"Our semester at the Faculty of Pharmacy exceeded all expectations"

“I have always wanted to study in Scandinavia some day, and when a friend told me about her fantastic experiences at Uppsala University, I applied. In hindsight, I can only state that it turned out perfect, exceeding my expectations on every point,” says pharmacy student Emma Goos, who recently returned to Belgium after a semester at the Faculty of Pharmacy.

In January 2024, master's students Emma Goos and Eline Sap arrived at Uppsala's Biomedical Center and the research environments in Pharmacoepidemiology and Social Pharmacy. Bringing with them hopes of experiencing a leading university in a vibrant student city.

“Student life in Uppsala is quite incredible. An obvious highlight is the nations that greeted us with open arms. Their range of activities from morning to late night makes it so easy to make new friends and made us feel at home right from the start. On campus, Professor Björn Wettermark did a fantastic job to introduce us to the faculty and the research groups, which undoubtedly added extra value to our stay in Sweden,” states Eline Sap.

During the spring, Emma and Eline participated in Drug Utilisation Research, an elective course with a focus on analysis and understanding drug prescribing and use in the society. In parallel with their studies, they found time to visit the clinical pharmacists at Uppsala University Hospital, the Swedish Pharmaceutical Society, the pharmaceutical trade association Lif, the Swedish Medical Products Agency, TLV and several other actors in the Swedish healthcare sector.

“Working with such attentive and positive students as Emma and Eline provided inspiration for us all. Their presence and great commitment added important energy to both research environments, lectures and other students. The fact that they also contributed relevant experiences from their pharmacy studies at KU Leuven also gave us valuable perspectives on our own courses,” says Björn Wettermark, Professor of Pharmacoepidemiology.

In Sweden, they also conducted master theses offering numerous scientifically interesting observations. In focus of Emma Goos study was initations of antidiabetic drugs to elderly patients with type 2 diabetes – a work identifying both large variations within the Uppsala region and the need for personalized treatment approaches for patients with different comorbidities. Eline Sap chose to investigate practice variations in the prescribing of opioids within Region Stockholm’s primary care.

“My results identify larger prescribing of opioids to women and people over 65. However, we see no differences linked to size or management of the primary care clinic. My study also pinpoints several other, non-demographic variables that are likely to contribute to the variations and that we with increased knowledge and targeted interventions can target to improved drug use and patient safety.”

Together with the other exchange students, Emma and Eline also embraced the opportunity to explore Sweden beyond academy and nations. Their travel diaries include a much-appreciated trip to Lapland, located in the northernmost outskirts of Europe and offering both magnificent landscapes and the exotic phenomenon Northern lights. On top of all their many experiences, however, they rank one of Uppsala's most beloved traditions.

“Celebrating Valborg in Uppsala can hardly be described in words. To see the entire city turn into one big fun student festival, surrounded by friends in a simply amazing atmosphere is probably the finest of all the unforgettable memories we carry with us. We really want to express our gratitude to the Faculty of Pharmacy and the research groups in Pharmacoepidemiology and Social Pharmacy for giving us this wonderful opportunity of a lifetime.”

text: Magnus Alsne, photo: Private, Mikael Wallerstedt