EMSA
European Medical Students’ Association is a non-profit, non-governamental organisation representing medical students from all across Europe. EMSA Bucharest It is one of SSMB’s departments involved in exchange programmes.
Exchanges in EMSA are called Twinning Projects. A Twinning Project represents a collaboration between EMSA Bucharest and another Faculty Member Organisation (FMO). Usually, this one is a Medical Students’ Society from Europe, or, sometimes, it can be one from North Africa or Asia.
Both EMSAs select around 10 students to participate in the Twinning Project. Students are matched in pairs of 2 – one student from Bucharest is matched with one foreign student. They are called twins. There are 2 periods, each one being 1-2 weeks long: one period when Romanian students will visit their twins and another period when the twins will visit us in Bucharest.
Below, we prepared an interactive map with students’ feedback from their twinning experiences. If you would like to apply for a Twinning Project, but you are indecisive about it, here you may find all the necessary information that will convince you to do it!
Partnered countries
- Azerbaidjan
- Egypt
- Germany
- Greece
- Macedonia
- Portugal
- Turkey
Azerbaidjan
| City | Faculty Member Organisation (FMO) |
|---|---|
| Nakhchivan | Nakhchivan |
Egypt
| City | Faculty Member Organisation (FMO) |
|---|---|
| Ismailia | Suez Canal University |
Germany
| City | Faculty Member Organisation (FMO) |
|---|---|
| Munich | Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich |
Greece
| City | Faculty Member Organisation (FMO) |
|---|---|
| Patras | Patras |
Macedonia
| Oras | Comitet local |
|---|---|
| Skopje | Skopje |
Portugal
| City | Faculty Member Organisation (FMO) |
|---|---|
| Porto | AEICBAS Porto |
Turkey
| City | Faculty Member Organisation (FMO) |
|---|---|
| Istanbul | Marmara University |
| Istanbul | Koc University |
Aceasta sectiune nu este vizibila pe device-uri mici.
Feedback EMSA
Azerbaidjan
Nakhchivan
Name and Surname Crisan Andrada-Nemesis Country Azerbaijan City Nakhchivan Faculty Member Organisation (FMO) Nakhchivan Month and year when you visited your twin May 2025 Describe your overall experience The overall experience with EMSA Azerbaijan exchange has been incredibly meaningful for my growth, both as a medical student and as a person.
I had the opportunity to participate to EMSA Thailand before, which was absolutely life chainging. Because of that, I wasn’t sure if another experience could feel the same, or if I should try again. But I did- and I am so so greatful of that choice…
Azerbaijan isn’t usually the first place that comes to mind when you think about traveling. But once you get there, you fall in love with everything: the culture, the food, the landscapes. It was truly beyond anything I had imagined…
I had the chance to meet amazing, passionate medical students who became a real source of inspiration for me. They were kind, supportive, and always ready to help, even when you were too shy to ask.
Beyond the academic experience, I made beautiful friendships. We still keep in touch, and I’m always happy to see them growing, succeeding, and becoming the great doctors I know they will be.
