​To broaden their professional horizons, a gynaecologist in training from the University of Amsterdam recently swapped places with a registrar in obstetrics and gynaecology at Tygerberg Hospital. And, since South African academic hospitals differ greatly from those in developed countries, the two students had much to learn from each other's environments.

From 1 February to 30 April 2017, Drs Marloes Derks from the University of Amsterdam and Kevin Abraham from Stellenbosch University took over each other's shifts and responsibilities as part of a well-established annual exchange programme between the two universities. They even lived in each other's homes.

Like other exchange students who previously participated in the programme, they both enjoyed the adventure of living in another country, while gaining valuable professional and life skills in the process.

While some of what Derks experienced as a gynaecologist in training at Tygerberg Hospital echoed her experiences back home, there were significant differences, she says.

In the Netherlands, for example, a doctor in training as a specialist will only handle caesarean sections and ectopic pregnancies in consultation with a medical team. However, at Tygerberg, she had to handle these challenging procedures on her own, learning to act independently. "Fortunately, both the patients and I survived!"

Also, women with cervical cancer in the Netherlands mainly present with early-stage disease, Derks says. "At Tygerberg, most patients already have advanced stages of the disease at the first presentation."

Abraham, in turn, had to take a step back from the fully integrated role he was used to playing at Tygerberg Hospital, to a more observational role in Amsterdam – a challenge in its own sense. "In Amsterdam, patient care is never handled alone, but as a team," he says. "I was basically an extra and, as such, had to step into a learning role."

The organisational structure and the huge healthcare budget in the Netherlands ensure that patient care is optimised, says Abraham. "I learnt a lot about the organisational structure of a developed medical system. Evidence-based treatment is a priority and very modern treatment options are available."

Swapping homes was a necessary part of the exchange process, since the rental cost of a home in Amsterdam is prohibitively high for South Africans.

Staying in Derks' apartment – in a beautiful part of the city – meant that Abraham's wife and two-year-old toddler could accompany him on the adventure. "My wife and I have always wanted to travel to Europe, and this opportunity was ideal."

Derks also settled into Abraham's home and even used his car to travel to and from campus. Her thoughts on Cape Town? "I love this city!" Afterwards, she enjoyed a well-deserved holiday in South Africa.

Caption: Drs Marloes Derks from the University of Amsterdam and Kevin Abraham from Stellenbosch University recently swapped "lives" as part of an exchange programme.