Ambassador Dr Albert Friggieri was invited to visit the hospital Rotes Kreuz Krankenhaus of Kassel where, for the second consecutive year, Maltese medical students spent a month undergoing training in different fields of medicine. Last year the hospital invited eight students from Malta to spend a period of training in Kassel. This year the hospital offered traineeships to nine students who underwent training in three groups. Professor Anthony Zammit, president of the German-Maltese Medical Society, has been supporting the project since it started two years ago.
This year, the first group went to Kassel in July, the second in August and the third in September. Each student was able to choose the field of medicine in which he or she wanted to receive practical training. Ambassador Friggieri had a long meeting with the three students who were undergoing training at the time of his visit. All three had opted for the orthopaedic department. They had words of praise for the hospital and described their stay as a unique experience. The hospital’s managing director, Michael Gribner, Human Resources manager Christian Collard and the head of the medical departments, Professor Rudolf Hesterberg explained to the ambassador the hospital’s proposals regarding the strengthening of contacts with Malta. Before going to Kassel, the Maltese students had followed a course in German organised by the German-Maltese Circle and sponsored by the Ministry of Education.
Also present during Ambassador Friggieri’s visit was the president of the German-Maltese Association of Germany, Christian Launer. On behalf of the association, Mr Launer presented three scholarships to the three students who performed best in their German language course. The Kassel Hospital has already informed Dr Friggieri that it will again invite nine Maltese students to undergo training at the hospital next year.
Picture shows from left to right: Michael Gribner, student Gregory Apap Bologna, Christian Collard, student Dale Brincat, Christian Launer and Dr Albert Friggieri.