This experience will always remain special to me because it taught me that becoming a good doctor isn’t only about studying and staying inside your comfort zone. It’s about expanding your horizons, understanding different people and cultures, learning new perspectives, and finding your own path along the way.Did you feel integrated with the foreign twins? At the beginning, it took us a little to get comfortable, as it usually does. But after a while, we both became more open and talkative as we discovered more things we had in common, Deniz, Buse were amazing! Did you face any language/communication problems? Well, in the begging yes, but once we started to feel more comfortable and integreted, communication became much easier and we understood each other very well. We spoke in English throughout the whole experience as some of our collegues were not Romanian speakers at that time and it made our communication easier Describe the relationship with your matched twin. Did you have things in common? Did you face any problems in getting along? Do you think it was a good match? My twin was wonderful, she was close to my age and this was a hite advantage. She tried her best to make me feel good and even bought me a gift before leaving which I am si thankful for. Unfortunatelly we didn’t spend as much time togheter as we would have like, since our arrival coincide with their exam period. What would you rate the twin matchmaking? 8 What was your accommodation? Student dorm Describe the accommodation in more detail (location, facilities, privacy etc) Our accommodation was in the student dormitory, and I was extremely surprised by the excellent conditions there, way beyond what i thought when I imagined for a dormitory. The cleanliness, the space, and the level of privacy were all very good. What would you rate the accommodation? 10 Describe the scientific activities you took part in We attended several lectures and practical sessions, the most interesting for me being the cardiology course. It was a very educational and the lecturer was nice, young and I felt like our opinion was quite important for her. What would you rate the scientific program? 9 Describe the social program The social program was very diverse and interesting. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend all the activities because I arrived one day later. Still, I had the chance to dance with locals, visit the bazaar, explore local museums, and go on hikes to places that you usually only dream about or see in travel magazines. What would you rate the social program? 8 What was included in the fee? Accommodation, social and scientific activities What was the estimated cost of the Twinning? (fee + travel + extra expenses) About 650€ but personally I had 3 different flights which where a bit more expensive Month and year when your twin visited you March 2025 How much time were you able to spend with the twins during this week? Around 150€ i think Describe your overall experience Since they were the first to arrive, we had the chance to get to know each other better. For me, it was a very nice introduction. What would you rate the activities you were able to attend? 3 Describe the social and scientific activities you were able to attend My activity was somewhat limited because it took place during the exam period. However, we still managed to spend a day together at Matcha and also visit the Parliament. Where did your twin stay? At your home What was included in the fee for your twin? Did you have to make any extra expenses for them? No, the thicket to the Parliment was completly free Did you face any challenges in communicating or getting along with your twin during this time? No, from what I remember Do you think the Twinning schedule and free time were balanced? They complained a little because the schedule was very busy but in the end I think they were pleased because they got the see a lot Would you recommend this experience? Definitely yes, I highly recommend it. I know an experience like this can seem a bit scary, intimidării at first, but it is truly positive and rewarding. It will change your perspective, help you appreciate things more, give you wonderful memories from your university years, and motivate you even more for the future. Is there anything you would change? To be honest, I would have loved to stay longer Contact @adacrisan Name and Surname Balaban Patricia Country Azerbaijan City Nakhchivan Faculty Member Organisation (FMO) Nakhchivan Month and year when you visited your twin May 2025 Describe your overall experience It was a great experience, had a lot of fun, visited Nakchivan and Baku on that trip, very beautiful, certainly would recommend to others to participate in this kind of projects. Did you feel integrated with the foreign twins? Yes, we talked a lot, even through she didn’t speak english very well. Did you face any language/communication problems? Not really Describe the relationship with your matched twin. Did you have things in common? Did you face any problems in getting along? Do you think it was a good match? She was a cute and kind person, very smart, we are still following each other on instagram. We both liked doing some sports, reading and medicine. What would you rate the twin matchmaking? 9 What was your accommodation? Student dorm Describe the accommodation in more detail (location, facilities, privacy etc) We stayed in a student dorm, 3 girls in 1 room. The room was pretty, with a great view of the mountains. Each room had their shower, so we didn’t need to share the bathroom between the rooms, which is a plus. What would you rate the accommodation? 10 Describe the scientific activities you took part in We had a workshop about the making of pharmaceutical ointments, 2 lectures about allergies and cardiology, a workshop about USG of thyroid gland. I was satisfied by the quality and quantity of the scientific activities. What would you rate the scientific program? 