Home > Activities supported by FCP Foundation > Training and Education > Student Exchange > Céline de Bont, traineeship in Indonesia
Céline de Bont
In contrast with most other Dutch medical students that have participated in the different Projects of the Female Cancer Program, I did not go abroad to work in the field. My scientific traineeship had place at the Leiden University Medical Center. Although research during this traineeship was mostly performed sitting behind my desk, I feel I have experienced a different culture. The study I was involved in was set up in Indonesia by Fleur Henderson after the See and Treat Project had started. During the See and Treat Project women are screened and treated for pre-malignant cervical lesions to prevent cervical cancer. To find out the opinion of participating women on the project in terms of satisfaction and acceptability, the Satisfaction and Acceptability study was set up. Aim of this study was to find out if the See and Treat Project can be implemented in Indonesian society, according to the women that have participated in the Project. Therefore these women were interviewed on different subjects. To get the information of the interviews, which all took place in Indonesia, back in the Netherlands took great effort. Luckily the Indonesian staff in different areas turned out to be very helpful and interested in the results themselves. Besides, three well English speaking Indonesian students staying in Amsterdam at that time were willing to help me translate some of the details of the interviews. Phone calls, emails and conversation made me aware of how different our cultures are and how the obstacles risen by these differences can be conquered. Most of all it showed me how important the See and Treat Project is according to participating Indonesian women. After three months, when my traineeship ended, I had the feeling I was taught not only about how to perform research and analyse data, but I also had been given a chance to experience performing research in another culture though I have been behind my desk in Leiden at all times.