I have officially concluded the portion of my study abroad program conducted in Slovenia! The past week in Slovenia was spent taking part in healthcare site visits and workshops, lectures on history and language, and cultural experiences in Maribor, Ljubljana, Bled, and rural Slovenia. For the healthcare portion of the week, we were able to visit healthcare community centers, take part in simulation labs utilizing advanced technology, participate in a mountain rescue training, tour the University of Maribor Clinical Center (including their emergency department and ICU), and more.
Comparing Slovenia, a nation roughly the size of New Jersey, to a country as large as the US is an interesting challenge. The Slovenian healthcare system is similar to that of Austria, but with some key differences. The Slovenian healthcare system is also universal, but does not offer any option for citizens to purchase private health insurance as Austria does. Every person in Slovenia receives the same type of public health insurance overseen by the government. Similar to Austria, Slovenia’s healthcare system faces issues with an aging population and provider migration to other nations, placing strain on their healthcare infrastructure. Health professionals in Slovenia are faced with difficult questions on how to address these concerns, just as those in many other nations are.
In addition to the activities within the healthcare curriculum of the trip, we were able to experience much of Slovenian culture. Our program visited Slovenian beekeepers, took a ride in a traditional Pletna boat on Lake Bled, visited Postojna cave, toured a medicinal herb garden, had many authentic Slovenian meals, and more. All of these cultural experiences allowed us to absorb what life is like in this small, Slavic nation and interact with Slovenian locals, who were incredible kind and welcoming people.
As I make my way home, I continue to reflect on all that I was able to learn and experience during my short week in Slovenia. For a country so small, Slovenia was very rich in beauty and culture. Perhaps I will be able to return one day, but for now, nasvidenje Slovenija!
