{"id":510,"date":"2023-09-28T16:55:20","date_gmt":"2023-09-28T14:55:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/intern-abroad\/?p=510"},"modified":"2023-09-28T16:55:20","modified_gmt":"2023-09-28T14:55:20","slug":"practical-year-in-kilkenny","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/intern-abroad\/2023\/09\/28\/practical-year-in-kilkenny\/","title":{"rendered":"Practical year in Kilkenny"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"twoclick_social_bookmarks_post_510 social_share_privacy clearfix 1.6.4 locale-en_US sprite-en_US\"><\/div><div class=\"twoclick-js\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\njQuery(document).ready(function($){if($('.twoclick_social_bookmarks_post_510')){$('.twoclick_social_bookmarks_post_510').socialSharePrivacy({\"txt_help\":\"Wenn Sie diese Felder durch einen Klick aktivieren, werden Informationen an Facebook, Twitter, Flattr, Xing, t3n, LinkedIn, Pinterest oder Google eventuell ins Ausland \\u00fcbertragen und unter Umst\\u00e4nden auch dort gespeichert. N\\u00e4heres erfahren Sie durch einen Klick auf das <em>i<\\\/em>.\",\"settings_perma\":\"Dauerhaft aktivieren und Daten\\u00fcber-tragung zustimmen:\",\"info_link\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.heise.de\\\/ct\\\/artikel\\\/2-Klicks-fuer-mehr-Datenschutz-1333879.html\",\"uri\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\\\/intern-abroad\\\/2023\\\/09\\\/28\\\/practical-year-in-kilkenny\\\/\",\"post_id\":510,\"post_title_referrer_track\":\"Practical+year+in+Kilkenny\",\"display_infobox\":\"on\"});}});\n\/* ]]> *\/<\/script><\/div><ul>\n<li>Medicine<\/li>\n<li>Ireland, Kilkenny<\/li>\n<li>St. Luke\u2019s General Hospital<\/li>\n<li>07\/2023 \u2013 09\/2023<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>My time in Kilkenny was an outstanding experience that combined enhancing medical skills with<br \/>\npersonal enrichment. This report reflects about different aspects of my stay, such as the<br \/>\napplication process, finding an accommodation, my everyday routine during the internship, and<br \/>\nmy explorations of Ireland&#8217;s stunning landscapes.<\/p>\n<p>1. Application\/Finding an internship<br \/>\nI discovered St. Luke\u2019s General hospital during an online search on the webpage PJ-ranking. This<br \/>\nwebpage is used for writing reviews about the internships throughout the practical year and<br \/>\nstudents may leave contact addresses to facilitate connections between medical students and<br \/>\nhealthcare institutions. The webpage featured positive reviews about the hospital in Kilkenny,<br \/>\nindicating its reputation for providing valuable learning experiences and exposure to various<br \/>\nmedical specialties. The opportunity to rotate through multiple wards, including gastroenterology,<br \/>\ncardiology, and the emergency department, was a significant factor that aroused my interest.<br \/>\nThe application process for the practical year internship in Internal Medicine was initiated by<br \/>\napplying via email to St. Luke\u2019s General Hospital in Kilkenny, Ireland. The application included a<br \/>\ncomprehensive CV, a cover letter detailing the applicant&#8217;s motivations, relevant experiences, and<br \/>\naspirations for the internship. After a few days I received a positive answer and was accepted. It<br \/>\nwas well-organised and I received a letter of acceptance stating necessities which had to be<br \/>\nfulfilled. One of the primary requirements for participation was the submission of proof of<br \/>\nvaccination against common infectious diseases. In addition to vaccination, the acceptance letter<br \/>\noutlined the necessity of obtaining comprehensive insurance coverage. This insurance was<br \/>\nspecifically aimed at covering any potential accidents that might occur during the intern&#8217;s work<br \/>\nhours, especially those linked to medical errors. After submitting all necessary documents, I<br \/>\nbooked my flight ticket and the journey could begin.<\/p>\n<p>2. Accommodation &amp; Living Expenses<br \/>\nWhile the hospital lacked on-campus accommodation, they provided valuable support by sharing<br \/>\ncontact details of two landlords offering shared housing. I found myself settled into a cosy<br \/>\nresidence just a 25-minute bike ride from the heart of the city and an even shorter ride of 15<br \/>\nminutes to the hospital. The landlord provided the bicycles, which facilitate transport a lot.<br \/>\nKilkenny is connected to various cities through buses and has a train station. With the rent<br \/>\namounting to a reasonable 165 Euro per week, the accommodation proved to be a good option<br \/>\nregarding prices in Ireland. The landlady&#8217;s kind demeanour and willingness to assist with any<br \/>\nconcerns enhanced my stay. Living standard in Ireland is higher compared to Germany. There are<br \/>\ntwo cards that reduce prices on public transport and for visiting cultural sights. I would highly<br \/>\nrecommend buying both cards. The leap card is for public transport and the heritage card for<br \/>\nattractions.