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Institution
Medizinische Hochschule Hannover
Host
Institution(s)
Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Mentor: Marshall E. Kadin, M.D.
Clinical: Not available
My research topic is the classification of cases of an American children's Hodgkin's Disease Study according to REAL classification and British National Lumphoma Investigation criteria, together with the study's reference pathologist. The classification is based on morphology and immunohistochemical stainings that are performed on uncertain cases. In addition, I evaluate diverse histological parameters such as the amount of tissue eosinophilia, presence of necrosis, etc. Aim of the study is the correlation of the subtypes of Hodgkin's Disease and single morphologic parameters with the clinical outcome in children under current therapy strategies.
The most important experience for me in this country is to learn that everything I really want seems to be possible, which is great ... but never without trying several ways and fighting for it, which can be very frustrating. Even very simple things are never easy, but also very complicated things work out after all. As long as people here are in certain programs like university or residency programs, they do not have to organize themselves, they are offered everything, and work hard to get their job done. However they never seem to have to worry about the next step because they are always told what to do. But for people who do not belong to a certain program in this system, things always seem to be very problematic and they have to find the way throught it on their own. One of the many discrepancies in this country...
There have not been any severe difficulties that I could complain about. Finding an apartment in Boston is not very easy, but possible. Getting our telephone and heating work was a bit problematic in our apartment, but this was mainly due to our landlady. There have been no problems that could not have occurred in Germany.
See Stephanie Kämpchen's account of our attempts to rendezvous at the Dome in Koeln!
As I pointed out above, everything in this country seems to be possible. Do not be frustrated or give up if things do not work out immediately, but ask someone else, try it again, go a different way. If you intend to go to Harvard affiliated hospitals, keep in mind that you are one of many foreign doctors and students who work there for free and nobody will regard that as something special; on the other hand, the hospitals also offer a lot, so take whatever you are offered.