Today was one of my favorite days of the program! We toured the Otto Bock plant in Duderstadt, and I fell head over heels for some fancy prosthetics. The showroom had three different full leg prostheses, with different types of knee joints, and the newest ones are able to detect when the leg is in a swing motion with a loose knee joint, versus catching itself from a fall, where the knee needs to flex and provide support. This is all done via microprocessors. The algorithms that went into its development would be so cool to study! As if this wasn’t charming enough, they developed an arm prosthetic that can be controlled with the brain by rerouting the severed nerves into the pectoral muscles, and using these electrical signals generated by thought to power the arm. All they need now are finger sensations and a close replica of a normal arm will be finished. SO COOL. Add this to an off-roader tank-esque wheelchair, custom testing devises for the prosthetics, and a Swiss robotic organizing system, and I’m a kid in a candy store. What I loved most about this tour was that it helped me decide between medical school and industry, which had been bugging me for a while before we left for this trip. I definitely feel as if I have more of a direction, the fact that I ate up everything in Otto Bock was a pretty big indicator that medical school might not be the way to go. Another great thing about this trip: grad school or interning abroad seems much more feasible, and is no longer just a possibility that doesn’t need to be considered seriously. There are so many awesome opportunities!
Tuesday was a relaxing day, we visited the Veterinary Medical School Cattle Clinics in Hannover, where we viewed operating rooms and the like for the cattle, and talked about types of procedures done at the clinic. It wasn’t quite my favorite, but the calf we saw was adorable! The best part of the day though was the Hannover zoo, which by far topped any zoo I’ve ever seen. We got close-ups of polar bears diving for food, sea lions, tigers and wallabies. To top it off, VIP access to the hippos’ pool wasn’t too shabby. We stood on a metal walkway looking over the pool, and they immediately opened their huge mouths for food. Their tongues were gross, but you have to have a little respect for an animal that could crush you without thinking. After heading to the hotel, Abbee and I checked out the tiny pedestrian zone and bought some coffee, and headed to the hotel for the best lecture I’ve ever listened to in my entire life. Mainly due to the Venus of Willendorf section. We had a good-bye dinner for Nils, which was pretty sad… he was an awesome guide! Finished off the night with a YouTube party. Oh AND I got a free Kostritzer glass! Whoop!
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