- It has been interesting to see the differences from our education system

– In the Norwegian healthcare system, everyone receives treatment regardless of their ability to pay for it. Home nursing care was also new to me; it doesn't exist in Ethiopia, says Girma Tulu.

He is one of three Ethiopian students who have been on exchange to VID Oslo for the past two and a half months. The exchange is part of a collaborative project between VID and two Ethiopian universities: Ambo and Jimma.

The three Ethiopian students are all master's students and have been working on their master's theses while in Norway. In addition, they have had observation practice in three different places: in nursing homes, hospitals, and in the home care service in Oslo municipality.

Observation practice means that students should not perform treatments, but they can assist with practical tasks in the clinic.

– I liked the practice in the nursing home the best. I especially liked the way those who worked there communicated with the patients; they didn't talk down to them. Patient-centered communication is something we lack in Ethiopia, says Girma.

Collaboration with Ethiopian Universities

EPHAM is a collaborative project between the Faculty of Health Sciences at VID, the College of Medicine and Health Science at the University of Ambo, and the Faculty of Public Health at the University of Jimma.

Ethiopia is a country with a high tropical disease burden. At the same time, there is a great shortage of labor in the health services.

The main goal of the project is to build the capacity of the academic staff at the partner universities. This means providing training that strengthens the research competence and pedagogy of academic staff. The focus is on improving the quality of education and research in clinical health and public health.

The project will also strengthen cooperation and experience sharing between universities in Norway and Ethiopia.

Useful Exchange of Experiences

Girma, Sena, and Kulani are the third group of students to come from Ethiopia to VID.

– We have had a very nice stay and gained many new experiences. I am very grateful that we were given this opportunity, says Kulani.

– It has been interesting to see the differences from our education system, says Sena.

Abdallah Abudayya at the Faculty of Health Sciences points out that the sharing of experiences has also gone the other way.

– The students have also contributed to cultural competence in the Norwegian health service. They have many migrants as patients, and these students can contribute to greater understanding, he says.

As the biggest cultural shock, however, Girma highlights a trip to the grocery store.

– It was unusual that no one tries to cheat you. The prices of the goods are already set, he says.

Do you want to do an internship in Ethiopia?

Nursing students at the bachelor's, further education, and master's levels have the opportunity to go on exchange to Ethiopia. VID has these exchange opportunities:

• Spring semester in surgical practice second year, bachelor's level
• Autumn semester in bachelor's in nursing during practice in the third year
• Spring semester in further education and master's in nursing

If you have any questions, you can contact Tesfaye Hordofa Leta, (EPHAM project manager) and Maria Tendenes, (international office).