Last Fall, 2004, I had the opportunity to spend a semester at the Ernst Moritz Arndt University in Greifswald, Germany as a dental exchange student.  When I submitted an application to study abroad, I really had no idea what I was getting myself into.  By the time my flight took off from Minneapolis, Minnesota, I thought I knew what to expect since I had made friends with one of the students from Greifswald who was studying at my school.  I was quite surprised when, after nearly 24 hours of travel by plane, train and automobile, Greifswald was nothing like I had thought it would be.

The city itself felt much smaller to me than it was.  Granted, it’s not a metropolis by any means, but the 50,000 or so residents who live there and the fact that it’s got one of the oldest universities in the country definitely do wonders for keeping the city up-to-date, while still maintaining its old, small-town style charm.  My apartment was right in the center of the “downtown” area, directly across the street from the dental clinics.  I had the good fortune of living in a private apartment by myself (although I found out later that student housing was very much less expensive, but I still would’ve chosen to live where I did had I known earlier about other options).

Every day, I would wake up to the smell of freshly baked pastries emanating from the numerous bakeries and pastry shops along the main street where I lived.  For four half-days per week, I would be in the dental clinic with the other fifth-year students.  (The German program is five years in length, and German students don’t really have an undergraduate degree program like we do in the United States.)  The rest of the time, the students would be in class, and I would have free time to attend continuing education courses or explore the city on my own.  Another difference I found between Greifswald and Minneapolis was the fact that there are only about 40 dental students per class, and the students are paired up and share a chair, so they’re operating half the time and assisting the other half.

After the initial two-week intensive language course that I took on my own and the orientation period with the other dental students, I was free to see patients.  However, since the students at Greifswald find their own patients, I didn’t have much work to do during the beginning of my stay.  Instead, I assisted my chair partner and tried to learn about the differences in techniques and materials as much as I could.  Of course, the basic principles of the dentistry are the same, but there were definitely some differences that I noticed.  I will say, though, that the clinic at Greifswald is quite nice, and very up-to-date.  It’s a good facility to work in, though I hear plans are underway to build a new clinic in another location.

By the end of my time in the clinic, I had more patients and more work than I could finish by my last day.  Despite the slow start, I learned as much as I thought I would while studying abroad in Germany.  The people were extremely helpful and kind, and everyone was so good about answering my questions and translating for me!  (The language barrier was definitely a bit of a problem.  I highly recommend that future students there have at least an intermediate grasp of the German language.)  All in all, I have nothing but positive things to say about my overall experience, and I can’t wait until I have the opportunity to revisit my friends in Greifswald.  Studying abroad is something every person should do if given the opportunity.  Greifswald definitely has a lot to offer, not just academically, but in so many different ways!

By: Alisa Madson