Oh, Vienna..

Sometimes I had to recall and tell myself that we were in Vienna! From what we saw, there was not much a difference between the culture of Austria and Germany. For one, language was the same, and so was our method of transportation.

And to repeat the common theme in my other blogs - it always amazes me how much history these cities contain. Just by going into the churches and realizing that most are over 500 years old is astonishing, and that is only a few - most are much older. Going to the catacombs in the St. Michael church was breathtaking. I literally felt like I was taking the place of Robert Langdon and Bones just by exploring what was beneath the church (and now I know why so many great novels come from these types of cities). Now my favorite historic part of Vienna was definitely the Sigmund Freud House! As a double biology and psychology major, seeing the home and the practice of the founder of psychoanalysis was SO DAMN COOL. I don't know how else to put it. I'm so jealous that so many great scientists come from this region.

The classical concert was definitely an experience - not only had I never been to one, but the fact that it was in a beautiful church added to the experience. This was one of those events that really made me feel as if I had been immersed into the culture. From my understanding, you cannot find classical concerts that easily in Texas. And I shouldn't forget to mention that the most interesting part was how all the pieces that were composed and originally performed were by composers who were either Austrian or resided in Austria for most of their time being. It was like listening into the past.

Pfizer. One word that has officially opened my eyes and my options. Growing up, I've really only known two careers - engineering or medicine. But from my understand, Pfizer can provide unique opportunities for those who do not solely want to become physicians, but who want to be in the medical field in another way. Finally, I can look towards something else that doesn't require myself signing away my life in blood (eh - that's an exaggeration, but the point is made). I love medicine and science, and it's just another opportunity that has opened more doors for my future.

The farewell dinner was so bittersweet. This trip exhausted me, and I was ready to go home to free refills and Texas, but leaving somewhere that essentially changed me and allowed me to look at things from a different perspective was difficult. Without a doubt, Germany and Austria will see me again. And who knows? It might even be within the next few months.

#BabyGotBack #10minutes #LiesByOlaf #Schnell

Just for keeping the memories alive! :)

Let the good times roll in........Wien!!!

Over the last few days, we have spent our last days in Vienna.  While it was probably the most pretty place that we stayed in while we were here in Europe, there was always this feeling at the back of my stomach that we were leaving soon and that the fun would be ending as abruptly as it had started.  Even with this feeling I still tried to make the best of the time that we had left.  While there my favorite things we did would have to be the visit of the St. Michaels church and Catacombs, and the Wax model visit at the Josephine.  The St. Michaels visit was really cool because we went down in the crypt and were able to see bodies from centuries ago and some of them were even preserved almost to perfection, what is really interesting about this is the fact that they were preserved on accident it really blows my mind as to what science can do.  The visit to the Josephine was also quite spectacular because we were able to see all of the wax models.  Knowing that we one day may be using models like these to help further our studies gave me a kind of thrill that I can't wait to get again.  After finishing our tours we had our final dinner at the Goulash Museum while it was sad to say goodbye to all my new friends it was also exciting to know that we would be home soon and getting ready to attend school on monday.  And with this my story is over but I will always remember how we let the good times roll!!

Jan 13, 2014

Viva Vienna

Honestly, I wish we had more time in Vienna. What a cool city. Vienna is a place with so many different facades, rich in both science and arts.

Our first full day in Vienna gave us the opportunity to experience both of these aspects. As we took the medical history walk, it was interesting to see where famous physicians lived and how the plague really affected this small but important town. Later that afternoon, we had the opportunity to visit St. Michael's church and visit its catacombs. St. Michael's showed the beauty of Vienna and the vital aspect of detail in art, as shown by the walls and the altar of the church. Visiting the catacombs for me was slightly eerie. Seeing the mummies was a very creepy experience and it was quite overwhelming to see a person who died almost 300 years prior. For me, I know when I am 300 years deceased I want to be in the ground somewhere where no one can stick a flashlight in my skull!

Going to Pfizer was one of the best opportunities that I have had in my life to explore career options. I enjoyed the variety of jobs in that field as well as plan to look into working in pharmaceutical sales for a company similar to Pfizer. It was a great way to expand my knowledge of the potential of my major and I have a new option for a career path.

