Giving back to the scientific community is a crucial part to remember once we enter our professional lives. Joseph Schull and Anna Yang show us a huge example of the values to be held high in the future. I do not know how someone can thank such wonderful people that open up so many new horizons to students each year. I, like many others, have had a life-changing experience interning abroad. Something that would have been impossible for me without the generous help of these two amazing people.听
As a former research assistant in Montreal, I am very familiar with the scientific field in the 缅北强奸 community. However, I always had the curiosity to experience research conducted abroad, where I would get a chance to embrace new cultures, techniques and opinions. Which is why I searched vigorously for internship opportunities abroad, that could both meet my area of expertise and at the same time, open up new interests. Which is why, when I got an internship offer from the Department of minimally invasive surgery at the University of Heidelberg Hospital, I was overwhelmed with excitement. However, I was also very worried. How will I be able to afford this trip? I had to find a way, because the will was there. This is how I got exposed to funding sources such as the Schull Yang International Experience Awards.
The project I was assigned to focuses on assessing the performance of the da Vinci robot. This machine performs minimally invasive surgeries. It overcomes the limitation of the usual laparoscopic surgeries by providing additional advantages, such as 7 degrees of freedom and 3D vision. Most importantly, it has the capacity to eliminate essential tremors. The main goal of this research is to be able to assess the performance of the surgeon with the robot. This was done with the help of the da Vinci Logger which records the surgeon's movements during operations. It also gives the team an objective feedback on the performance. That way, we were able to differentiate between beginner and advanced surgeons. I was actively participating in the training operations in the project's experimental operation rooms. As fundamentals of minimally invasive surgery are important in order to understand the problems associated with these procedures, I was also able to intensively train in the facilities and learn the fundamentals of laparoscopy and robotics as well. I became proficient in laparoscopic suturing, in order to be fit to grade videos and therefore collect data. Additionally, I learned how to design and 3D print structures to be used in the operation room later on. In the OR, the vast knowledge in physiology and anatomy I had accumulated over the past 3 years at 缅北强奸, was extremely helpful, and was an added advantage in my pocket.
Ever since I heard about this internship back in November 2018, I challenged myself, to do my best to seize this opportunity. This took me 7 months of preparing, applying to many funding sources, getting rejected many times. But I did not take no for an answer. It was the first time I felt this strongly about something, and I was not willing to let it go easily. My personal growth had already started before even leaving Montreal.
The time came for me to leave, and I was extremely excited. But the first day I got to Heidelberg, I noticed the huge difference with cities I am used to. Whether it is Beirut or Montreal, I was always living in busy, dynamic cities. This is was the complete opposite. Despite being one of the oldest, and most beautiful German cities, Heidelberg seemed a bit too calm at first glance. This pushed me to start meeting new people and making new friends extremely quickly. In fact, that day I made my first friend, who helped me get settled. This process, of meeting new people, and expanding my circle never stopped. I am already dreading that goodbye moment at the end of July. And I consider this as a success. I decided to transform culture shock into a true immersion in the culture.
On a professional side, the extensive work on our robotic surgery project was very fruitful, and an amazing experience. Knowing that the work we鈥檝e done will most likely advance in how surgeons learn and practice surgical techniques, is very satisfying. This internship has also constituted a big turning point in my prospective professional aspirations. I am now certain of my medical career choice, and I also hope to go into surgery. After spending nearly 3 months in the surgical department, watching closely the lifestyle of surgeons in parallel to my research project, gave me an insider鈥檚 look at the field.
The Schull Yang International Experience Awards were听the only way I could afford this very expensive stay in Germany. But other than the monetary aspect, the help and assistance that I was given before and throughout my stay was essential. I was well prepared and accompanied during my trip. And with that I want to thank the whole 缅北强奸 International Experience Awards family.
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