David Patrauceanu is a 4th year medical student at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Carol Davila,” in Bucharest, Romania. He completed his CIRSE student internship at the Hospiten Rambla in Tenerife, Spain.
By David Patrauceanu
My name is David Patrauceanu, and I am a fourth-year medical student who had the privilege of completing a three-week internship at the Hospiten Rambla in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in July 2024, together with my colleague Alexia Neagu. I had just finished my third year of medical school when I arrived in Tenerife. The experience was transformative, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked under the expert supervision of Dr. Manuel Maynar and the entire hospital staff, including Roberto Ochoa, Carlos Herrera, Giovani Garcia, and Tobias Xander.
Every day, I received a new set of scrubs and a lab coat, which made me feel like a real part of the medical team. The environment at the Hospiten Rambla was both professional and welcoming, and I was encouraged to immerse myself fully in the work. I observed a wide variety of procedures, including ultrasound-guided thyroid biopsies, treatments for peripheral arterial disease, and embolization of varicose veins. One of the most fascinating moments was witnessing the use of custom-made stents for aortic conditions. These stents are highly specialized, costing about three times more than standard stents, and their use is rare. Also, I witnessed a rare case of a patient with an intramural hematoma and a penetrating aortic ulcer, which was an unforgettable learning experience.
