Marisa Nunes, a sixth-year student of General Medicine, spent her summer internship in Sarajevo. She sends an essay and pictures.
Photographs on this page: Archive of M. N.
For my IFMSA internship, I chose the beautiful city of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Located in the heart of the Balkans, it is the capital of the country where “East meets West”. It is where you will find the city surrounded by mountains and where you will find churches, mosques and synagogues just a few steps from each other.
As this was my first time taking part in such an internship, I really had no idea what to expect and what the month would be like. What I found, however, surpassed my expectations. From the first contact with my hosting national exchange officer (NEO) all the way to the very last day the friendliness of everyone was unmistakable. At the hospital, the medical staff greeted me with enthusiasm and all doctors I came across were eager to teach me not only about their field but also about the rich (and tragic) history of their country. As I was placed in the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, I was lucky to see many pathologies both from the cardiac and vascular side. I got to join them in the OR daily and they always made time to answer all my questions. I was somewhat surprised with the quality of English, and communication was never a problem.
Outside of hospital hours, we always had plenty of activities for our social program. There was never a dull moment. Due to its location, it is also extremely easy to travel not only around the country but even to some of the neighboring countries as well.
Overall, I was very happy with my choice and my time spent there!
