One Journey, Countless Lessons

Why I Recommend the ESAIC Exchange Programme

As a young anaesthesiologist, I have always wanted to participate in the Exchange Programme (EP), where I believe that I will have the opportunity to gain experience in patient care and treatment modalities since my residency years. Therefore, I was so excited when I found out that I had been accepted into the EP and was matched with Policlinico “Riuniti” - ospedale maternità, Foggia, Italy. Considering my status as a participant from a middle-income country, the financial support of the association was very valuable to me. Despite a significant reduction in the financial support compared to previous years, being matched with a hospital in the beautiful region of Puglia alleviated a substantial portion of my financial burden. 

Transitioning from the hectic and bustling life of Istanbul to Foggia was a pleasant change. The city’s compact nature, where everything is within walking distance, coupled with the people’s warmth and friendliness, allowed me to conserve my energy for the hospital and foster greater focus. However, arranging accommodation in Foggia posed a real challenge due to the high number of Erasmus students. I would like to extend my gratitude to Prof. Gilda Cinnella, for the unwavering responsiveness to all my correspondences, supportive communication, and gracious hospitality, without the slightest sign of weariness 

Since Policlinico “Riuniti” - ospedale maternità is a university hospital, I had the opportunity to see different approaches from specialised experts and professors across various fields except cardiovascular surgery. Although the Italian healthcare system has similar points to my own country, I have also observed differences such as more time devoted to the patient and patient information due to the difference in intensity, and more focus on analgesia management. During my tenure, I had the opportunity to witness and participate in innovative practices, such as; electrical impedance tomography (EIT) before and after anaesthesia induction accompanied by preoperative transnasal humidified rapid insufflation ventilation exchange (THRIVE) application to prolong reliable apnea duration in bariatric surgery, paravertebral catheter placements for postoperative analgesia in thoracic surgery,  percutaneus tracheostomy using techniques such as the Blue Rhino method rather than Griggs, awake technique with scalp block in deep brain stimulation surgery, paravertebral ozon injection use in algology, anaesthetic management for robot-assisted urological surgery etc. In addition, comparing differences in the choice of interventions and management can sometimes be an eye-opener, providing you with an alternative and more innovative approach to clinical situations when you return to your home department. Besides gaining valuable insight into the administration and dosage adjustment of various local anaesthetics and opioids that were not available in my home country, but I also realised that my hospital in İstanbul had so far managed to achieve so much with fewer resources in a very costly and demanding anaesthesiology  subspecialty. 

In terms of daily life, the language barrier posed a challenge. Due to the low population of English speakers, google translate becomes your best friend. Although most of the professors were supportive in this regard, I had to adapt my study schedule to align with the availability of English-speaking experts. On the other hand, I had the opportunity to start learning Italian, a language I have always been interested in but previously lacked the chance to improve my speaking proficiency. Even though our cultures are similar, Italian cuisine is different! At the end of three months, I am proud to return to Istanbul after gaining all the weight required to enjoy Italian cuisine.  

I extend my sincere gratitude to all my colleagues, especially Prof. Antonella Cotoia, Prof. Michela Rauseo, Dr. Flavia and Dr. Lea who did not leave me alone in social life as well as professional sharing and made me feel part of the Italian culture. The TEP no doubt helps create bonds between anaesthesiologists throughout Europe. 

I strongly recommend my colleagues to participate in the ESAIC Exchange Programme (EP). It is so invigorating to work in different cultures and to share ideas!  

Thank you, ESAIC, for this unforgettable experience! 

Author

• Nihan Altintepe Baskurt (MD) – Istanbul, Türkiye