Malek completed an elective rotation at UH Cleveland Medical Center, Ohio, in the Internal Medicine department.

“An eye-opening experience, one that starkly contrasted with the limited opportunities provided by my home institution.”

He gained hands-on experience in patient care, procedures, and interdisciplinary collaboration, strengthening his clinical skills and commitment to improving healthcare in Palestine.

Check photos and testimonials below.

My elective rotation at UH Cleveland Medical Center in Ohio was an eye-opening experience, one that starkly contrasted with the limited opportunities provided by my home institution. At UH, I was immersed in a dynamic clinical environment where hands-on learning was not just encouraged but expected. From rounding with attending physicians who actively engaged me in patient management to performing procedures under supervision, I finally felt like a real medical student rather than a passive observer. The emphasis on evidence-based practice, interdisciplinary collaboration, and direct patient care was refreshing, something I had only read about in textbooks back at my university.

At UH, I was trusted with responsibilities, challenged with complex cases, and given constructive feedback, luxuries that we don’t always have access to. This rotation reaffirmed my passion for medicine, not because of what I had been taught before, but because of what I had been missing.

I know that this experience will make me a better doctor and one day help me make an impact on the healthcare system in Palestine.

Read more about the international training placement programme here