“Aarhus is a fantastic chance to explore medicine and broader life in another country”

Why did you choose Aarhus?

Adelaide University has an ongoing relationship with Aarhus University, and each year eight medical students from Adelaide are selected to spend a semester here. This year, I was lucky enough to be one of them. It’s our opportunity to study a full semester abroad, so it really is a fantastic chance to explore both medicine and everyday life in another country.

What are you most looking forward to this semester?

Academically, I’m most excited about my eight-week placement across the obstetrics, gynaecology, and paediatrics departments in Aarhus University Hospital – obstetrics in particular is a field I’m passionate about. On a personal level, I’m looking forward to meeting new people while I’m here.

What do to hope to learn that you can take back home?

I’m genuinely curious about how the medical system operates here and what I might be able to bring back with me. From my first impressions, the medical profession in Denmark seems notably more relaxed, and the hierarchy feels much flatter than what I’m used to in Australia. I’m also looking forward to having structured weekly classes and lectures – back home, we do far more self-directed learning around full-time hospital placements, so this will be a welcome change.

What are your first impressions of Aarhus?

Very livable. I love how movement and being outdoors is woven into everyday life here – cycling as a mode of transport, for example. And I appreciate how that’s balanced with the embrace of “hygge” during the colder, darker months. It feels like a healthy and thoughtful way to live.

What would make this semester a success for you?

For me it would be a success if I’ve enjoyed the small, everyday moments and said yes to opportunities as they come – whether in my studies, in travel, or socially.

“I’m looking forward to running a lot, eating pastries at cafés, and just hanging out with friends”

Introduce yourself

My name is Maria Ones. I’m originally from Bergen in Norway, but I study at the Norwegian School of Sport Science in Oslo, where I’m in my fourth year of a teacher training programme in physical education and sport. Here in Aarhus, I’m taking two courses: Diet, Health and Performance, and Physical Training and Training Planning.

Why did you choose to come to Aarhus?

Honestly, one of the reasons was simply that it was the easiest place to get enough approved credits. But I’ve always thought Denmark seemed like a great place to study – I imagined my everyday life here would feel fairly similar to life back home. The Erasmus scholarship was a nice bonus too.

What are you most looking forward to this semester?

Academically, I’m genuinely excited to learn – these are two subjects I’m really passionate about. On a personal note, I’m looking forward to running a lot, eating pastries at cafés, and just enjoying good times with friends.

Is there something specific you hope to experience while you’re here?

I want to experience everything Aarhus has to offer and say yes to what’s happening around me. Simple as that.

What do you think will be the biggest difference from studying at home?

The biggest difference is probably that I don’t need to work alongside my studies here – that’s quite a change. Otherwise, I’d say Norway and Denmark are actually pretty similar. One that does feel a bit unfamiliar is cycling every single day.

What are your first impressions of Aarhus?

Very positive so far. Apart from the fact that Danes apparently don’t know how to clear snow when it arrives. But I think the city and the people are lovely, and I’m looking forward to experiencing more.

What would make this semester a success?

I’d want to look back and see growth. In my academic knowledge, in my fitness, and in the number of cafés I’ve managed to tick off my list.

Introduce yourself

My name is Madeleine – most people call me Maddie. I’m from Adelaide, Australia, where I study medicine at Adeleide University. I’m here in Aarhus for six months as part of a longstanding exchange programme between our two universities, focusing on obstetrics, gynaecology, and paediatrics.

Why did you choose to come to Aarhus?

I’ll be completely transparent; it was the only option available for medical students from Adelaide. But honestly, living abroad has always been a dream of mine, and I really can’t think of many places I would rather choose over Denmark. We’re very lucky to have an affiliation with a university in one of the happiest countries in the world.

What are you looking forward to this semester?

Travelling, without a doubt. As an Australian, the idea of hopping on a 13-hour bus to Germany for a few days is a big deal – but my German housemates were absolutely appalled by how casually my Australian friends and I talked about it. The ease of travelling between such different countries is a completely foreign concept to us, and I intend to make the most of it.

I’m also really looking forward to experiencing hygge. A taxi driver I met during my first few days here told me something that stuck with me: “In Denmark, slow and steady always wins the race”. Coming from the hustle and bustle of Australia, I hope to take a leaf out of the Danes’ book and learn to slow down and appreciate the little thing.

What differences do you expect to notice as a medical student specifically?

The healthcare system is something I think about a lot. Back in Australia, we often find ourselves looking to Scandinavia as a kind of ideal – whether it’s education, healthcare, parental leave, or work-life balance. I’m both excited and a little nervous to experience those differences first-hand during my clinical rotation at the university hospital.

What have you noticed about life in Aarhus so far?

The thing that struck me immediately is how deliberate everything feels. The architecture, the greenery around the university, the food in the hospital canteen, the way people dress – everything seems well thought-out and intentional. It makes even the most mundane tasks

more enjoyable. I’m really looking forward to exploring more of that, both in Aarhus and in the wider Danish countryside.

How will you know it the semester have been a success?

I’ll consider it a success if I’m completely and utterly devastated to leave in the end. If I’ve made such good friends in such beautiful places that returning to reality in Australia feels genuinely difficult – that’s the goal. Oh, and if I finish knitting a sweater, that would be pretty succesful too.