Home
Institution
Universitaet Leipzig
Host
Institution(s)
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver
Research: Department of Pharmacology, Neuroscience Department
Mentor: Dr. T.V. Dunwiddie, Ph.D.
Clinical: Observership at the UCHSC for 2 months
Electrophysiological studies on rat brain slices
Leipzig: I worked in the prefrontal cortex which is essential for higher cognitive functions, in particular for learning tasks. I investigated the effect of dopamine and purines on evoked synaptic responses and glutamate responses by means of the intracellular recording technique.
Denver: I study the CA3 region of the hippocampus using extracellular recordings. I am interested in the effect of adenosine-antagonists and their ability to cause epileptiform activity (bursts, long term potentiation LTP). We investigate whether this effect is irreversible or depending on the washout of the drugs and whether there is a difference in the effect of drugs that are selective or non-selective for adenosine receptors.
I see it as a great experience to be here. It is worth to take the chance to do some months of research during medical studies. In this respect the U.S. offer additional insight in a different research environment ... although I had difficulties to live in the U.S. culture. The way of living is different from the European one. The American culture is more extreme. (I like to compare it with the weather in Denver: we have more sun than Florida but after having lunch outside don't forget the possibility of a snowstorm some hours later.) I always criticized some parts of the Health Care System in Germany ... now I am glad that we have one that works as it does.
In the lab I feel fully accepted, and it doesn't matter whether you are student, postdoc or professor. In my lab in Germany I haven't had this impression. Also, my mentor has been vry helpful in dealing with the bureaucracy and finding housing.
In the medical school you are only allowed to do clinical rotations when you are in your final year of the medical studies. If you are not in your final year an observership might be possible without any direct patient care. It appears that there is no real need for foreign students in the medical school!
During Christmas time I introduced my lab to our Christmas tradition. So I brought home made cookies, "Pfefferkuchen" and even "Stollen" my family sent me. In the end I had to prepare a typical German Christmas dish. It took me long phone calls to Germany to find out how my grandma and my mom are preparing our great tasting duck every year. But in the end, after some hours of hard work, we enjoyed it: duck stuffed with apples and mugwort ("Beifuss" - my mother had to send it), potato dumplings ("Gruene Kloesse" - the hardest thing to prepare) and red cabbage ("Rotkraut"). I am looking forward to next Christmas when I will enjoy the traditional dish prepared by my grandma and mom - and enjoying it more since I know now how much work it is.
It is difficult to look for an apartment in Denver while you are still in Germany. There is no student housing provided by the Health Sciences Center, so you will need to find your own apartment or a roommate. Prices range between $450 and $600.
Drivers' license and cars: You can take your drivers' license in Colorado which consists of a written and driving test. After the written test you will get a permit, which allows you to drive in the presence of a person with a regular drivers' license. If you have been here more than six months you should get your German license without any additional test. If you have the international drivers' license you might need to get a U.S. license, depending on the regulations of your insurance company. (E.g. "Start Farm" also accepts the international license.) Be aware that the procedure is different in the different states of the U.S.
FORUM: The FORUM is a great opportunity - and probably the only one - to meet the other BMEP students, to make contacts and to exchange first experiences if you're already staying in the U.S. I would recommend to everybody to attend the FORUM!