The Josephnium was an interesting experience as well to see the transition of the way medical practice is taught from the 18th century to the time being. A lot has changed between new developments and research, but basic knowledge still remains the same.

I couldn't have asked for a better trip with better people. What a cool experience at 21 years of age to go explore 3 different countries and 7 different cities, learning about both their scientific history and medical history all in 17 days. I am so thankful for the opportunity, but I am also so happy to not pay for the bathroom, get ice in my drink, and have free refills and free water :)

Bye Berlin!

If I had to use one word to describe our time in Berlin it would be schnell. I appreciate how much we were able to fit in but I really would have liked some more free time! Also Berlin is such a big city, I think we could spend the rest of our trip there and we still would have missed out on a lot. Out of the many things we got to do (laundry not included, sorry for the smell everyone) I would have to say the coolest part was just being there. That sounds weird but there was something really powerful about being where everything that we've read about before in textbooks actually happened. Like actually standing at the line where the Berlin Wall used to be or seeing reinaments of it.

 

Being in a country with a completely different language has been hard to get used to but I think at this point we have at least learned the basics. But being in a country where English isn't the first language but so many people still speak it made me feel so uncultured! It gave me a little inspiration to maybe actually learn a second language myself. So only know as we're leaving Berlin, I've finally realized that people aren't saying "juice!", it's "tschüss" and it means bye! So tschüss Berlin, maybe I'll be back someday with a little more German under my belt.

Dresden and Cologne

Since I brilliantly decided not to bring my laptop on our trip, these blogs aren't going to seem current but they are only being posted late. With that being explained, on to the posts!

For both of our day trips to Dresden and Cologne, I wasn't expecting anything too special because both were just little side trips. Both cities really surprised me! Although both are so different, I thought it was interesting how two smaller cities could have their own completely unique history. In both cities we took really interesting walking tours and visited the main church of each- the Cologne Cathedral and the Church of Our Lady in Dresden. In a way, I associated the cities together even though they were complete different.

 

Overall both Dresden and Cologne really made me want to come back and visit again in the summer! If they were that gorgeous in the winter, I couldn't imagine how pleasent they would be in warmer weather. Is it bad to already plan a trip back to Germany when im still here? Still in Berlin at the moment but more on that to come!

Last stop Vienna!

Is it Dr. Wasser or is it a Pestarzt, a seventeenth century plague doctor? These were my thoughts as I saw a shadowy black figure approach me from the underground train station? I’m pretty sure it was Dr. Wasser, but the onlookers as we walked through the streets of Vienna were not quite sure.  The bubonic plague is an epidemic I cannot even fathom its total severity. A time where people were dying by the thousands and the pathogenic agent was unknown to even the most knowledgeable of people. Herbs and spices were the only methods to protect one’s self. These are methods that did not work too well; therefore running away was the next feasible option. It is safe to say that medicine has drastically changed since the seventeenth century. 

Pfizer was my biggest eye-opening excursion of the whole trip.  I had shadowed doctors and nurses before in a healthcare setting, but I never knew the opportunities for doctors outside of a hospital/clinic. Pfizer is a great company and are very patient centered.  At some point in everyone’s life we need to take medications and we do not think of all the steps our pills take before they reach the pharmacy.  This is a very important field that often goes unnoticed.  Also one may travel when working with such an internationally recognized company like Pfizer. Sounds like a win-win, and my dream career!

In basic pre-medical studies Sigmund Freud often receives less credit than he deserves. I did not even know that he, the father of psychoanalysis, was Jewish.  Even with his respected status, at this time in history he was persecuted because of race. Luckily, he escaped and we have the knowledge of his clinical method. Viewing his house gave us a glimpse into his life, and helped us better understand him. I thoroughly believe that you cannot have a healthy man without a healthy mind, and at this time Freud was the solution.  He had rather extreme views that made many people uncomfortable at this time.  Yet, he often voiced people’s thoughts that they were too afraid to say themselves.

