Exchange of Experiences at the Medical Academy Poznań: Mediciner Hosts Seminars on Everyday Life in the U.S. Healthcare System

What is everyday professional life like in the U.S. healthcare system – and what can we learn from it? These and other questions related to medical care in the U.S. were the focus of three seminars organized by the Mediciner International Healthcare Association in cooperation with the Medical Academy Poznań. The goal of the events was to share new knowledge with students and healthcare professionals and to promote intercultural understanding.

Concrete facts, direct support

The seminars took place in Poznań in April and May 2025. To make the information as helpful as possible, each session focused on a specific medical field.

The first seminar was aimed at physiotherapists. Each event began with Joanna Józefiak, chairwoman of Mediciner e.V., providing an overview of the structure and differences between the U.S. and Polish healthcare systems. This was followed by expert presentations, including engaging video contributions from German Melo of FITCE, the Network for Technology and Professional Development in Central and Eastern Europe, and Jadwiga Stokłosa. Stokłosa, a nurse who studied at the renowned Loyola University in Chicago, is also the founder and CEO of the CEETC (Central & Eastern European Trade Center), which helps Central and Eastern European companies succeed globally.

The second seminar was hosted for nurses. Among the guests was Roksana Raczko, a Polish nurse working in the U.S., who gave an overview of daily work, specific challenges, and patient care in American hospitals. Joanna Józefiak highlighted the differences and similarities between nursing in both countries. A key point was that both sides can learn a great deal from each other – both professionally and in dealing with people from different cultures. For Polish nursing professionals, the event provided very practical and helpful insights.

The third session focused on emergency services. Paramedic Jakub Grosicki joined remotely to speak about his challenging and intense international missions in crisis areas, such as Ukraine and Mozambique. Joanna Józefiak reported on the current state of emergency services in the U.S. and gave insight into the working conditions there. She encouraged attendees to use global networking opportunities to learn languages, expand and share their knowledge. She also offered support through Mediciner e.V. for all interested participants.

Motivation from a prominent figure

A highlight of all three events was the appearance of Tomasz Sobania. The extreme runner, often referred to as the „Polish Forrest Gump”, shared his experiences, including his run across the U.S., where he covered 5,250 kilometers in 139 days. Through his talks, he showed how courage and perseverance can lead to success and how one can overcome inner doubts and limitations. His personal journey inspired participants to believe that any goal is possible – even those that seem impossible. During the nursing seminar, it got even more practical when Bartosz Mierzwa talked about providing physiotherapeutic support to Sobania during his run across the U.S.

Events just the beginning

The three events were a great success but are intended to be just the beginning. Joanna Józefiak said, “In September, we will launch a project specifically aimed at students. We want to offer support and help make knowledge accessible and internationally shareable. Mediciner has so far focused on the German-Polish border region. Now we aim to connect experts worldwide. In the end, the most important thing is that every patient receives fast and quality care – no matter where and no matter by whom.”