10 Describe the social program The social program felt like I was immersed in the Azerbaijan culture and lifestyle. It was very entertaing. We tried a lot of the tastiest food that you can imagine. One of the social activities that we had was: we went on a trip to the mountains, took there a chairlift to a restaurant with a panoramic view and ate there. The food was really enjoyable, with a lot of options and deserts. Also we visited Alinjaqala, a medieval fortress with a breathtaking view. In Baku we went sightseeing, visited museums and restaurants. What would you rate the social program? 10 What was included in the fee? Food in all the social activities, transport around the Nakchivan, living in the dorms. What was the estimated cost of the Twinning? (fee + travel + extra expenses) 550 lei was the fee, 2500 were the flight tickets, and I spent around 1000 lei there. The total was around ~4000 lei. Month and year when your twin visited you March 2025 How much time were you able to spend with the twins during this week? I spent a lot of time with the twins, almost everyday for at least 4h. Describe your overall experience It was a great experience What would you rate the activities you were able to attend? 8 Describe the social and scientific activities you were able to attend We went to the Museum of Arts, to the Mogosoaia Castle, to Carul cu Bere to try the famous romanian desert: Papanasi. Where did your twin stay? Student dorm What was included in the fee for your twin? Did you have to make any extra expenses for them? Not much, almost everything they had to pay themselves. The fee covered only the housing, metro card and some 10 lei tickets for entering in the museums.e Did you face any challenges in communicating or getting along with your twin during this time? No Do you think the Twinning schedule and free time were balanced? They tried to balance it, but in reality we had a lot of activities and not very much time, so we had a really busy schedule. Would you recommend this experience? Yes, definitely. Is there anything you would change? I would try to have more sponsors for the twins that are coming to Bucharest, because we didn’t provide for them nearly enough. They did for us everything, paid for a lot of activities and a lot of meals and we paind for only 1 meal (Papanasi) and that’s all. They took really good care of us, but in return didn’t get all of that. Contact @prrixx Name and Surname Matei Todor Country Azerbaijan City Nakhchivan Faculty Member Organisation (FMO) Nakhchivan Month and year when you visited your twin May 2025 Describe your overall experience Everything was fine, accommodation was clean and private, our festive dinner was delicious, we visited both Nakchevan and Baku. Our hospital experience was pleasant, doctors were hospitable and friendly, our twins went out of their way to make a good impression and they succeeded. Plane tickets were very expensive but the stay made up for it. Did you feel integrated with the foreign twins? Absolutely, I have participated in exchanges before and this was the first time I felt seen. Their curiosity was sometimes overwhelming but definitely wholesome. Did you face any language/communication problems? Of course. But our twins made sure to eliminate them as best they could. No significant problems were encountered. Describe the relationship with your matched twin. Did you have things in common? Did you face any problems in getting along? Do you think it was a good match? My twin was awesome. I don t know how the pairing is made, but it surely nailed us. We had lots to talk about, sports, places we visited, the occasional political issue. All in all I d say we got along well. What would you rate the twin matchmaking? 10 What was your accommodation? Boarding school dorm Describe the accommodation in more detail (location, facilities, privacy etc) It was a boarding school on the outskirts of the city, we had nice rooms, private bathrooms and enough privacy as we were housed in a separate wing of the building. We had access to a grocery store nearby. What would you rate the accommodation? 10 Describe the scientific activities you took part in There were some workshops, including one on thyroid USG, one about the manufacture of medical ointments, and we attended a cardiology lecture. While in the hospital we attended various surgeries. What would you rate the scientific program? 10 Describe the social program In such a culturally diverse setting, our social programs included a bit of everything. A festive traditional dinner was organised, we attended a cultural event which included costumes, dancing, a traditional meal, a traditional puppet show, all in the home of a recognised cultural activist. We went on hikes, climbed up to the Alinjaqala, had tea and cake in a local safe haven for victims of abuse. In Baku we went sightseeing, visited the old town centre and museums. What would you rate the social program? 10 What was included in the fee? Accomodation, social program (with their respective meals) and transport. What was the estimated cost of the Twinning? (fee + travel + extra expenses) The fee was 550 RON, flights were €500 and extra expenses were around €200 (including our stay in Baku which we covered entirely) Month and year when your twin visited you March 2025 How much time were you able to spend with the twins during this week? I was with them for four entire days. Describe your overall experience We had a timetable which we barely kept to. We walked a lot, to the point most of our twins were complaining about sore feet. They were excited to see Bucharest. What would you rate the activities you were able to attend? 