I think there is no place to do your elective course better than Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). Also, I got to experience electives in Jordan university Hospital and Ruby Memorial Hospital, USA. My educational trip was amazing from its first day to the last. I had a lot of new experiences, made new friends, saw great places and experienced different cultures. It was a great trip!

On Thursday, June 21st, I travelled via the Erez crossing border after months of waiting. Most of the Gazan people do this every time they want to travel abroad.

When I reached the Jordanian capital, Amman, I started my first short elective course in General surgery department under the supervision of Dr Al-Muhtaseb. I was with a group of lovely Jordanian students at Jordan University Hospital. I saw many new operations and the supervisor doctor gave me and my colleagues the chance to be more involved, e.g., taking history and physical examinations for patients and the opportunity to do my first scrub-in and work as an assistant in the operating room.

As I had to wait at least 2 months for the US visa interview if I applied from Gaza because of the Israeli restrictions on the Erez crossing border. I applied for it from Amman while doing my elective there.

In the middle of July, my trip to the US started. When the plane landed at JFK airport/New York, then to West Virginia, where I did my second 4-week elective course.

New system, new people, new culture – everything was amazing with a great supervisor, Dr Alkhouli, in the cardiology department, seeing the patients in the clinic, Cath lab (catheterisation laboratory) and in the floor (in-patient) as well. I saw many new procedures, especially in structural interventional cardiology.

The last course at Massachusetts General Hospital, one of the top hospitals in the USA, was incredible. It has more than 1300 beds and more than 100 Operating rooms. I did my third course in the trauma surgery department with Dr Kaafarani and his hard-working team. It was a busy daily schedule, starting with an inpatient round and then spending long hours in Emergency room, Operating room and clinic. With a daily of many educational conferences and weekly grand rounds where great visiting doctors came from all over the USA. It was a great experience.

It was a great experience! I made new friends and many connections there and was able to socialise and attend events, especially at the weekends. I remember that I went with the lady (who I rented my room from) to her aunt’s 95th birthday party to celebrate with her family there. It was a great day.

I’m really grateful to FQMS for its continued support and its generosity; without that, I wouldn’t do my elective course.

Read more about the international training placement programme here