The Right Choice

I am Papuna Sirbiladze, a fourth-year Student at Tbilisi Medical Academy and I want to share the experience that I gained in the summer internship program in the Cardiology Department of Atatürk University Hospital, Erzurum (Turkey).
 
Stepping into the cardiology department was an unforgettable moment for me.
On my first day, I was nervous about entering a completely new healthcare environment in a foreign country. However, my nervousness was unwarranted, and the staff quickly put me at ease. From the moment I walked into the department, I was greeted with smiles, handshakes, and a genuine sense of interest in my background. The head of the department, Professor Muhammed Hakan, welcomed us and introduced us to the doctors, residents, nurses, and the rest of the staff, which made me feel as If I were part of something bigger, something collaborative and meaningful.
 
What struck me the most was how quickly the doctors and nurses went out of their way to make sure I felt included. The staff was patient, offering explanations whenever I had questions. Their commitment to teaching and mentoring was evident from the first day. They treated me with respect, as a future colleague, as they wanted to guide and support me. Doctors and residents explained every process in detail. Every day we were assigned to a different doctor in our department, observing their methods of working, and the methods they used in different operational procedures. We had the opportunity to observe their relationship and attitudes toward their patients, treatment plans and follow-ups.
I understood the importance of a close doctor-patient relationship and had the opportunity to observe every stage of treatment step by step, starting with the chief complaint and explanation of every procedure and ending with planning and treating. The attitude of the patients towards the doctor was very good, they respected their doctors and trusted them with their lives without any hesitation.

 
Every morning the residents took us on rounds to check up on every patient, and we did different procedures. We participated in Vascular Surgeries and Angiographies in the Cardio-Surgical Department, where we shared our opinions regarding the treatment plan and discussed different perspectives.
Our relationship with the hospital staff was becoming closer and closer each day, other than medical knowledge, we received new information about their culture, traditions, and history.
We also shared information regarding Georgia, our traditions, history, institutions, and of course medicine in Georgia to the point that they seemed impressed and showed interest in visiting Georgia.


We promised that we would not lose connection and further strengthen the connection between us, and the Georgia - Turkey ties.
 
As a representative of Georgia, I tried my best to present my country, my academy, and my personality in a dignified way. I think I handled this task well.
 
This excellent project further strengthened my choice to become a doctor and that this profession is not only about patient diagnosis and treatment but also about care, observation, and continuous development.
I am happy and grateful that Tbilisi Medical Academy gave me this great opportunity.