A Semester of Research at the Karolinksa Institutet--Jättebra! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The educational experience was invaluable. The hands-on research taught me an incredible amount in a very short period and the lab had every resource available to me. In addition, they had me working on actual projects, not just busy work, meaning that the data that I provided will be used in a future published scientific article. This not only helps my career greatly, but the careers of the other scientists that I worked with. I appreciated that I did not have courses to be concerned with, which allowed me to experience the research completely. Overall, this program offers rigorous and worthwhile education.

On-site administration of your program

Setting up the program and the lab was very well done, however, I had to continuously check to see if they required anything from me. I felt that if I hadn't been in frequent contact to make sure everything was on track, some aspects may have slipped through the cracks. However, the program was well run overall.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I feel that the student housing provided is atrocious. The worst part of being in Stockholm was the living situation. It was a corridor living, meaning that everyone has their own rooms and bathrooms, but the kitchen is a shared space. If all of the other tenants followed the rules and kept the kitchen clean, it would not have been a problem. However, there were a good amount of students on the corridor (not all exchange students) who were sharing their rooms illegally, increasing the number of people in the kitchen, and not properly cleaning up after themselves. There was little to no regulation of how the kitchen was kept. Therefore, I would avoid cooking as much as possible. Also, the non-exchange students on the corridor were not friendly to me for the first couple months that I was there. I would like to point out that some exchange students had great corridors with very clean kitchens. While my particular experience in this area was not enjoyable, it is possible to have a better one.

Swedish traditional food is a bit hard to stomach. Thankfully, people only really eat this food at Christmas and other special occasions. The food in Sweden is pretty much the same in the United States, except that it is made with better ingredients. Sweden is a country very focused on health, and therefore they do not use ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup in the food. As I mentioned before I avoided cooking due to the kitchen, so I primarily ate frozen dinners. However, even these were balanced meals and were surprisingly tasty. The only main issue is the cost of the food. Coming from the US, the groceries are twice as expensive in Sweden. While this seems normal to Swedes, it puts a strain on your wallet as an exchange student. Eating out is even more expensive, as the cheapest meal you will find is about 10 dollars, and that may be fast food. However, the food is great, even with the price.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

It was a bit hard to become friends with the locals, but that is due to the Swedish culture. The culture is one of reservation, with a focus on personal space. When someone speaks to you for the first couple times, it is more of a polite gesture. However, once you become friends with a Swede, they are incredibly loyal. The laboratory setting was very international, and most of my friends were exchange students, so it was hard at first to feel integrated. However, later on in the semester when the weather became nicer it was easier to make friends and go around Stockholm. In the end, I felt very much a part of the culture.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Thankfully, I did not need healthcare while I was there. However, I plan on going into the medical field, and I therefore spent some time in hospitals shadowing doctors. From what I observed, the healthcare in Sweden is fantastic. Everyone is well trained, the staff are all very friendly and helpful, and the patients are treated with care and precision. Sweden is considered to have one of the best healthcare systems in the country, and I fully agree from what I observed.

Stockholm is one of the European cities that is safer than most of the others. As a general rule it is important to be aware of your surroundings and vigilant of your own safety, especially as a young woman, but I never had any incidents. However, that does not mean that it does not occur. Riots occurred while I was living in Stockholm, and because I was living close to the city in a family-oriented suburb, I did not see any change in my day to day life. I never felt unsafe during my time there.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Sweden is one of the most expensive countries in the world to live in. Just the cost of food is sky high. Metro passes are very expensive, but it is still the cheapest and most efficient way to get around. Alcohol is even more expensive. Living on a cheap budget meant I was eating jam sandwiches for a good portion of the first month I was there.

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

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