6 Describe the social and scientific activities you were able to attend I wasn’t able to attend the scientific activities we had planned. I was able to attend the social program, which included museums, LaserTag, a trip to Mogosoaia, a dessert at Caru cu Bere, and general sightseeing. Where did your twin stay? Student dorm What was included in the fee for your twin? Did you have to make any extra expenses for them? I don t know how much they paid, but it definitely got them less than it got me. Transport was covered, along with student dorm housing. Museum tickets and that dessert. A trip to Sinaia was cancelled due to it s price. It was embarrassing to watch them not eat or enjoy their visit. I am not sure their expectations were correct about their spending here, and I am certain they expected more from us. Walking around can only be so entertaining, especially after 5 days of doing it. Did you face any challenges in communicating or getting along with your twin during this time? No Do you think the Twinning schedule and free time were balanced? Probably not Would you recommend this experience? For romanians. Is there anything you would change? Spend some money on them. It’s a twinning so both parties have to represent. Set valid expectations of the budget, balance the schedule so that 10k steps per day are not included. Contact @mateitodor Name and Surname Solin Falah Country Azerbaijan City Nakhchivan Faculty Member Organisation (FMO) Nakhchivan Month and year when you visited your twin May 2025 Describe your overall experience Not everything was perfect but those twinnings will be the highlight of my university time. Did you feel integrated with the foreign twins? The OCs and coordinator did a great job but sometimes personalities dont really match or in 2 of my twinnings a lot of people didnt speak english so a genuine deep conversation is impossible Did you face any language/communication problems? Yes. But everytime the foreign organisators didn’t communicate that there would be a language barrier and they never prioritized picking twins who atleast spoke A2 English. Describe the relationship with your matched twin. Did you have things in common? Did you face any problems in getting along? Do you think it was a good match? One time she basically was my soulmate and 2 other times we got along great but it wasnt the kind of friendship i was interested in keeping. Thats life. What would you rate the twin matchmaking? 7 What was your accommodation? Hosting at twin’s home Describe the accommodation in more detail (location, facilities, privacy etc) One time we got dorm rooms in an international primary school, another 2 times i stayed at their place. What would you rate the accommodation? 10 Describe the scientific activities you took part in Workshops and debates. What would you rate the scientific program? 8 Describe the social program Best part of all twinnings. Home parties, dance workshops, traditional aspects we explored What would you rate the social program? 10 What was included in the fee? Everything except some meals and souvenirs What was the estimated cost of the Twinning? (fee + travel + extra expenses) 100 euro fee + 150-250 euro tickets + 50 euro extra food + stuff to buy Month and year when your twin visited you Multiple semesters cause i had 3 twinnings so far How much time were you able to spend with the twins during this week? I was with them almost everyday Describe your overall experience I love showing people romania so i ad a great time and the twins felt my enthusiasm so they also enjoyed their time What would you rate the activities you were able to attend? 10 Describe the social and scientific activities you were able to attend We show them hotspots, Cieh workshops, some hospital rotations and great restaurants. Also some sub groups of ssmb. Where did your twin stay? At your home What was included in the fee for your twin? Did you have to make any extra expenses for them? Everything except 1-2 meals a day Did you face any challenges in communicating or getting along with your twin during this time? My twins always spoke great english but some othet people didnt have that situation Do you think the Twinning schedule and free time were balanced? Yes Would you recommend this experience? Yes Is there anything you would change? It would be great if you knew from the beginning of the year what twinnings were happening at what times but thats not realistic Contact @solinfal
Egypt
Ismailia
Name and Surname – Country Egypt City Ismailia Faculty Member Organisation (FMO) Suez Canal University Month and year when you visited your twin July 2025 Describe your overall experience The best experience Did you feel integrated with the foreign twins? Yes very integrated Did you face any language/communication problems? No Describe the relationship with your matched twin. Did you have things in common? Did you face any problems in getting along? Do you think it was a good match? Everything was great between us, many things in common and got along from the firs day What would you rate the twin matchmaking? 10 What was your accommodation? Hostel Describe the accommodation in more detail (location, facilities, privacy etc) Really nice, big room, swimming pool, private What would you rate the accommodation? 9 Describe the scientific activities you took part in BLS activities for example, really helpful What would you rate the scientific program? 10 Describe the social program That was the best program, everything was better than expected What would you rate the social program? 10 What was included in the fee? Scientific programme and accomodation What was the estimated cost of the Twinning? (fee + travel + extra expenses) 1000 euro or more Month and year when your twin visited you 2025 How much time were you able to spend with the twins during this week? More than 6 hours/day Describe your overall experience Really nice What would you rate the activities you were able to attend? 9 Describe the social and scientific activities you were able to attend BLS activities, walking around Bucharest, etc Where did your twin stay? At your home What was included in the fee for your twin? Did you have to make any extra expenses for them? Scientific programme and extra for social activities Did you face any challenges in communicating or getting along with your twin during this time? No Do you think the Twinning schedule and free time were balanced? Yes Would you recommend this experience? 