Vienna, Just in Time: A Student Reflects on Clinical Elective and COVID-19

A clinical elective in Vienna came to pass just in time for fourth-year College of Medicine student Neela Nataraj. In the reflection that follows, she talks about her radiology elective through the Max Kade American Austrian Foundation and the experience of leaving Europe at the end of February, just as the COVID-19 pandemic was spreading.

From a very young age, I was lucky enough to have the chance to explore many countries with my family, including Egypt and Brazil. I developed a passion for learning about different cultures, connected with people on a level that went past language barriers, and took in magnificent views along the way. So, when the opportunity presented itself to combine my passion for travel and medicine, I decided I would apply for a position to study abroad during my fourth year of medical school.

This past February, I completed a month-long radiology elective at the Medical University of Vienna through the Max Kade American Austrian Foundation. This foundation hosts about 15 students from the U,S. for a month at a time, along with physicians and health care workers from around the globe. It provided us with accommodations in a student housing center and a stipend to offset the costs of travel from the U.S.

I came across this foundation through word of mouth from students at outside medical schools, and through a lot of online research of various programs to find the one that fit. Victor Torres, NEOMED’s director of global engagement, provided me with advice along the way regarding available international opportunities and preparatory safety measures to take prior to my travels.

For the elective, we each rotated through a specialty of our choosing at the Vienna General Hospital (Allgemeines Krankenhaus Wien), where we not only gained knowledge about that field, through firsthand interactions with patients and physicians, but also a deeper understanding of the European health care system. Most afternoons we attended workshops and tours, including a public health workshop, a visit to the Medical Club where medical giants like Freud and Billroth once presented their ideas, and a tour of the Narrenturm – one of the oldest insane asylums [as they were then called] in the world, now turned into an anatomical-pathological museum. We also could attend German lessons, which had a focus on medical terminology to help us better converse with patients in the hospital.

Imagine walking into the hospital lobby and seeing a convenience store on your right that sells alcohol, and a shop to your left that has a sole purpose of selling tobacco products. But also picture walking out of that same hospital without the fear of a large hospital bill. This experience showed me that despite having the same background knowledge in medicine, the delivery and focus of care to patients can be dramatically different even between two developed nations.

Some of the best memories I made during this trip involved wandering the streets of Vienna, exploring the historical sites and small neighboring towns and even other European countries. I hiked through the vineyards, rode a bike along the Danube river, and visited museums and countless coffee shops. The most memorable parts, however, will always be visiting local hot spots for food and interacting with Viennese people to hear their stories.

Completing this international elective expanded my goals and changed the way I see medicine. Even with the progression of COVID-19 while abroad, it was interesting to hear the different stories from back home compared to Europe. Public transportation is essential to European living, whether that be cramming into a subway, tram line or bus. And with the European Union, it is incredibly easy to travel across country borders with just a moment’s notice. Because of this, we saw firsthand how within five days’ time, Italy went from having  no known cases to becoming the center of disease in Europe.

Luckily, I was able to travel home to Ohio before COVID-19 had spread to Austria. However, one month after my return, I continued to receive messages from colleagues abroad on how quickly the situation intensified and how they were all terrified while still on official lockdown.

Seeing a pandemic unfold in Europe and the elective experience itself has made me more aware of public health concerns. I now hope to become involved in improving health care systems, even on a small scale, through exploration of methods used in other countries. Also, cultural beliefs have such a large impact on health care and the management of illness, and I hope to continue to familiarize myself with the views and customs of populations in the areas in which I will be practicing in order to build stronger doctor-patient relationships.

Although I had traveled a lot as a child, I had never done so on my own, and I am so glad that I took the opportunity to do so during my medical school career. It was such an enriching experience that allowed for both personal and professional growth, and I would highly recommend a similar trip to every student.