This week-long Study Tour to Berlin and Poznan introduces you to the nuances of medical practice in two distinct healthcare systems. Germany has a system that is well-established and internationally regarded as efficient and effective. Poland, having emerged from the fall of the Soviet Union, is still advancing its healthcare system, making it an interesting case study in innovation. While both countries offer basic health coverage to their citizens, both are also met with the challenges of financing and providing quality care. In Berlin, you have the opportunity to visit specialists at a leading hospital, providing you with unique insight into Germany’s healthcare system. In Poznan, you spend the mornings observing physicians at the university hospital where you will be able to see a variety of procedures first-hand. These experiences offer additional clinical experience and will also highlight the various challenges medical practitioners face.
Through your discussions and visits with healthcare providers, you will gain an understanding of current key issues involved in healthcare, such as demographics and economy; healthcare promotion; allocation of technology, money and resources; organization of and entry into the health system; and patient-doctor relationships.
Tour Objectives
- Compare and contrast medical practice in Denmark, Germany, Poland, and the U.S. and better understand the challenges facing healthcare providers in each country
- Observe examples of clinical practice and research with clinical relevance
- Describe and experience medical practice in a social, historical, and scientific context
Possible Activities
- Hear a lecture at one of the Charité University Hospital Departments
- Interview locals about their experiences with their health systems in their respective countries
- Visit Poznan University Hospital of Medical Sciences (pediatrics, gynecology, and perinatology wards)