Internship for Swiss Bachelors of Medicine in Laos
Spend one month as a junior doctor at the Mother and Newborn Hospital, Vientiane
Since 2016, the Swiss Laos Hospital Project, on the initiative of KD Dr Elisabeth Bandi-Ott, has been arranging one-month placements at the Mother and Newborn Hospital (MNH) in the Laotian capital, Vientiane. The MNH is the leading teaching hospital for gynaecology, obstetrics and neonatology in Laos.
This programme is aimed at bachelors of medicine from a Swiss university during their elective year. It is recognised by the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Zurich. To be eligible, students must have already completed a one-month placement in gynaecology/obstetrics at a hospital in Switzerland or a neighbouring country.
Twelve internship slots are available each year. Interns are responsible for covering their own travel, accommodation, meals and insurance costs. The Swiss Laos Hospital Project reimburses local doctors for the time they spend providing training.
Coordination
Catalina Mönkhoff Miller, MD (cand.)
Responsible
Dr Michèle-Chantal Stahel, MD
“What I particularly liked about Laos was that it gave me an insight into a completely different healthcare system. It’s very enriching to see how priorities are sometimes set differently and how limited resources are managed.
It was also great that we were allowed to carry out some procedures ourselves, such as speculum examinations. What’s more, we were able to talk at length with the local students and, as a result, learnt a great deal about the healthcare system and life in Laos.”