Human wax models can be very realistic even down the very pore.  The Josephinum Collection of Anatomical and Obstetric Wax Models gave me a life size view of what I cannot see in textbooks.  The human body is so complex and intricate, that it must of taken months to construct such a model.  The obstetric wax models were the very unsettling models, as we never see the difficulties of childbirth.  It was beautiful, but the difficult pregnancies were hard to view as these complications often happen to many mothers and children still to this day.  

It is bittersweet to leave Europe; this was by far the greatest trip abroad I have ever taken. I will miss the AIB and Texas A&M students who welcomed me with open arms and made this trip an adventure I will never forget. Its not a goodbye Europe, but a be back soon!

Hannover

There are very few aspects in which hospitals can differ. They can be private, public, community, or even a teaching hospital; but all hospitals serve the same purpose and that is to treat or even cure patients. Germany’s healthcare system amazes me as how it works to benefit everyone.  All the patients in the hospital were afflicted with illnesses that were not uncommon to Americans, but in someway the patients were different. These patients were reassured that their healthcare costs would be paid for, with no fear of medical bankruptcy. Also doctors were reassured that they would be compensated for their work and not left unpaid.  It is a great system, that admittedly is hard to initially implement, but I believe it does more good than harm.  People on dialysis at the Nephrology department did not have to worry about medical bankruptcy as we often do when were plagued with a chronic illness.  I also enjoyed speaking with the young female cardiovascular surgeon who gave my fellow female classmates and I hope. She reassured us that we could succeed in a predominately male dominated field.

Before this day, if asked about an Axolotl I would have answered, “What is a mythical creature for 100.” However, these are very sophisticated amphibians that through strenuous research can aid in knowledge of scar healing and limb regeneration.  In addition, they are really cute creatures that respond to human interaction.  These definitely are not fish, but more like less cuddly dogs.

In honor of Meghan day, an outing for our pre-veterinarian student, we celebrated by touring Hannover zoo.  I think everyone enjoyed Meghan day even more than Meghan.  As a child you look at zoos for entertainment, but as an adult you can apply your knowledge from school to actually understand the animals. Surprisingly, animals exotic to America were also exotic to Germany.  We were even lucky enough to meet a very “friendly” gorilla that made me feel personally welcomed. Sadly, Hannover was short lived, but Goodbye Germany and Hello Austria!

Wien

Although I was a bit sad about leaving Germany, I was excitedly looking forward to a country to which I had never been--Austria!  I wasn't quite sure what I imagined Vienna to be like but was slightly surprised that nearly every restaurant near the hotel and even the grocery store closed at 8, giving the area a more sleepy atmosphere.  Even the shops downtown weren't open much later.  However, this certainly did not stop me from enjoying my time in Vienna.  The first day seemed to revolve around the Viennese fascination with death as Dr. Wasser led us around the city in his medieval physician's attire, prepared to combat the plague and certainly attracting some curious glances from the locals.  We then gathered underneath a local church for a closer look at the catacombs.  Surprisingly, several mummified bodies were laid out and exposed in their coffins for visitors to examine, in addition to several large piles of bones and even an entire wall neatly lined with femurs! It seems unreal that we were permitted to be in that close of contact with such pieces of history.

By the end of the visit with Pfizer (and including all of the information presented prior), I honestly feel that I know a lot more details about the healthcare systems in Germany and Austria than I do about ours here in the United States, but now that I am aware of how other countries provide health insurance to their citizens, I find myself more motivated to actually learn more about the looming adjustments being debated by our government.

I loved that we had two group dinners in Vienna--it was much easier to find and try authentic food than when we were on our own at lunch or dinner in other cities.  There had only been spätzle on the menu at one other restaurant we ate at, and I was so excited to eat some more at the Bierklinik so it was extremely disappointing when the waiter disclosed that they were out :(  But the dinner was delicious nonetheless.  On the second to last day, we even found a restaurant near the hotel that didn't charge for water! Inconceivable!

I also had a chance in my free time to take a tour of the Spanish Riding School in which the guide explained how they chose both their riders and horses.  It's amazing that these horses are guaranteed a three month summer break at the breeding farm as well as at least two other six weeks vacation throughout the year, yet their riders are never on holiday because they must follow their respective horse for light training.  

