Work
I am studying Biomedical engineering and I was working at a company called “FEops” in Ghent, Belgium which are doing patient-specific for structural heart interventions. This simulations technology uses computational modelling and simulations to provide manufactures and physicians with insights into the interaction between the patient’s anatomy and heart implants. I specifically was working on reconstructing the mitral valve from different patients and setting up and running computer simulations for each mitral valve. In addition, I was also creating clinical case reports and doing research for a very interesting topic called transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR).
Experience
I was living on my own as a student in Graz for a few years, but living in a foreign country is still something totally different. Due to this I was improving my English skills so much, learned a lot about Belgium and I was realising that this country is different from what I thought. In Ghent, I gained so many friends and we were spending a lot of time together. Going out on the weekend and enjoyed the amazing beers and fries together. Organising national evenings, where we were showing each other our culture and food. And of course, we were travelling as much as possible. Exploring the different areas and cities in Belgium and the surrounding countries. The work I was doing was so interesting and I learned so much. It was a serious job and the saw me as one of their colleagues, not as a trainee. I really liked that this company was giving me a lot of responsibility and they were expecting a lot from me.
Discover
Due to the fact that I started this internship a bit spontaneously, I was not expecting anything. And it turned out to be one of the best decisions in my life. I gained so many friends from so many different countries, I was enjoying the amazing beer, the delicious chocolate and Belgian fries, I was travelling in 6 different countries and enjoyed every second so much. Thank you IAESTE for making this amazing experience possible.
