Learning Experience at Leiden University Medical Center

The 2019 student exchange program is a collaborative program between FKIKUAJ and Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), which receives an Erasmus Grant of a total of 3000 euros. Besides that, FKIKUAJ also provides an allowance for students who successfully participate in this program. This program intended for medical students from the second year to clinical level students who want to study abroad for three months. Within these three months, students can learn about 16 fields in the Half Minor program, Mechanisms of Disease, Pharmacology, and English in Medicine. In 2019, as many as 16 students from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Atma Jaya University (FKIK-UAJ) had the opportunity to take part in the program, which ran from September 2019 to early December 2019.

LUMC is the university hospital affiliated with Leiden University, of which it forms the medical faculty located in the city of Leiden, the Netherlands. It is easy to spot their campuses and libraries tho throughout the city since it is one of the oldest and best universities in the country, as well as LUMC itself, which provides the best quality facilities and infrastructure. 

The 2019 Student Exchange Program journey starts with registration in March by submitting required documents to the faculty. Then after approval by the faculty, the files are completed to be submitted to the LUMC. Students who receive confirmation from LUMC then proceed for a visa application and residence permit. The students require to have a residence permit since they will stay in the Netherlands for more than 90 days.

Arriving in Leiden, first-year students or generally students who just enrolled at the Leiden University, international and domestic students, require to participate in Orientation Week Leiden (OWL). It is a one-week orientation program to introduce the campus and the city of Leiden, in which students are divided into some facilitated groups. OWL is one of the most exciting activities during the program. Not only being introduced to the city and campus, but we can also get to know other students from various backgrounds.

The students have known only a few valuable experiences than the opportunity to study at LUMC and get acquainted with local students, taught by excellent professors and doctors, as well as a broad yet insightful discussions. Amicable local students and instructors, getting the international student to feel confident and so can comfortably study.

Classes at LUMC are very well facilitated, with accessible recorded lectures and materials at any time, the library available all day, affordable cafeteria meals. The students will easily feel comfortable studying on the environment of its three buildings and friendly staff.

We visited cities in the Netherlands or even neighbouring countries in spare time over the weekends after tests and block exams. It is a twofer experience to study and a short vacation. Again, only by joining this program, such as experience possible to obtain.

Overall, the student exchange program held every year helps students to have unique and new experiences. This experience can be unforgettable in preclinical times. It expected that in the following years, more students would want to try new things like this and gain valuable experience as has been obtained from the student exchange program in 2019.

Tiffanie (+62 878-7723-8045)