Professional Exchange Program

Messina, Italy
By: Dinda Ines Secsaria

Professional Clinical Exchange program

activities conducted in August 2017 as an
elective block hosted by SCOPE IFMSA is a
very valuable and unforgettable experience for
me. I got a lot of new experiences that I have not
got in Indonesia, besides I also got the
opportunity to study the health system in Italy, especially in Messina, and met with 33
other incoming from various countries in the world. I held a one-month exchange
program in Messina, Italy. Messina is one of the largest cities located at the very
northern tip of Sicily, Italy. The only university in the city, the Universita degli Studi

Di Messina is a typical "religious" university, a

Jesuit College, founded in 1548. The medical faculty at the university has its main
hospital Policlinico Universitario "G. Martino "which is the hospital where I am
performing this exchange program. My department is Obstetrics and Gynecology
(Dipartimento in Ginecologia E Ostetricia).
I chose this department because I want to someday continue the Obstetrics and
Gynecology specialization. Therefore doing exchange on this department is a great
opportunity for me to get to know more about Obstetrics and Gynecology and be my
provision to prepare for my future. In Messina this clerkship activity is held for 16
days with work schedule from Monday to Friday. As a student exchange every day is
required to follow this program for 5 hours from 08.00-13.00, but in the department I
do not necessarily do it for 5 hours due to an uncertain operating schedule. Sometimes
at times there are many operations in one day or several major operations that can
take up to 3-4 hours per operation. And sometimes do not reach full 5 hours due to
ineffective working time in hospital during summer because many doctors and other
staff who take time off for vacation so that hospital only do action for emergency case
only. In addition to work in the hospital, there are also social programs that are held
every weekend.
The first day of my clerkship at the hospital is on Wednesday, August 2, 2017.
Before going to each department, all incomings are grouped by department and each
department is guided by one person from the exchange committee to meet with the
supervisor doctor. After meeting with the supervisor's doctor, I was immediately
allowed to follow the course of the accidental operation at the time of the caesarean
section and since I was in the obstetrics and gynecology department, I was required to
wear scrubs and slippers. Every morning after I wear scrubs and slippers, I enter the
operating room to see the timetable operations to be performed, the type of surgery,
the doctor responsible for performing the surgery. After that before entering the
operating room, I washed my hands and
put on PPE. After the surgery is
completed, usually held a small
discussion about the surgery that has just
done, about the patient's illness,
subsequent treatment and I was taught
sewing techniques and also make a knot. In addition to following the course of the
operation, every day I was allowed to follow the visitation of patients in the inpatient
room. During this program I was accompanied by a resident or midwives who
explained about the procedure performed during the operation, even with minimal use
of the English language. The number of cases handled daily is not so much. I often
find cases of patients who give birth to caesarean sections or even cases of
interrupting a pregnancy voluntary or involuntary. I am very interested to always
learn every detail of procedure done in helping natural delivery, cesarean section,
abortion and many cases from gynecology because I have not been able to have such
rare opportunity in Indonesia.
The striking difference that I have encountered between health systems in Italy
and in Indonesia is that there is no difference in the health services provided by each
patient. All patients receive the same services and facilities without any class
distinction as in Indonesia. That's because they have all been covered by health
insurance taken from their basic salary every month, so they do not have to worry
about the cost during hospitalization. In addition, there is not too much difference
between the length of medical education S1 in Messina with Indonesia is six years. In
addition, the length of education of specialist doctors were also the same about 4-5
years. Following this exchange scope makes me more open minded and learn to be
independent.in addition to a clerkship in the hospital, the activity program arranged by
the committee is very fun. Started from welcoming dinner, karaoke party,
international food and drink party, lanterns party to farewell party. I can also knew
and learnt about other cultures with such amazing friends.