July 2023
From Romania to Leuven, Belgium
Hello there!
In July 2023, I had the unique opportunity to travel to Leuven, Belgium, for a SCOPE exchange. I was assigned to the maxillo-facial surgery department and, to make it brief – it was amazing.
The unexpected path
When I initially applied for this exchange, I didn’t realize that if I applied as a substitute for someone who gave up their spot, I would have to keep their choices (it was written in BeMSA’s rules, but I hadn’t paid attention). Oh boy, wasn’t I surprised when I saw that the person before me had chosen maxillo-facial surgery as their first option! I had never considered it a field of interest before, but I got really excited to explore a more niche specialty and to try something new.
To this day, I consider that one of the best parts of the exchange was the hospital experience and the amazing team there. Everyone – the nurses, doctors, residents, students, and other staff – was very welcoming. They always encouraged me to participate actively and even gave me the opportunity to practice a few skills. I loved the fact that almost everyone spoke English quite fluently, so I never had any difficulties communicating. Even some of the patients in the clinic were curious about me and where I was from, and I really loved the warm atmosphere overall.
In addition to a great team, the practical activity was divided between two locations, one of them being the UZ Leuven Hospital. I had no idea a hospital could be so large – probably the biggest in Belgium – and I was really impressed with the facilities and the research being conducted there. From time to time, I felt like this was what “luxury medicine” must look like.
Belgian days & International nights
I had a lovely contact person from Belgium who helped me when I arrived and during my stay, always ready to answer my questions. Another exchange student from Korea and I stayed at the house of a Belgian student. The place was really nice, had everything we needed, and we each had our own room, sharing only the common spaces (bathroom, kitchen, living room).
BeMSA and its members tried to organise some activities for us and set up a social programme, even though it was quite difficult since many Belgian students were on holiday. Sometimes the city felt a bit empty, which was strange for me, especially in summer. Luckily, there were quite a few exchange students from all over the world (Brazil, Serbia, Taiwan, Korea, Hong Kong, Peru, Tunisia, Spain, Slovenia), and we got together often to hang out and have a good time.
One of the big advantages we had was that, as students under 26, we could buy a one-month unlimited train subscription for just 30 euros. This was very useful, as life in Belgium sometimes felt quite expensive. I went on various day trips to Bruges, Ghent, Dinant, and Antwerp, and I was pleasantly surprised by everything these beautiful towns had to offer. When we went to Ghent, we found out that the Gentse Feesten was taking place. It's a ten-day street festival that’s completely free, with people dancing, singing, and just enjoying life together.
Overall, I had a lovely time in Leuven and I’m very happy that I chose to participate in this exchange. I loved the free spirit of the Belgian people, the Belgian fries, and the Belgian waffles. I left with new friendships, good memories, and I would definitely recommend Leuven to anyone looking to see what medicine looks like in a very modern, innovative setting – UZ Leuven Hospital is exactly that.
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