Hanover

Our time in Hanover was also rather brief but still packed with a lot of fascinating and informative visits.  We started off our first day at the MHH with an introduction to the nephrology department where we had the opportunity to observe an ECMO machine at work on an elderly patient.  I never knew much about the kidneys aside from the basics so it was beneficial to hear him explain the process and the machine as it operated in front of us, and later in the afternoon, we had the chance to learn more about ventricular assist devices from a cardiology resident.  What really made this day, though, was the chance to finally do some laundry.  It may have taken 30 minutes and multiple sets of directions to find the laundromat, but it was well worth the mini adventure to procure some clean clothes for the rest of the trip.

Our second and last day in Hanover was perhaps my favorite yet because it largely revolved around animals and was most applicable to my field of study.  The researchers at MHH introduced us to the axolotls on which they study regenerative medicine.  These aquatic beings do not normally undergo metamorphosis and are ideal subjects for observation as they possess the ability to regenerate nearly any major body part including the eye, back, and limbs.  Not only can they regrow these appendages, but they do so by a fairly rapid method that does not involve any scarring.  Such incredible creatures are opportune organisms to study with the intent of possibly discovering a method to speed up and/or enhance the extent of human healing.  My favorite axolotl in the bunch was Essen--the personal pet of one of the researchers who ate all of his siblings as a baby.

Our trip to the zoo was also a great time as we had the opportunity to see several baby animals including an unforgettable chimpanzee and a week old elephant!  And although not as cute, the silverback gorilla was also one of the most memorable and unique animals in the entire zoo. 

Prague--Free Weekend!

Although we were only there for an incredibly short period of time, there's no doubt that Prague is a gorgeous city that I would love to go back to and spend more time in.  There were so many things to do there and only one full day to experience the city, but I definitely think that we made the most of it with what we chose to do.  It was a little intimidating to step off of the train and no longer be able to read any signs as they were now in Czech as opposed to German--and no one speaks Czech besides the Czechs so there definitely wasn't anyone in the group who could attempt to translate.  Thanks to Michael's GPS and stellar navigation skills, though, we were finally able to find the hotel--without him we may have possibly spent the entire trip in the train station.

It was nice to get a chance to take a break from the fast pace of the program and just relax and enjoy the city.  Prague, unlike most German cities, keeps their Christmas market open until January 6th so we had the opportunity to stroll around, experience the tradition and try some of the favorite local sweets.  It was a great choice for the free weekend, and I was thankful for a chance to catch up on some sleep--now I'm ready to enjoy the last part of the program in Hanover and Vienna!

Berlin

Berlin was definitely a lot different than the other cities we've been to so far--much more lively and exciting.  Die Festmeile is one of the top four places in the world to be on New Year's Eve, and it was amazing to be able to experience it as my first taste of the city.  The amount of fireworks and commotion is unreal--and slightly frightening on the streets after it hits midnight--but the celebration near Brandenburg Gate was an incredible mix of people from all over the world, and I couldn't imagine a better way to ring in the new year.

And while the NYE celebrations were certainly the most thrilling event in Berlin, this city tour has also been my favorite one to date.  The guide was always amusing, and a city that was once divided has so much history to offer that there was never a lag in fascination at what he had to share.

In this stretch of the trip we also had the opportunity to visit the Charité and the student-run skills center at the medical university.  Even though I am not interested in going to medical school, it was still interesting to visit the museum and listen to German students talk about their country's heathcare system and the structure of the medical school's curriculum.  On one hand I think it would be nice to be able to enter professional school immediately out of high school without having to worry about undergraduate studies, but on the other hand choosing a career path such as medicine is a rather weighty decision, and undergraduate years are designed to help you figure out if that's truly what you want to do with your life.  Regardless of this debate, though, the skills center that they have created is a great addition to the education, and I'd love to have access to something like that in veterinary school to have more chances to apply what I'm learning in a practical setting.

