Welcome, dear Anaëlle, Melina, Sina and Romain

Starting in August 2026, Anaëlle and Sina will be joining our team in Siem Reap. And with Melina and Romain, we’ll have students working in Phnom Penh for the first time. Here, they’ll all introduce themselves.

Anaëlle Hurni, 24, Zurich

Somehow, it was always clear to me that I wanted to study medicine. I wanted to learn something that would still inspire me in 20, 40, or 60 years and would never bore me. My biggest role model in this field is my father, who works as a family physician in Zurich. Thanks to him, I became interested in medicine at a relatively early age. I’ve always admired how he treats people first and foremost, rather than just the diagnosis. I’m also deeply moved by the long-standing, trusting relationships he cultivates with his patients.

I’m looking forward to living and working in Cambodia for two months – to experiencing the culture, the similarities and differences, and a country shaped, among other things, by a deeply tragic history. It amazes me how Beat Richner’s philosophies are still implemented and lived out today at Kantha Bopha Hospital: free treatment, fairness, training of local professionals, and quality – despite economic realities.

The only expectations I have for these two months at Kantha Bopha Hospital are directed at myself: that I approach this time with open eyes and an open heart, that I help where I’m needed, that I step back when restraint is called for, that I learn what the people of Cambodia teach me, and that I don’t forget the stories I experience there.

My main concern is the language barrier – whether I’ll be able to connect with the children and mothers despite it. But what matters most to me is the joy I feel about the country, the cuisine, the stories, and above all, the people I’ll get to know: my colleagues and staff at the hospital, the families, the expectant mothers, and most of all, the opportunity to immerse myself in the children’s worlds. "But the life of every single child - the whole reason behind the ward rounds and meetings, the ordering of medicines and training of staff - is a universe."*

*Beat Richner, Ambassador – Between Life and survival, 2009

Melina Brandenberger, 25, Stetten SH

Even as a child, I knew that I wanted to work in the medical field when I grew up. I’ve always been fascinated by the human body, and I wanted to understand how diseases develop and how to help people. Direct contact with patients is particularly important to me. I value being able to support people in difficult situations and to make a positive contribution to their health with my knowledge and skills. For me, studying medicine combines my scientific interest with the desire to help others.

I’m particularly drawn to the opportunity to learn about another country’s healthcare system and experience how medical care is organized under different conditions. I’m looking forward to gaining insights into the day-to-day clinical work at a children’s hospital in Cambodia and learning from the professionals there. At the same time, I’m interested in cultural exchange and the opportunity to broaden my horizons both professionally and personally.

I expect to gain many new insights and valuable experiences. I hope to expand my medical knowledge while also learning a great deal about pediatrics and working in an international environment. In addition, I hope to become more familiar with the culture and daily life in Cambodia and to further develop my intercultural skills. I believe these two months will shape me both personally and professionally.

Most of all, I’m looking forward to getting to know a new culture, interacting with the staff and patients, and gaining many new experiences. I see this stay as a special opportunity to grow both medically and personally. I do have some concerns about the language barrier and cultural differences, as these could make communication difficult in everyday life and at the hospital. However, I’m motivated to approach new situations with an open mind, and I believe that with patience, openness, and the support of the team, I’ll be able to overcome these challenges successfully.

Sina Marugg, 24, Andeer GR

I can’t even remember the exact moment when I decided to study medicine. During high school, I was passionate about a wide variety of subjects and always enjoyed learning something new. When I had the opportunity to participate in a hospital orientation week during my senior year of high school, it became clear to me – if it wasn’t already – that I absolutely wanted to study medicine. Now I’m nearing the end of my studies, and my fascination with medicine and the joy of being able to help others have remained – and they reaffirm to me every day just what a wonderful, yet sometimes challenging, profession we’re privileged to practice.

I was already familiar with Beat Richner back in my school days. The impressive legacy he built and left behind shows just how much good can come about when we work together toward a common goal. I see the opportunity to work and learn at the children’s hospital in Siem Reap as a great chance. I’m looking forward not only to learning more about pediatrics, obstetrics, and everyday hospital life in another country, but also to getting to know the local people and their stories.

I don’t really have any expectations for my time in Cambodia. Rather, my hope is to return to Switzerland after two months with a suitcase full of enriching experiences, encounters, memories, and new friendships.

I’m looking forward to immersing myself in a new culture and witnessing firsthand how the local children are cared for and treated. I’m especially excited about the encounters with the people I’ll have the chance to meet during this time. I do have some concerns about a potential language barrier with the children and their families. At the same time, I’m convinced that communication goes far beyond words, and I hope I’ll be able to build trust and a good rapport with the children.

Romain Escher, 24, Bern

In my daily life, I especially value variety, meeting new people, and the chance to keep learning. When I had to decide on a college major and a career toward the end of high school, I was looking for variety, the chance to meet all kinds of people, and the opportunity to always be learning something new. That’s when medicine came into focus – it combines precisely these aspects, among others: daily contact with a wide variety of people, constantly advancing research, and no two days that are alike. During my nursing internship after high school, I got my first glimpse into everyday hospital life. My expectations for variety were already exceeded. It was an exciting and educational time, and I got to know many wonderful people. It was clear to me that this was the path I wanted to take. So I registered for the Numerus Clausus and, shortly thereafter, began my bilingual medical studies in German and French at the University of Freiburg.

While planning my elective year, I felt an early desire to complete some of my clinical rotations abroad and to gain a deeper insight into pediatrics. So when the opportunity arose to gain insight into pediatrics in Cambodia, I didn’t have to think twice.

I’m particularly excited by the chance to get to know patients and their families within a completely different healthcare system. At the same time, I’m looking forward to working with an international team and gaining insight into a new culture, society, and way of life. I’m eager to see how medicine is practiced in another part of the world and what experiences I’ll be able to gain along the way.

I’m convinced that these two months in Cambodia will help me grow both professionally and personally. I’m particularly interested in the similarities and differences compared to medicine in Switzerland. Above all, I’m fascinated by how healthcare professionals interact with patients and by society’s attitudes toward illness and recovery.

Even during my internships in German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland, I noticed differences in everyday clinical practice and in how patients approach illness and medicine. I wonder how these aspects will differ between two countries that are so geographically and culturally distant from one another?

I’m most looking forward to collaborating with the staff at the children’s hospital and to engaging in fascinating discussions about medicine and its future in our countries. At the same time, I’d like to explore the country, travel to different regions, and, of course, get to know Cambodian cuisine – after all, every journey is, to some extent, a culinary adventure!

The challenge during this internship will certainly be communicating with the medical staff as well as with the patients and their parents or relatives. Until now, I’ve rarely been in a situation where I couldn’t communicate directly with the person I was talking to. But I also see this challenge as an opportunity: it will teach me to find other ways to communicate, to pay even closer attention to nonverbal cues, and to communicate through alternative means.