In May, 14 observers joined the OMI to complete their observerships in leading hospitals across Austria: 9 observers joined the Medical University of Vienna, 3 observers completed the experience at the Medical University of Graz, and 2 observers attended the General Hospital of Salzburg. The group consisted of fellows from Albania, Belarus, Croatia, Cyprus, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Mongolia, North Macedonia, Poland, Ukraine, and Viet Nam, coming together to share the OMI observership experience.
Anastasiya Babintseva, MD
OMI Observer from Ukraine
Looking at one observership more closely, Dr. Anastasiya Babintseva from Ukraine spent the month at the Neonatology Department of the Medical University of Graz under her mentor Dr. Nicolas Morris:
OMI: How was your experience at the Neonatology Department during your Observership?
Dr. Babintseva: I worked in Neonatal Departments 1 and 2, the practice of which is my direct professional interest. I was able to familiarize myself with the structure of the departments, the organization of the work of the medical staff, the current protocols for providing primary care in the delivery room, intensive care, and post-intensive care for newborns. The staff is open, friendly, and professional.
OMI: During your OMI observership, what did your day-to-day hospital schedule look like, and what did you take away from the experience?
Dr. Babintseva: OMI met all my expectations. I took part in medical examinations of neonatal patients with various pathologies, prescribing treatment, interpreting the results of laboratory and instrumental examinations. I had the opportunity to observe patients with rare congenital pathologies (e.g., Zellweger syndrome), extremely low body weight (e.g., 570 and 650 g), and surgical pathology (e.g., congenital diaphragmatic hernia, renal pathology with bilateral nephrostomies). It was extremely interesting to compare the practice of treating children with early and late neonatal sepsis, PDA, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and intraventricular hemorrhages. I also observed how a lumbar puncture, ultrasonographic examination, neuromonitoring, and sonographic examination are performed.
OMI: Did you gain any new perspectives or ways of thinking during your OMI observership?
Dr. Babintseva: The OMI observership confirmed my opinion that a doctor and a scientist should develop throughout their lives, changing not only their own thinking and practical skills, but also sharing the acquired knowledge with their colleagues and students.
OMI: How did the OMI influence your professional development?
Dr. Babintseva: I have been participating in OMI seminars since 2017, including three workshops on neonatal care, pediatric palliative care, and clinical research and one observership. The OMI provided me with an opportunity to significantly expand my professional networking, to find new like-minded people in both high- and low-income countries. All the theoretical and practical knowledge that I received at the OMI seminars and the observership were implemented or will be implemented in the practice of my hospital and in the teaching process at my university.
If this interview sparked your interest in completing an OMI observership yourself, the applications for 2025 are currently open on the OMI website (click here to apply), and we look forward to hearing from interested applicants!
