“You have to start over”

 

Around 200 Syrian doctors came to Austria in the wake of the Syrian civil war. Eyad Kabalan is one of them. When the situation in the hospital in Damascus where he worked became too dangerous, he fled. Instead of treating gunshot wounds, he spent the last few years in the operating room of the Donauspital in Vienna.

Two years have passed since Kabalan submitted his nostrification application to MedUni Vienna. In between: pouring over books for months, taking exams, attending courses and training courses and also lectures that he gave himself. Now he is about to be recognized again in his old role, namely as a surgeon. The 36-year-old recently completed the recognition process at the Social Medical Center East - Donauspital in Vienna.

medinlive: In a month your training will also be officially recognized in Austria. What was the path like to get there?

Kabalan: I came to Austria four and a half years ago. I was originally born and raised in the Syrian city of As-Suwayda. It is about 100 kilometers from Damascus. I completed my specialist training in general surgery in Damascus, in the largest hospital in Syria.

medinlive: What requirements do prospective doctors in Syria need in order to be admitted to study medicine?

Kabalan: You have to achieve a certain number of points at the Matura...READ MORE