Welcome, dear Elodie and dear Lars

Elodie and Lars will be joining our team in Cambodia in July 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.

Elodie Rozijn, 24, Oberiberg SZ

I realized early on how much contact with people means to me—working with children in particular has always given me great pleasure. At the same time, I am very interested in science and find it exciting to understand complex relationships within the human body. So it was a natural decision for me to study medicine: a subject that combines intellect and compassion in a special way.

I am very much looking forward to my assignment at the children's hospital in Siem Reap. It is a special opportunity to get to know medicine from a different perspective – in a new cultural environment, with different challenges, but certainly also with very special experiences. I am curious to see what everyday medical life is like there, what role teamwork plays, and how children and their families are supported in everyday hospital life.

I am particularly looking forward to the exchange with the team on site – both professionally and personally. I hope to learn a lot and take away impressions that will shape me beyond my studies. Of course, I am aware that the language barrier can be a challenge – especially when interacting with children. At the same time, I am curious to see how communication can still succeed, perhaps in ways that are completely different from what I am used to.

I am full of anticipation for these two months – for learning, helping, meeting people, and immersing myself in a new world.

Lars Neese, 25, Baar ZG

Choosing a degree program was not easy for me. I am someone who took a long time to decide which path to take and sometimes took a detour or two along the way. I am interested in many things in life, and science was not even one of my favorite subjects at first—I majored in economics and law and minored in music. But it was my contact with people that motivated me to start studying medicine.

During my elective year, I have already had the opportunity to work in many departments and hospitals. Through this practical experience, I have realized how much I enjoy the work—interacting with patients and colleagues, and the feeling of being able to make a difference. I particularly enjoyed the insight into pediatric orthopedics and pediatrics.

The children's hospital in Siem Reap offers an excellent opportunity to further deepen my interest in these fields. I am very much looking forward to seeing medicine from a different perspective, learning from other people and views in an unfamiliar environment, and gaining as much as possible for my future.

Getting to know a different culture, finding my feet in a new system, and being away from friends and family for two months can seem daunting at first glance. Nevertheless, I feel that the positive emotions will outweigh the negative, that I will experience and learn a lot of new things, and I am convinced that this will also help me grow as a person. I am looking forward to the adventure of meeting new interesting people and making new friends.