The Department of Medicine at the University of Cape Town has a collaboration with the Medical University of Graz in Austria for a student and staff exchange program funded by the Erasmus+ Programme Inter-institutional agreement on learning mobility for higher education students and staff.  This collaboration enhances and broadens the clinical and educational experience of the UCT MBChB students and staff exposing them to internal medicine from a different context. UCT fifth-year Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBChB) student Moses Malebana’s was recently awarded a scholarship from the collaboration to complete an international elective at the University of Graz – making him the maiden recipient of this golden opportunity.

As part of the staff exchange program, Professor Regina Roller-Wirnsberger (pictured in yellow at the Falconer Lecture Theatre) visited the Department of Medicine from 9 to 13 October 2023.  Professor Roller-Wirnsberger is the Head of Unit for Education and Training within the Department of Internal Medicine at the Medical University of Graz.  She is also a Professor of Geriatrics at the Medical University of Graz; a member of several European and International scientific societies within her field of clinical expertise such as EuGMS (European Geriatric Medicine Society), EAMA (European Academy for Medicine of Aging), IAGG-ER (International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics - European Region) and the EICA (European Interprofessional Council of Ageing). Furthermore, she is involved in Pan-European activities on regional level within RSCN (Reference Site Collaborative Network of the European Union) and UN Women for Global Health (WGH). Within her role as full professor at her university she is actively involved in numerous pan-European research projects (work package management and steering committee), as well as in the development of training and further education programs. All her work and ambitions have a horizontal focus on gender gaps in healthcare and professionals’ education as well as the driving of innovation in this field.

Prof Roller-Wirnsberger attended and presented at the Department of Medicine Annual Research Symposium on the subject of using AI to identify in‐patients at risk of dementia and delirium.  During her visit, she delivered lectures to our undergraduate students on how to care for patients with Polypharmacy; and managing older people in clinical care.  Prof Roller-Wirnsberger also visited Prof Marc Combrinck and his team at the Geriatrics Division to observe patient care within the Geriatrics clinic.