Welcome, dear Devanshi and dear Jan

Devanshi and Jan will be joining our team in Cambodia in September 2025. The two medical students will be working for two months at our children's hospital and maternity ward in Siem Reap. Here they introduce themselves.

Devanshi Patel, 23, Klingnau AG

Even as a child, I had many career aspirations – from doctor to post bus driver and much more. Over time, however, I realized how fascinated I am by the human body and how important it is to me to support others and have direct contact with people – especially in pediatrics.

As an Indian, I greatly appreciate how unique and privileged our healthcare system in Switzerland is. At the same time, I am familiar with the reality in India, where patients receive excellent care thanks to great openness, initiative, and often overtime, even when resources are scarce.

So far, I only know Southeast Asia from stories – which makes me all the more excited to experience the often-described warmth, vibrant culture, and perhaps even parallels to my own cultural home. I am eager to gain in-depth clinical insight into pediatrics and obstetrics and to learn about clinical pictures that we have only read about so far. I am also excited to learn about the country's rich history and culture and to actively engage with it.

I expect to gain many impressions that will shape me far beyond my studies. I see working with a language barrier as an exciting challenge – but I am convinced that it will be easy to overcome, because communication is much more than just words. I am really looking forward to these two months: learning new things, being able to help, gaining valuable experience –and discovering a part of the world that is perhaps closer than one might think.

Jan Han, 25, Zurich

I decided to study medicine because I have always been fascinated by biology, especially the many incredible functions that our bodies perform every day without us even noticing. I find it fascinating how knowledge from different areas can be pieced together like little puzzle pieces until you suddenly see the big picture. Medicine also opens many doors, from research to clinical work to working directly with people. And honestly, I find the idea quite exciting, not only to understand why something happens in the body, but also to be able to actively help when something is not working as it should. For me, it's the perfect mix of curiosity, knowledge, and the opportunity to really make a difference.

An important reason why I decided to volunteer in Cambodia is the opportunity to experience medicine in a broader context and thereby expand my own worldview. I am excited to learn about other living conditions, see creative solutions in everyday medical practice, and gain new perspectives. At the same time, this assignment offers me the perfect opportunity to combine my two passions, medicine and photography. The opportunity to document the experience photographically and thus contribute to a good cause makes the project even more valuable to me and gives me additional motivation.

I am preparing myself to gather a wealth of new impressions, to bring energy and curiosity to everyday life in the clinic, and to not only gain medical experience, but also to get to know the country, its culture, and its people in the most profound and authentic way possible.

I am most looking forward to coming into contact with people from a completely different culture and forming close friendships and gathering impressions that will last a lifetime. At the same time, I am concerned that my project to document the mission photographically may not do justice to the country and its people. I have high standards for my work and want to ensure that my project is not only technically successful, but also respectful, authentic, and representative.