Clinical attachments at Sheba Medical Center have been busy, exciting and very hands-on. The sheer scale of everything at Sheba was a little overwhelming at first (with over 150 acres to navigate!) but there was an undeniable buzz at the prospect of being part of such a bustling and state-of-the-art hospital.

As medical students, we are the most junior staff members in our respective departments; however, the strong and long-standing teaching culture has meant that we have been encouraged every single day to participate, clerk patients, scrub in, ask questions and use our initiative to make the most of our experience here. We spend much of our time day-to-day with the busy department residents. This has given us our first real taste for what it will be like for us on the wards, in the not too distant future, as newly qualified doctors. We are seeing the reality of managing complex cases that don’t match the textbooks and the demands placed on doctors, not only to be constantly updated in their knowledge, but also to be impeccable communicators, strong team players and solid decision makers. We’re building on the foundation of the last two years, gaining an appreciation for what it takes to deliver first-rate patient care and acquiring skills that can’t be learnt in the classroom.

All of this, set against the backdrop of an amazing city like Tel Aviv, promises that the two years here are sure to keep us stimulated, challenged, engaged and entertained.