Report of the internship in Prague - ESPEP Yasemin Gräbnitz
Our stay in Prague was - thanks to the efforts and the support of both the Czech and German Physiotherapy student organizations as well as the Czech students - really enjoyable and relaxed. Having received all the information and tips we needed and being in constant contact with the Czech students, we felt informed and prepared, even before we made our journey to Czech Republic.
As soon as we arrived in Prague, we were taken care of: I didn’t need too much help upon arrival but my colleague from Berlin, who was visiting the city for the first time, was picked up and guided to her accommodation. Early next morning, there was a student waiting to bring us safely to Motol Hospital, give us a little tour and explain all we need to know. Thus, we never felt lost or disoriented from the get-go.
Week 1:
We spent the first week on the Spinal Cord Unit, a special unit dedicated to the rehabilitation of patients who have suffered from lesions of the spinal cord due to either accident or disease. We were able to witness and assist the treatment of several patients, each day a different Physiotherapist would show us their preferred techniques and explain the concepts behind them. Here we learned of DNS, a relatively new concept of treatment. It is based on the stages of a child’s normal development in verticalisation and uses these ‚milestones’, combined with elements of PNF, in the treatment of neurological patients and others. Furthermore, there was time to discuss the similarities and differences of Czech and German approaches in neurological rehabilitation with therapists who work in the field for many years. This change of perspective was refreshing and inspiring.
For our free time, the Czech Physiotherapy students had a great program planned. Going to parks for games, spending a day on a tour around the city or having a drink with lots of other students was fun and made us feel welcome when we were still getting used to the new environment.
Week 2 and 3:
The second and third week, we were private students of Ondřej Čakrt
Libuše Smolíková and Petr Bitnar. Each of them invited us into their practice and let us watch the treatment of their patients, always making sure that we will learn from the experience. They were friendly, open and, most importantly, invested a lot of time into explaining us the specialties of their field and answering any questions we might have. We were able to test techniques we learned on each other under the guidance of the professors and witness best practice in Physiotherapy of balance disorders, respiratory problems, visceral pain and pediatrics. Adding to this, we also learned a lot about the Czech education and health system, both from our experience of daily life in the clinic as well as conversations with Czech Physiotherapy students and graduates.
Looking back, the time in Prague was a real success for me and I am glad I took the chance to experience the study-/work-conditions in another European country first hand. It took great dedication and a lot of enthusiasm from our hosts, but I really hope that this is a project that will live on for further generations of Czech and German students.
Thank you for the warm welcome and the unforgettable time!
Our stay in Prague was - thanks to the efforts and the support of both the Czech and German Physiotherapy student organizations as well as the Czech students - really enjoyable and relaxed. Having received all the information and tips we needed and being in constant contact with the Czech students, we felt informed and prepared, even before we made our journey to Czech Republic.
As soon as we arrived in Prague, we were taken care of: I didn’t need too much help upon arrival but my colleague from Berlin, who was visiting the city for the first time, was picked up and guided to her accommodation. Early next morning, there was a student waiting to bring us safely to Motol Hospital, give us a little tour and explain all we need to know. Thus, we never felt lost or disoriented from the get-go.
Week 1:
We spent the first week on the Spinal Cord Unit, a special unit dedicated to the rehabilitation of patients who have suffered from lesions of the spinal cord due to either accident or disease. We were able to witness and assist the treatment of several patients, each day a different Physiotherapist would show us their preferred techniques and explain the concepts behind them. Here we learned of DNS, a relatively new concept of treatment. It is based on the stages of a child’s normal development in verticalisation and uses these ‚milestones’, combined with elements of PNF, in the treatment of neurological patients and others. Furthermore, there was time to discuss the similarities and differences of Czech and German approaches in neurological rehabilitation with therapists who work in the field for many years. This change of perspective was refreshing and inspiring.
For our free time, the Czech Physiotherapy students had a great program planned. Going to parks for games, spending a day on a tour around the city or having a drink with lots of other students was fun and made us feel welcome when we were still getting used to the new environment.
Week 2 and 3:
The second and third week, we were private students of Ondřej Čakrt
Libuše Smolíková and Petr Bitnar. Each of them invited us into their practice and let us watch the treatment of their patients, always making sure that we will learn from the experience. They were friendly, open and, most importantly, invested a lot of time into explaining us the specialties of their field and answering any questions we might have. We were able to test techniques we learned on each other under the guidance of the professors and witness best practice in Physiotherapy of balance disorders, respiratory problems, visceral pain and pediatrics. Adding to this, we also learned a lot about the Czech education and health system, both from our experience of daily life in the clinic as well as conversations with Czech Physiotherapy students and graduates.
Looking back, the time in Prague was a real success for me and I am glad I took the chance to experience the study-/work-conditions in another European country first hand. It took great dedication and a lot of enthusiasm from our hosts, but I really hope that this is a project that will live on for further generations of Czech and German students.