<\/p>\n<p>3. Everyday Life\/The Internship<br \/>\nMy daily routine during the internship typically started at 9 am with ward rounds or in the<br \/>\noutpatient department. Ireland does not have the concept of resident physician. Therefore,<br \/>\npatients attend their GP when facing a medical issue and will then be transferred to a doctor in<br \/>\nhospital as an ambulant patient. During my time I started working in the hepatology unit. Common<br \/>\ndiseases with whom patients presented with were viral hepatitis, alcoholic steatohepatitis and<br \/>\nautoimmune liver disease. Later, I got the chance to follow the gastro team on the wards. What<br \/>\ntruly set this experience apart was the hands-on involvement. Although students in their practical<br \/>\nyear cannot work as much practical as in Germany, but the more my colleagues knew about my<br \/>\nskills, the more they allowed me to help them. My tasks varied between inserting i.v. lines, taking<br \/>\nhistories, writing prescriptions and discharge letters. My work has always been supervised by an<br \/>\nintern, so I have never experienced feeling overwhelmed or being left alone. By mid-August, the<br \/>\nIrish students returned after their summer break. This was a great experience because we got in<br \/>\ncontact quite quickly and did activities together. Moreover, by the time they came back they<br \/>\nestablished daily teaching sessions twice a day, enhancing my understanding of medical practices.<br \/>\nKilkenny is a charming city located in the heart of Ireland with a rich history, vibrant culture, and<br \/>\nplenty of attractions to explore. After work, I had the chance to explore most of its cultural<br \/>\nheritage. Kilkenny Castle is a magnificent medieval building that offers an insight to Ireland&#8217;s past.<br \/>\nSecond, there is St. Canice&#8217;s Cathedral. This historic cathedral features a round tower with<br \/>\nbreathtaking views of the city and surrounding countryside. Not to forget about the traditional<br \/>\npubs with live music. They really convey the typical image of Irish culture and tradition.<\/p>\n<p>4. Free Time\/Tips<br \/>\nIreland&#8217;s nature is stunning! You have never seen 1000 different varieties of green? In Ireland you<br \/>\nwill! Its rainy days must be mentioned as well, but the moment you bought rain trousers and<br \/>\nwellies you are prepared; the journey can start. My exploration led me to places like Kenmare,<br \/>\nRing of Kerry, Limerick, Killarney, Cork, Tramore, and Dunmore East&#8217;s stunning cliff walk. My<br \/>\nfavourite trips were the Ring of Kerry and walking along the beach in Tramore. The Ring of Kerry<br \/>\nis a marvellous road leading you through the coastal region in the southwest.<br \/>\nAnd then there is Dublin. Dublin, with its iconic attractions, including Trinity College and Temple<br \/>\nBar. Dublin, a digital hub, a vivid city with its rough north side and dignified south side. Dublin,<br \/>\nbeing a cultural centre with the national gallery of Ireland, Dublin castle and much more to be<br \/>\ndiscovered.<br \/>\nI would recommend having a car in Ireland, because it facilitated journeys to remote countryside<br \/>\nlocations that public transport often couldn&#8217;t access. Luckily, one of the other German students<br \/>\nbrought his car with him. From time to time, we took trips together.<\/p>\n<p>5. Conclusion<br \/>\nIn retrospect, my stay in Kilkenny was an experience I don\u2019t want to miss. The combination of<br \/>\ngetting to know a different healthcare system, learning medical work in another country and being<br \/>\nwarmly welcomed made my stay unforgettable. It has enriched me in so many ways, being it<br \/>\npersonal or professional. Therefore, I am grateful for this experience.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Medicine Ireland, Kilkenny St. Luke\u2019s General Hospital 07\/2023 \u2013 09\/2023 My time in Kilkenny was an outstanding experience that combined enhancing medical skills with personal enrichment. This report reflects about [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5051,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"c2c_always_allow_admin_comments":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,34,26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-510","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-allgemein","category-ireland","category-medicine"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/intern-abroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/510","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/intern-abroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/intern-abroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/intern-abroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5051"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/intern-abroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=510"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/intern-abroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/510\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":511,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/intern-abroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/510\/revisions\/511"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/intern-abroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=510"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/intern-abroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=510"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/intern-abroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=510"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}