My LinkedIn debut post is dedicated to my most special academic experience so far: an internship abroad in the Vascular Surgery Department at the prestigious Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine (Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine) 

Ruijin Hospital ranks among the ✨top✨ hospitals in China, which is evident from the fact that patients travel from afar, sometimes by (high-speed) train or even by plane, to receive care. The Vascular Surgery Department has around 30 beds and performs more than 20 surgeries each week, treating a wide range of conditions from varicose veins and lymphedema to complex EVARs with physician-modified endografts (PMEGs). I was able to learn about treatment options not commonly seen in the Netherlands. 

It was truly a privilege to be part of this hardworking team, even if only for a short while. To my surprise, I did not need much time to adjust to this completely different environment. However, I did occasionally have to navigate the language barrier. After all, seven years of Chinese school does not quite translate to fluency in (medical) Mandarin. This often led to funny moments and memorable conversations. Thankfully, the doctors were kind enough to translate when needed 

I thoroughly enjoyed the past two months, the learning experience, the food, and above all, the wonderful company. Personal growth definitely skyrocketed

I am deeply grateful to Dr. Jia Xuan Feng and Dr. Yudong Sun for their warm hospitality and the opportunity to join their team. Many thanks as well to Professor Kak Khee Yeung and Dr. Stijn Hazenberg for making this valuable experience possible. And finally, grateful for KIVI - Koninklijk Instituut van Ingenieurs and FAST University Fund TU Delft for their generous support.

On to my final adventure before completing my master’s!