Vienna – 1/11

Yesterday we visited Pfizer, which was eye opening in the sense that we were introduced to jobs for MDs other than working in a hospital or private practice! I never would have guessed that pharmaceuticals was the way to go if you wanted to work in medicine abroad. Gaining such an understanding of the company and how it must comply to government law, especially concerning universal healthcare, was very helpful, because as was mentioned, most doctors have no understanding of this, not to mention the system in a different country. This allows us to be more knowledgeable particularly when prescribing generics or name brands. We also visited the Freud house yesterday and had a lecture by Dr. Wasser. Even as a psychology minor, much of Freud’s life and theories is glazed over in class – it is almost assumed that we already know it. So, having such an in depth glance into Freud’s life and theories was fantastic. To see the actual site of where such an influential person in human history lived and worked was profound, to say the least.

Today was one of my favorite days of the trip, since I go to see the private collection of obstetric wax models at the Vienna Medical School. This was a culmination of all the obstetric information I have seen so far, including the infant preserved specimens at the Charité museum and the Narrenturm, in addition to the models at the Deutsches Hygiene Museum. Seeing all these models have helped me understand conditions that I never would have had the opportunity to see while shadowing as a pre-medical student, for instance spina bifida, anencephaly, and conjoined twins. Seeing these preserved infants, for instance at the Narenturm, is hard for me, since I am all about respect for life and preservation of rights for those who cannot advocate for themselves, like infants. However I have now personally experienced how these models are used to educate, in my case a future OB/GYN! Although I still have mixed feelings about the situation, I can defend the use of such specimens for education, which in a way overcomes the disrespect that was done to the children.

The wax obstetric models at the Josephinum were awesome. I am glad to have seen and appreciated so much sensitive information on this trip to be able to handle such a sight – I think that this is helping to make me a better OB/GYN! Seeing models of actual human births, including abnormal breach births, was once again, something I would likely not have seen as a pre-medical student in America. Seeing use of forceps and use of abortion techniques made me so uneasy, once again because these techniques are still sometimes used unethically today, in my opinion. But what this trip has helped me realize more than anything is that knowledge of as many techniques and as much research as possible is the most important thing in the world, regardless of whether you agree with the technique or the research. Having such a breadth of knowledge and an understanding and respect for different viewpoints is essential to being a doctor in order to keep yourself acquainted with the world around you and also to push the limits of common knowledge. After all, “Nur ein guter Mensch kann ein guter Arzt sein.”

Hannover/Vienna – 1/9

In Hannover, we visited the Axolotyl Research Center. I was so excited to have a good enough understanding of developmental biology from my courses to actually understand what the researchers were talking about! I find it even more exciting that this kind of research is being done today – I had no idea that we are getting a firm grasp on extrapolating the biology of limb regeneration in axolotyls to possibly being useful in human medicine. We now know the genes in axoloyls that are responsible both for limb regrowth and for scarless healing, both of which are obviously important for patients who have lost or damaged limbs due to war or violence or work accidents. I was impressed with the presentation of background material and data, but seeing the axolotyls up close gave an even better understanding of how the research is done. Seeing the animals without limbs (mostly on accident, in these cases) is saddening, but we have to remember that the research is done ethically these days and that it benefits us without hurting the animals. We then visited the Hannover Zoo, which I honestly could have done without since I have visited a lot of zoos as a kid. However, seeing the baby animals was a riot, to say the least.

Upon arriving in Vienna, we toured the city from a medical history perspective today. I especially enjoyed visiting seeing the images of Saints Damian and Cosmos in the churches, since they have a special meaning to me as a Catholic and a future healthcare practitioner. I actually didn’t know much about the two men and learned from Dr. Wasser that they are twins! I also enjoyed seeing the location of the first Cesarean section. This is a ‘sacred’ place to me, as well, as a future OB/GYN.

