STAY IN THE ULM UNIVERSITY CLINIC (GERMANY)

In March 2020 I was in the Ulm University Clinic for 2 weeks. My internship course took place on the basis of the department of general and visceral surgery. The work in the clinic is structured in such a way that not only surgeons but also doctors of the adjoining specialties, trainees and students participate in the discussion of patients’ treatment. And at the morning conferences, a resuscitator, a radiologist and an endoscopist must always be present. The operating unit has all necessary equipment in sufficient quantity. Preoperative preparation is carried out by the anesthetic team in the preoperative room. A special role is given to the patient’s thermal isolation using special blankets, protection of the patient’s eyes with a patch, and perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis. In addition to the operating surgeon and two main assistants, the operating team obligatorily includes a student. Continuous training by senior surgeons of junior ones is practiced. Basic surgical instruments are represented with everything you need. In the postoperative period all drugs are charged into infusion machines at a daily dosage, which simplifies the work of paramedical personnel and also reduces the risk of catheter infection. When entering a medical university the competition is initially very high (more than 20 people per place). All doctors work in a unified team, there is no strict division into university chairs and clinic departments. Two weeks spent in the Ulm University Clinic have shaped my understanding of medical care and medical education in Germany, acquainted me with the specificity of the surgical service and the technical features of performing surgical interventions.