Anna Tarková, Slovakia, Obersvership Grant Report from Vissum Grupo Miranza in Alicante, Spain

First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the SOE Educational Committee and Prof. Marko Hawlina for providing me with an excellent opportunity to spend a month observership in the Vissum Grupo Miranza in Alicante, Spain. 

On my first day I was welcomed by Mrs. Bianca Sutherland, the observership coordinator, and the other fellow from the clinic who gave me the useful information and gave me a comprehensive tour of the hospital. I am very thankful for the kindness and assistance. 

I got the opportunity to stay in the cataract, cornea and refractive department under the mentor Prof. Dr Jorge Alió Sanz and Dr. Jorge Alió del Barrio, and in the retina and vitreous department under Dr. Pedro Amat. Doctors and other staff generously shared their wealth of experience with me. I was fully immersed in the daily activities and got a chance to observe many surgeries. Also, I was allowed to access a variety of seminars and lectures. 

During my stay, I was able to observe the organisation of the workflow in the clinic, examine patients with complex and rare diseases, be involved in discussions about the different management strategies and learn from experts dealing with challenging cases that often combined multiple ocular pathologies. 

In summary, my educational experience was amazing and beneficial. I had the chance to improve my knowledge and gain new experiences but also got to know a lot of wonderful people who are passionate about ophthalmology. I enjoyed my time spent there and I look forward to applying the experiences I’ve learned to my practice back home.

Finally, I would like to express my admiration towards all the consultants, optometrists, fellows, surgical technicians, and nurses for being so kind and approachable and creating a very friendly and welcoming working environment.