100% Is there anything you would change? No Contact – Name and Surname Bianca Mocanu Country Egypt City Ismailia Faculty Member Organisation (FMO) Suez Canal University Month and year when you visited your twin July 2024 Describe your overall experience My twinning experience in Egypt with EMSA was a transformative journey that seamlessly blended medical education with cultural immersion. Beyond the clinical experience and academic exchanges, I was moved by the extraordinary hospitality of the Egyptian students and their vibrant energy. This program not only broadened my clinical perspective but also allowed me to build lasting international friendships, proving that medicine is a universal language that transcends borders. Did you feel integrated with the foreign twins? Absolutely. The integration felt incredibly natural; we weren’t just exchange students, we made real friends. Between hospital experience and late-night talks, we bonded over the universal struggles of medical school and the vibrant chaos of Egyptian life, turning a group of strangers into a cohesive, lifelong network of friends. Did you face any language/communication problems? Communication was seamless because all Egyptian students spoke English. They acted as perfect intermediaries, helping us navigate interactions with locals and patients with ease. Any potential language barrier was quickly bridged by their support, making the entire cultural and clinical exchange feel smooth and inclusive. Describe the relationship with your matched twin. Did you have things in common? Did you face any problems in getting along? Do you think it was a good match? We all bonded instantly over shared medical school struggles and similar interests. We made numerous friends, as the entire local group was incredibly welcoming and eager to interact with all the exchange students. What would you rate the twin matchmaking? 10 What was your accommodation? Hostel Describe the accommodation in more detail (location, facilities, privacy etc) We stayed at mutiple hotels during the exchange because we visited a lot in Egypt. There were all decent acomodations with 2-3 beds in a room and private bathroom. What would you rate the accommodation? 8 Describe the scientific activities you took part in We had clinical rotations based on our choice and multiple practical workshops about BLS, surgical sutures etc. What would you rate the scientific program? 9 Describe the social program The social program was exceptional and incredibly high-energy. It was packed with non-stop activities, leaving us with barely any sleep as we were constantly on the move. We explored a vast range of cities, including Cairo, Alexandria, and Sharm El Sheikh, visiting world-class museums and iconic local tourist spots like the Piramids. It was a perfectly organized whirlwind that allowed us to see the very best of Egypt in a short amount of time. What would you rate the social program? 10 What was included in the fee? The acomodation in Ismailia and breakfast What was the estimated cost of the Twinning? (fee + travel + extra expenses) Around 1000 euros Month and year when your twin visited you September 2024 How much time were you able to spend with the twins during this week? Around 3-5 hours per day Describe your overall experience Hosting the Egyptian twins in Romania was a great experience that mirrored the hospitality we received. We explored several cities together, visited major museums, and toured iconic tourist spots.
Even though it was a bit of an inconvenience that the group consisted of different students than the ones we met in Egypt, it was a great pleasure to meet and show them our country.What would you rate the activities you were able to attend? 10 Describe the social and scientific activities you were able to attend In Bucharest, we explored several museums, relaxed at Therme and enjoyed traditional meals at local restaurants to showcase our culture.
The highlight was a trip to Brasov, where we discovered the city’s history and went on a hiking trip in the mountains.Where did your twin stay? Student dorm What was included in the fee for your twin? Did you have to make any extra expenses for them? The fee included the acomodation and breakfast Did you face any challenges in communicating or getting along with your twin during this time? The only minor challenge was that the students who visited Romania were different from the ones we had met in Egypt. While this was a slight inconvenience at first, it didn’t stop us from integrating perfectly. Everyone was eager to interact, and any small cultural gaps were easily bridged by our shared enthusiasm for the program. Do you think the Twinning schedule and free time were balanced? The schedule was definitely more focused on an intensive social and cultural experience than on rest. But there were also moments of independent exploration and shooping which were essential for them to truly soak in the local atmosphere. Would you recommend this experience? I would absolutely recommend this experience. The social program was exceptional and high-energy, packed with non-stop activities and the clinical experience was very interesting and eye-opening about other countries medical systems. Is there anything you would change? If I were to change anything, it would be the consistency of the participating groups. While the experience in both countries was fantastic, it would have been even more impactful if the same students I met in Egypt were the ones who came to Romania. Contact @bibimocanu
Germany
Munich
