Internal medicine: I cannot live without you as you are my destiny.

Abstract

1060 Some time ago, Professor Anetta Undas, Editor­ ­in ­Chief of the Polish Archives of Internal Medicine and Professor Jacek Imiela, national consultant in internal medicine, invited me to write about my life as an internist and the role of internal med­ icine in today’s world of narrow specialization. My adventure with internal medicine started a long time ago during my medical education. As a 3rd­grade medical student, I went to Montreal in Canada. It was 30 years ago. I had a chance to do my clinical summer practice with wonderful physicians, including Dr. Stefan Horny, in sev­ eral places in the province of Quebec. When I crossed the doors of the Polish ­Canadian Wel­ fare Institute in Montreal, which was a home to elderly Poles requiring medical and nursing assis­ stance, I was asked about my practical achieve­ ments and skills acquired during my studies. This was followed by a sort of a practical exam in in­ ternal medicine as well as some theoretical exam in English. The staff at the Institute was fluent in English and French. Finally, I was accepted and I was told that I could assisst Dr. Horny in his du­ ties as a physician in the Institute. Dr. Horny offered me a possibility for clinical practice at an internal medicine ward in the Re­ gional Hospital in Salaberry ­de ­Valleyfield in Quebec. I was very excited at the opportunity to learn more, to improve my English and learn some French, as well as to discuss different symptoms, diagnoses, and treatment plans. However, it was also a tough time for me as a nonnative speaker of English. In order not to lose such an opportuni­ ty, I was trying to do my best and spent much of my summer holidays in the hospital or in the In­ stitute. I was also lucky to spent some time in Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal, not only in an internal medicine ward but also inthe operat­ ing rooms where I assissted during cardiac sur­ geries and other procedures, such as parathyre­ idectomy. My stay in Canada was very rewarding in terms of improving my medical knowledge as well as my English­ and French­speaking skills. FORUM FOR INTERNAL MEDICINE