In a new collaboration with the University of Illinois, College of Medicine, in Rockford, IL, American medical students will get an opportunity to learn more about the Swedish welfare system with focus on healthcare. In the future, there are also plans for opportunities to travel westward for nursing school students, teachers and researchers from the University of Skövde to exchange experiences. The program is being launched right now.
Catharina Gillsjö, who has a PhD from the United States, is a lecturer in healthcare and she is looking forward to putting the agreement with the University of Illinois into action.
– The idea is that we initially will assist Amercian students in doing field studies in Sweden, for instance in the field of mobile care at home. The greater purpose is for the American students to gain insights into the Swedish healthcare system, says Gatharina Gillsjö.
Hana Hinkle, University of Illinios, recently visited the University of Skövde and a number of healthcare operations in Skaraborg. She is also curious about what the collaboration may bring.
– We are excited and we are looking forward to getting started, Hana Hinkle said at the press conference in Skövde.
May bring useful experiences for nursing school students
Since some time back, there is already a collaboration between Skaraborg and the city of Rockford, mainly through Lidköping's municipality and exchanges for other health care staff. Before their departure for Sweden, the new collaboration was featured on American soil by multiple TV-stations.
– We are delighted that the exchange is attracting all this attention, says Linnea Bengtsson, International Developer in Skaraborg, who was present at the occasion.
There is a good foundation for the collaboration. Not the least through the many people with Swedish ancestry in the area.
– In Rockford, there is the Swedish American Hospital, for one. Sweden as a country attracts curiosity, Catharina says.
Going forward, there are plans to send healthcare students, teachers and researchers to the University of Illinois to broaden their perspectives.
– The American healthcare system is different from the Swedish one. And these differences are best experienced first hand. That is why I strongly believe that our nursing school students and others can learn a lot by going there. We are delighted that the collaboration is finally happening, Catharina Gillsjö finishes.