In June and July, 13 OMI fellows joined leading Austrian hospitals in their specialties for observerships. They traveled from Albania, Croatia, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan (2), Kosovo, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Poland, and Tanzania. They participated in programs at the Medical University of Vienna, the General Hospital of Salzburg, and the University Hospital Graz.
The OMI was especially pleased to support an observership in Pediatric Psychiatry, the first of its kind between the OMI and the Medical University of Vienna.
While most participants attended a one-month clinical stay, Dr. Joanna Rogala from Poland joined the Pathology Department in Vienna for a two-month research observership. Having completed a clinical stay the year before, Dr. Rogala built on the connections she had made to develop a shared research interest and a professional network, which led to her being invited back to Vienna for an extended stay.
Here is what she had to say about her experience:
In May and June, I spent time at the Department of Pathology at the Medical University of Vienna for an OMI research observership. My field of interest is genitourinary pathology, and here I had the opportunity to review archival cases of rare genitourinary tumors, as well as unusual variants of more common ones.
What was of paramount importance to me was observing consultations on these cases and literally ‘observing’ how my mentors approached and solved them. We held brainstorming sessions to discuss differential diagnoses, tools to help us work through them, and recent updates from the literature where applicable. This also motivated me to conduct a lot of literature reviews on my own.
Additionally, I had the chance to observe the everyday work and organization of the pathology laboratory.
I returned home enriched with new knowledge and improved skills, and I’m enthusiastic to share what I’ve learned with my colleagues. For me, it was a very productive time, and I’m grateful for being given this opportunity.
OMI research observerships offer clinicians with an interest in science and research the opportunity to spend up to three months at a leading Austrian research institution. Awardees participate in research projects and gain essential research skills. OMI alumni may attend up to three research observerships, totaling up to nine months of training time.
If you are interested in participating in an OMI research or clinical observership and have questions, feel free to contact observerships@openmedicalinstitute.org. The next application period for all observerships opens on August 15, 2025!
