Klaipeda Internship Diaries

I am Elene Sajaia, a fourth-year student at Tbilisi Medical Academy. I would like to share how wonderful and exciting the one-month internship program at Klaipeda University Hospital was for me as a medical student. During this month, I gained invaluable experience. I developed a deeper understanding of the responsibilities of a doctor, especially a surgeon, where every decision and movement can impact a person's life. It was an unforgettable journey that I am confident will open many new doors for my future career.

I want to highlight the collective and friendly environment we experienced there. The surgical team, residents, and nurses were all enthusiastic and eager to teach us. Clinical cases were thoroughly explained, we were asked questions related to the topics, and we identified anatomical structures, all of which helped us put our theoretical knowledge into practice. Every member of the medical staff in the Department of Surgery contributed significantly to making the internship productive and informative, especially our coordinator, Neilas Ceinorius, who, despite his busy schedule, consistently sought to enhance our experience.

When there were no scheduled operations in general surgery, we explored other departments. One of the most memorable experiences for me was attending a lower limb amputation in Angio surgery on one of those days. This operation was so new, surreal, and challenging that it made me realize how much we sometimes have to sacrifice to keep a patient alive. We observed many procedures and surgeries, but the most exciting moment for me was when I participated as an assistant for the first time. I will never forget how they explained each step in detail—washing my hands, putting on a sterile gown, and the incredible opportunity I had while assisting in a cholecystectomy.

Our coordinator, who was also part of that operation, emphasized the importance of the song that played during my first time assisting. At the end of the procedure, he told me the name of the song: a piece by a Lithuanian band that will forever remind me of where and how my remarkable journey in surgery began.

Knowing a foreign culture and experiencing medicine beyond borders made everything even more exciting.

Such was my month spent in Klaipeda — an internship filled with challenges, innovations, and
opportunities, where I represented my country, my university, and myself. I believe that each of us handled our responsibilities with dignity.

The project itself was indescribably amazing. The experience was truly remarkable, it exceeded all my expectations, provided me with practical and clinical skills, and filled me with energy and motivation to work even harder to become a competent doctor and professional.