Internship in Erfurt, Germany

Juozas Vilimas

This year I had an opportunity to do an Internship in the city of Erfurt, Germany. I was a guest doctor in the “Katholisches Krankenhaus St.Johann Nepomuk” (KKH) hospital. It was my second Internship in this hospital as well as in the department of urology. This time I have spent 2 months there.

This hospital is the second largest hospital in the city, which was built in 2003. I was utterly impressed by the atmosphere in the hospital. It was very easy to get used to the layout of the KKH hospital and to find all the departments within the hospital. During the time of my Internship I was provided with a room just 2 minutes away from the hospital. The room in which I lived in was very cozy, had a small kitchen and a bathroom. It had everything I needed to enjoy a comfortable stay: dishes, pots, towels and etc. A free of charge lunch was provided in the cafeteria every workday. The dorm was taken care of by a nun. She was really friendly and helpful.

Erfurt is the capital city of the Thuringia land. The city has about 200 000 inhabitants. Despite the fact that The KKH hospital is on the edge of the city, it is convenient to reach all the sights of the city center with a tram. Erfurt is quite an impressive city. The central cathedral is absolutely stunning. I was fortunate, that during my stay there were plenty of events taking place in the city, for example: Oktoberfest in Erfurt (thousands of people were singing folk songs together) also the wine harvest festival. I also took part in various scientific events: a conference for general surgeons, public lectures about health for patients.

My choice to apply to this particular hospital was made not simply by accident. This was my second practice there and I would definitely repeat it one more time if I had a chance. During my practice I was able to feel like I was part of a wonderful team which was like a well-oiled machine. Every day I was assigned to various tasks. I assisted in surgeries, took blood from patients and did the rounds with other doctors. During my stay I have expanded not only my medical knowledge but also improved my German language skills. I felt very happy communicating with patients while trying to understand their needs. I am sure that this practice was not a waste of time. By having the possibility to assist people even in their worst days, I was assured that my life is going in the right direction and that I should certainly continue the path I have chosen.