Name and Surname Marcu Cristiana Country Germany City Munich Faculty Member Organisation (FMO) Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich Month and year when you visited your twin December 2025 Describe your overall experience The experience was great, the schedule of the twinning has various interesting activities and the twins were very welcoming. Did you feel integrated with the foreign twins? Yes, the foreign twins were very friendly and outgoing, each one of them hung out with us during the activities Did you face any language/communication problems? No Describe the relationship with your matched twin. Did you have things in common? Did you face any problems in getting along? Do you think it was a good match? I got along well with my twin, we had a few things in common. I think it was a good match What would you rate the twin matchmaking? 8 What was your accommodation? Student dorm Describe the accommodation in more detail (location, facilities, privacy etc) I had my own room in a student dorm, with all the necessary facilities. There were no privacy issues What would you rate the accommodation? 10 Describe the scientific activities you took part in I participated in the Lab Tour of the Biomedical Center and in the Sonography course. The staff of the lab was very welcoming, they explained their research to us and answered all of our questions. The Sonography couse was very well done, the students explained everything to us and they let us practice on one another. What would you rate the scientific program? 10 Describe the social program We went to various Christmas markets, we had a trip to Nurnberg, we visited Deutschland Museum, Nymphenburg Palace and the Residence Museum. What would you rate the social program? 10 What was included in the fee? The breakfast, including one traditional breakfast meal at a restaurant, and the entrance for the museums. What was the estimated cost of the Twinning? (fee + travel + extra expenses) Around €450 Month and year when your twin visited you February 2026 How much time were you able to spend with the twins during this week? Half of the week Describe your overall experience It was a very fun experience, I got along well with both the foreign twins and the Romanian twins What would you rate the activities you were able to attend? 10 Describe the social and scientific activities you were able to attend I went to Cotroceni Palace, I joined the twins during their free time and at dinner time Where did your twin stay? Student dorm What was included in the fee for your twin? Did you have to make any extra expenses for them? I paid for the breakfast food (which I knew about beforehand), so nothing extra Did you face any challenges in communicating or getting along with your twin during this time? We didn’t face any challenges Do you think the Twinning schedule and free time were balanced? I think the schedule was balanced, but the twins seemed a bit tired and I think they could have used a little bit more free time. However, the fact that they were tired could have been caused by the weather (snowstorm week) Would you recommend this experience? Yes Is there anything you would change? The schedule in Munchen could have been a little bit more relaxed (we rushed a few times from one place to another), but in the end we did many activities so it’s not a major complaint Contact – Name and Surname – Country Germany City Munich Faculty Member Organisation (FMO) Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich Month and year when you visited your twin December 2025 Describe your overall experience It was a great experience! I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it to others Did you feel integrated with the foreign twins? Yes, it was easy to connect with them and share experiences. Did you face any language/communication problems? No, communication was smooth and easy. Describe the relationship with your matched twin. Did you have things in common? Did you face any problems in getting along? Do you think it was a good match? My relationship with my matched twin was very good. We had a lot in common and got along easily. I didn’t face any problems, and I think it was a great match. What would you rate the twin matchmaking? 10 What was your accommodation? Hosting at twin’s home Describe the accommodation in more detail (location, facilities, privacy etc) I had my own room and the facilities were comfortable and convenient. The location was also very good. What would you rate the accommodation? 10 Describe the scientific activities you took part in I participated in two workshops: one on ultrasound and another on laparoscopic surgery. I also joined a tour of their university. What would you rate the scientific program? 9 Describe the social program The social program included visits to museums and Christmas markets. What would you rate the social program? 8 What was included in the fee? The fee included museum visits, workshops, and breakfast. What was the estimated cost of the Twinning? (fee + travel + extra expenses) The total estimated cost included plane tickets, around 60 euros for transportation, and some extra expenses during the stay. Month and year when your twin visited you February 2026 How much time were you able to spend with the twins during this week? All week Describe your overall experience It was a wonderful experience! I really enjoyed showing them around Bucharest What would you rate the activities you were able to attend? 9 Describe the social and scientific activities you were able to attend I participated in two workshops (endoscopy and birth simulator), the full social program, and a tour of the faculty. Where did your twin stay? Student dorm What was included in the fee for your twin? Did you have to make any extra expenses for them? The fee covered museum tickets, the scientific program, and breakfast. I didn’t have to make any extra expenses for them. Did you face any challenges in communicating or getting along with your twin during this time? No, I didn’t face any challenges. Do you think the Twinning schedule and free time were balanced? Yes, the schedule and free time were balanced. Would you recommend this experience? Yes, I would definitely recommend this experience. Is there anything you would change? Nothing, I think everything was great as it was. Contact – Name and Surname Jugariu Andreea-Maria Country Germany City Munich Faculty Member Organisation (FMO) Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich Month and year when you visited your twin December 2025 Describe your overall experience It was probably one of the best experiences I have ever had, me and my twin clicked instantly!
