and send to you LORE/NORE

RESEARCH BULLETIN SUBMISSION FORM Original Title Introduction

1. Name 2. Country of origin 3. Spoken languages 4. Your university and city 5. Year of medical school Research Project 1. Host country 2. Host university/hospital and city 3. Name of project 4. Project supervisor 5. Short description of project - objective (optional, 50 words): purpose, methods, results, conclusion 6. Comments - subjective (100 words) Ideas: schedule, language barrier, responsibilities, did you do any clinical work, coworkers, how this project benefits your studies or future career City and country 1. Comments (200 words) Ideas: from which countries were the people you met, sightseeing, trips inside the country Preparations, travel and arrival 1. Comments (50 words) Ideas: Did you need a visa, how was your contact person (general impression), did someone pick you up at the airport, extra things you should have brought from home Stay 1. Lodging (50 words) Ideas: roommates or flat-mates, location, quality of stay, general impression 2. Boarding (50 words): Ideas: did you get any money or meal coupons, did you cook or eat outside 3. Social program (100 words) Ideas: How did you find your contact person, who did you go out with, best places to go out, are you still in contact with the people you met Pictures Please attach maximum 3 pictures in jpeg format - University/hospital - Lodging - Social/sightseeing

www.esc-berlin.com The European Students’ Conference (Wikipedia: ESC) is one of the largest biomedical conferences worldwide and has been one of the main events at the Charité for many years. The ESC is a forum for scientific exchange and recruiting and adresses * Medical students from various European and international faculties * Young scientists in related disciplines * Experienced scientists * International faculties * Business companies * Medical students and young scientists, who wish to explore the possibilities of working and researching in Germany This not only enhances the international, interdisciplinary, scientific exchange, but also strengthens the cooperation and cohesion of a united Europe.

Every year the ESC takes place at the Charité, Medical Faculty of Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany.

The 5-days program consists of interactive sessions, workshops and lectures. These events will be chaired by distinguished professors, Nobel Price Winners, Ambassadors and nonprofit organizations.

In addition we plan cultural events and activities like Berlin Sightseeing Tour, a trip to Potsdam, a Welcome Dinner and a great Farewell Party to encourage the participants to get in contact for an intercultural and personal exchange of views and personally explore the history and culture of Berlin.