The class I’ve been taking for the past two weeks is titled Human Health and Disease: A Clinical Approach. Our course assistant jokingly said that this course was basically medical school in three weeks and he’s currently in med school, so he would know. Our classes are composed of us learning about anatomy and physiology of a system, everything that can go wrong with it, and how to diagnose these problems, all within an approximately two hour period. It’s a lot of information, but I’m definitely learning. We have three different doctors who teach us subjects ranging from the imaging techniques to neurology to infectious diseases.
Our first week here, we primarily met in hospitals on Field Studies. After learning the basics, we perform physical examinations and learn the skills of diagnosis. So far, we’ve visited Glostrup and Hvidovre Hospital. Not only was it interesting to see what Danish hospitals were like, we also became pros at using public transportation.
One day, during a long session on obstetrics and gynecology, we got to use an instrument that modeled the surgical technique of laparoscopy. We each got to take turns treating patients and figuring out how to work the simulator.
We also went to Panum Institute, which is a part of the University of Copenhagen. We did a macro-anatomical lab, in which we identified parts of the body. At the top of the Institute is a beautiful view of Copenhagen. You can even see Sweden in the distance!
Our last week we’re doing a clinical skills session and an emergency medicine session at another hospital. So far, this class has taught me the intricacies of being a doctor. Even though I’m not pre-med (although I’m taking all the classes a pre-med student would take…), I’m appreciating all the work doctors put in to care for their patients.
This class also delved into healthcare systems and doctor-patient relationships. It is so important to have a good healthcare system so that everyone can get treated if they are sick or injured. Establishing good doctor-patient relationships is also so important for medical care. Learning how Denmark constructs healthcare and doctor-patient relationships is beneficial, and can hopefully be applied elsewhere to ensure that everyone is getting care from doctors that they trust.
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