Thank you for the warm welcome and the unforgettable time!
Report of the internship in Prague - ESPEP Christine Ackermann
It’s 4 pm on a Sunday afternoon and I’m sitting on a bus towards Prague, I am about to spend the next three weeks with a physio internship in a hospital in Prague. I am really excited about it and have no idea what to expect. All I know is, that it’s completely organized by students, which I think is really amazing and that I don’t have worry about anything. Accommodation, people that take care of us in the hospital and even social program is all taken care of. The internship is actually more like an exchange, there is two of us from Berlin going to Prague for three weeks and three students from Prague that are coming to Berlin to do the same thing. This year is the first one and I am sure it’s to become an annual event.
So there I am arriving at Praha Hlavní nádraží excited and a little nervous. Zuzana is picking me up and is showing me the place, where I am going to live for the next three weeks, a really nice place in Troja. On the next morning, we meet at 8am at the hospital and Zuzana is again showing us everything and introduces us to all the other physios. We spend the first week in the spinal cord unit at Nemocnice Motol and time is flying by. We watch how the physiotherapists work, what techniques they use, and how they interact with the patients. Everything is little bit different from how we experienced it in Germany, for instance they use a lot of Vojta Therapy and DNS, whereas in Germany the first is mainly used for children and the second we never heard before. As I said before, the time is flying by, not only from what we see in the hospital, but also from all the activities and fun stuff we do with the Czech students.
The second week is with Ondřej Čakrt, a physiotherapist who is specialized in vestibular system diseases. He shows us assessments and therapy with those patients. Interesting for us is, that he can actually do the diagnosis. In Germany, all the diagnose is done by physicians and not physiotherapists.
The third and final week is with two physiotherapists that are also professors for the students. Libuše Smolíková is working in pediatrics and did her habilitation on therapy with children with cystic fibrosis. It is amazing that we get the chance to watch therapists that are not only very skilled but have also done a lot of research. The other teacher, Petr Bitnar, is specialized in internal organs and how they interact with the whole body. Again, something we haven't seen much in Germany and something that caught our attention.
All in all, it was a fantastic opportunity. I have never thought, it would turn out to be that great. A huge thanks, to Klara and her friends, that organized everything and took us out at night to show us some nice spots. We have seen a lot of therapy, but also a lot in and around Prague. I am sure this wasn't the last time I was in Prague and I hope I will see the students again. Maybe at some congress, when we all be professionals.
It’s 4 pm on a Sunday afternoon and I’m sitting on a bus towards Prague, I am about to spend the next three weeks with a physio internship in a hospital in Prague. I am really excited about it and have no idea what to expect. All I know is, that it’s completely organized by students, which I think is really amazing and that I don’t have worry about anything. Accommodation, people that take care of us in the hospital and even social program is all taken care of. The internship is actually more like an exchange, there is two of us from Berlin going to Prague for three weeks and three students from Prague that are coming to Berlin to do the same thing. This year is the first one and I am sure it’s to become an annual event.
So there I am arriving at Praha Hlavní nádraží excited and a little nervous. Zuzana is picking me up and is showing me the place, where I am going to live for the next three weeks, a really nice place in Troja. On the next morning, we meet at 8am at the hospital and Zuzana is again showing us everything and introduces us to all the other physios. We spend the first week in the spinal cord unit at Nemocnice Motol and time is flying by. We watch how the physiotherapists work, what techniques they use, and how they interact with the patients. Everything is little bit different from how we experienced it in Germany, for instance they use a lot of Vojta Therapy and DNS, whereas in Germany the first is mainly used for children and the second we never heard before. As I said before, the time is flying by, not only from what we see in the hospital, but also from all the activities and fun stuff we do with the Czech students.
The second week is with Ondřej Čakrt, a physiotherapist who is specialized in vestibular system diseases. He shows us assessments and therapy with those patients. Interesting for us is, that he can actually do the diagnosis. In Germany, all the diagnose is done by physicians and not physiotherapists.
The third and final week is with two physiotherapists that are also professors for the students. Libuše Smolíková is working in pediatrics and did her habilitation on therapy with children with cystic fibrosis. It is amazing that we get the chance to watch therapists that are not only very skilled but have also done a lot of research. The other teacher, Petr Bitnar, is specialized in internal organs and how they interact with the whole body. Again, something we haven't seen much in Germany and something that caught our attention.
All in all, it was a fantastic opportunity. I have never thought, it would turn out to be that great. A huge thanks, to Klara and her friends, that organized everything and took us out at night to show us some nice spots. We have seen a lot of therapy, but also a lot in and around Prague. I am sure this wasn't the last time I was in Prague and I hope I will see the students again. Maybe at some congress, when we all be professionals.