The tour of the Saint Michael’s church and catacombs gave me a greater perspective on the role of the church in daily life in the old days, especially how important individuals were buried and remembered. As a modern Catholic, I really don’t have a lot of knowledge about this, especially since I have never visited the older churches in Europe! I must say that touring the catacombs was scarring for me. I feel that having the bones of these individuals, even mummies, exposed to the public is disrespectful to their memories. I realize that it is a complicated issue, since we do not actually know who these people were, so we cannot bury them very properly today even if we wanted to – Indeed, I think that burying them in a mass grave is just as bad. The presence of the closed coffins was not quite so bad in my opinion, since the corpses have their ‘privacy’ so to say and the art contained on the coffins is of cultural and historical significance. Seeing this made me think of all the prepared medical specimens that we have seen so far on this trip, especially at the Charité Museum. I cannot help but think how disrespected these people are to be viewed every day, since many of them died long enough ago that there was no informed consent for their bodies to be preserved so. I can understand leaving the medical specimens for viewing today strictly for educational purposes, but I cannot defend the exposure of the corpses in Saint Michael’s. It goes back to the relaxed approach to death the Viennese have, which I mostly find refreshing due to its realistic nature but in this case extremely disrespectful.

Hamburg – 1/5

Last night I attended a birthday party with my best friend, who grew up in Germany and serves in the German military. It was surprisingly similar to an American party, with cake and balloons. However, you are not allowed to say ‘Happy Birthday’ until midnight, which I learned in German class but unfortunately forgot in the moment I met the birthday girl… I apologized profusely and she didn’t seem to mind. It might be a tradition that is less important with the younger populations. I also discovered Feigling, which are tiny bottles that you take like shots. You bang them on the table, twist them open, put the cap on your nose, and shoot them with everyone. They are delicious and my friend kindly got me some to bring back to America!

I was shocked, also, when I saw the bar and strip club region of the city.  I have never seen so many sex shops in my life, in addition to a street filled with prostitutes that women are not even allowed to go on lest they be confused for one. This brings back the idea of how comfortable the Germans seem to be with sex – while I don’t mind it from a medical standpoint, I did mind it from this social standpoint. I also had the opportunity to see more cultural aspects, including the older parts of town, the Town Hall, and the harbor. I visited a Christmas Market and did some traditional German stuff, including having Glühwein and Franzbrötchen and buying a nativity scene. Overall, my visit with my friend gave me a better insight into daily culture of German youth, and was definitely a refresher after a week full of learning! I was glad to see Hamburg, since in my opinion it is the prettiest German city I have seen by far!

Berlin – 1/5

This week we visited the Charité skill training center for their medical students. I was impressed by these methods of learning – I feel that it is very important for us as pre-medical and medical students to learn to teach each other and learn to work together. I was surprised that there are no real pre-requisites to medical school except earning your Arbitur, or high school diploma. Our tour guide was not afraid to say that some medical students have no idea what they are doing in terms of practical medical application, never mind the fact that some have little to no background in biology. This is starkly different from America, where medical students are admitted based heavily on their acquaintance with the field, in particular direct patient interaction. We also learned about some aspects of the German health care system, in particular that German medical students go to school on the government’s bill. In my opinion, such a system would not work in America as it stands, even though our current problems with educational debt are getting worse.  For one thing, such a process would increase our already enormous debt dramatically. In addition, our society is too focused on the correlation between cost and quality – we believe that the more expensive things are, the better they are, regardless of whether it is true or not. For this reason I could see everyone generalizing the situation and conclude that ‘medical schools and our doctors are mediocre’. In addition, medical school curricula would become more standardized, which would have an impact on and probably decrease the competition in the field, particularly between medical schools.

We ended our time in Berlin with a tour of the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. It was emotional for me to be physically in a place where so much death and disrespect occurred, and where so many stories originated. Being there helped me understand how the concentration camp functioned and, unfortunately, how people were actually treated and killed. We also saw the laboratory room where research and experiments were conducted on inmates, which of course raises the question of its morality and the ethicality of using such data today. There will always be two opinions. On the one hand, such data might play a role in saving someone’s life in the future if we use it freely. But how likely is that? The scientific precision of the experiments comes into question here, since most of the experiments were uncontrolled and poorly executed. On the other hand, such data is intrinsically part of a heinous crime against human kind. But is it really something to be suppressed out of our minds and forgotten? The overarching lesson learned by visiting such a place is not to forget, but to teach future generations about what occurred, so as to be an active citizen in the world and prevent it from ever happening again.