On July 26, 2024, the Faculty of Medicine held a graduation ceremony for the exchange program participants: Dr. Phonepaserth Vongphoukham and Dr. Vilay Menivong, third-year Emergency Medicine residents from the University of Health Sciences, Lao PDR, Miss Anabelle Simone Lelong, a 4th-year medical student from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Poitiers, France, and Miss Alexandra Burianová, a 5th-year medical student from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Czech Republic.

The four students presented and shared their experiences and impressions during their exchange period at the Faculty of Medicine.

Dr. Vongphoukham from Laos stated, “It has been a very valuable experience for me to learn at the Department of Emergency Medicine. I have learned a lot about teamwork and will apply this experience in my work back in my country.”

Meanwhile, Miss Burianová from the Czech Republic mentioned, “I had a great experience training in the Department of Surgery. Being part of the surgical team and receiving guidance and instruction from the professors was incredibly beneficial. I am very impressed.”

Miss Lelong from France said, “I am very impressed by the people here, who are very friendly. Especially in the General Surgery department, where the professors and staff speak excellent English, which helped me understand my studies very well. Thank you for this wonderful experience.”

Professor John F. Smith, PhD, an English Specialist from the Division of International Relations and Corporate Communication, attended the presentations and awarded certificates to all four students.

This event marked the successful completion of the exchange program, highlighting the importance of international collaboration in medical education. The students’ experiences reflect the value of cross-cultural learning and the positive impact it has on their professional and personal growth.