BLOG: Visiting student, Phaedra Locquet

By Phaedra Locquet | Masters student in Biomedical Science, KU Leuven

I am Phaedra Locquet, 2^nd year masters student in Biomedical Sciences from KU Leuven, Belgium. I am currently working on my thesis about the best practices and policies for diagnosis and management of dementia in oldest old and frail patients across Europe, which is a collaboration between the KU Leuven and the University of Edinburgh for the EuGMS Dementia Special Interest Group.

EuGMS Dementia Special Interest Group

As part of this,  I had the opportunity to go to Edinburgh for one semester. This was a period where I learnt a lot about myself and was allowed to work very independently. I also had the chance for practical experience of Scottish clinical practice with patients with dementia. I observed a memory clinic with Dr Holloway and a multidisciplinary team meeting with Dr Russ – old age psychiatrists - which both gave me better insights in how the aspects I read about during my literature review are implemented in practice. I also had the opportunity to meet several geriatricians, and attend a EuGMS Dementia Special Interest Group meeting. This allowed me to network and interact with professional people. Finally, I was blessed to meet multiple international students and got to know a lot about the beauty of Scotland.

I am very grateful for my time in Edinburgh and the opportunities I had. For me it was a period of self-growth, full of learning and a rewarding international experience, something I would highly recommend. Therefore, I especially want to thank Dr Shenkin  and Dr Tournoy (my supervisors from The University of Edinburgh and KU Leuven respectively, and the EuGMS Dementia Special Interest Group), and the funding from the EuGMS and ERASMUS, for making this possible for me!