5 March – 27 April 2018 – Six final-year Biomedical Science students from International Medical University (IMU), Malaysia, (Ma Pei Yee, Chan Wai Yew, Edwin Toh You Sheng, Chua Lee Kee, Wong Sze Wei and Tammy Teh Siew Vuon) had the opportunity to complete their 2 months’ attachment at Taipei Veterans General Hospital (TVGH), Taiwan. One of the students, Ma Pei Yee relates their experience in Taiwan. 
“We experienced a wonderful internship in Taiwan. The hospital is well-managed as they are highly systematic. TVGH has a strong reputation, furnished with advanced facilities especially in the laboratory. Advanced technology manned by responsible lab technologists allowed the handling of thousands of patient samples daily. We feel honoured to learn in such an environment, and it was an exceptionally eye-opening experience. We were placed at various diagnostic departments related to our profession, such as the Pathology lab, General lab, Microbiology lab, Blood bank and Biochemistry lab. 
Working hours for us were from 8:30am to 5:00pm every weekday. There were periodic classes for us to understand the workflow and details, during which we gained new knowledge and information. At the beginning, it was challenging to adapt to the foreign environment, coupled with our unfamiliarity with the Chinese medical terms used. Nonetheless, the friendly, enthusiastic and ever-willing staff helped us overcome the language and cultural barriers. They patiently explained the terms using English to ensure we understood what is taught, even though it was difficult for them. 
Within the two months, we learnt simple diagnostic procedures such as ABO blood typing, which was done differently at TVGH compared to what we were taught at IMU. Besides, we had numerous opportunities to practice our hands-on skills such as the preparation of blood films. We also encountered several interesting patient cases, from which we were required to prepare case reports either individually or in teams. Furthermore, we were assessed upon the completion of each laboratory department. The test sheet was quite tough as we struggled through with our limited Chinese. Finally, we overcame the toughest challenges and learn a lot! We are truly grateful to IMU for providing this opportunity to perform our attachment at TVGH via the Student Mobility Programme. Furthermore, we would like to thank our IMU lecturers, Dr Chye Soi Moi, Dr Lim Chooi Ling and also all TVGH staff for their guidance and sincerity. This was an exciting and unforgettable internship experience in our undergraduate life, and helped us understand more about the biomedical science profession.”
Written by: Ma Pei Yee
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