It was amazing to see how students from Germany spend their time, what opportunities they have, and how life would be studying there overall.
We had plenty of academic and social activities, especially since we visited during the Christmas Market season.
All of the twins were amazing and even though it was only one week, I feel like we all bonded throughout this experience.Did you feel integrated with the foreign twins? Yes, very, they were so welcoming! Did you face any language/communication problems? No, everybody understood each other very well. Describe the relationship with your matched twin. Did you have things in common? Did you face any problems in getting along? Do you think it was a good match? We definitely had a lot of things in common preference and personality wise, I couldn’t have asked for a better match.
My experience staying at her house was a very good one, her parents were so sweet and the food was amazing!What would you rate the twin matchmaking? 10 What was your accommodation? Hosting at twin’s home Describe the accommodation in more detail (location, facilities, privacy etc) I stayed in a house together with her and her parents, in a seperate room, had a nice bathroom, food, everything I could have asked for really. What would you rate the accommodation? 10 Describe the scientific activities you took part in I participated in two workshops: one on ultrasound and another on laparoscopic surgery. I also joined a tour of their university. What would you rate the scientific program? 10 Describe the social program It consisted in going to the Christmas markets, to a bavarian breakfast, karaoke, dinners, museums, lunches, christmas cookie baking and games, a day trip to Nuremberg. What would you rate the social program? 9 What was included in the fee? Tickets to museums, karaoke. What was the estimated cost of the Twinning? (fee + travel + extra expenses) Around 500-600 euros Month and year when your twin visited you February 2026 How much time were you able to spend with the twins during this week? We hung out from morning until evening everyday, because everybody was on vacation. Describe your overall experience It was such a fun week, I felt that I connected with my twin even further, became closer friends, and they enjoyed their time here as well. What would you rate the activities you were able to attend? 9 Describe the social and scientific activities you were able to attend We did a University tour and I attended an ObGyn workshop, which were really nice.
As for the social activities, we did tours of certain parts of the city, karaoke, lunches, dinners, coffee dates, we went clubbing, to Therme, as well as Ceausescu House.Where did your twin stay? At your home What was included in the fee for your twin? Did you have to make any extra expenses for them? The Therme ticket, all of the cultural activities’ tickets. No, I only supplied the breakfast. Did you face any challenges in communicating or getting along with your twin during this time? No Do you think the Twinning schedule and free time were balanced? Yes, we had time for everything. Would you recommend this experience? Of course, it was one of the most fulfilling experiences I had in university. Is there anything you would change? Not that I can think of. Contact @andreeaj_14
Grecee
Patras
Name and Surname – Country Greece City Patras Faculty Member Organisation (FMO) Patras Month and year when you visited your twin May 2025 Describe your overall experience It was an amazing experience and i had the chance to meet a lot of wonderful people Did you feel integrated with the foreign twins? Yes Did you face any language/communication problems? No Describe the relationship with your matched twin. Did you have things in common? Did you face any problems in getting along? Do you think it was a good match? I had no problem with my twin What would you rate the twin matchmaking? 10 What was your accommodation? Hosting at twin’s home Describe the accommodation in more detail (location, facilities, privacy etc) I was hosted at my twins house, in a different bed but in the same room, which i didnt find a problem What would you rate the accommodation? 7 Describe the scientific activities you took part in The program was diverse and we had around 4 workshops What would you rate the scientific program? 8 Describe the social program Really fun What would you rate the social program? 10 What was included in the fee? The lunch and the scientific program What was the estimated cost of the Twinning? (fee + travel + extra expenses) 200 euros Month and year when your twin visited you April 2025 How much time were you able to spend with the twins during this week? I was able to spend most of the time Describe your overall experience Amazing What would you rate the activities you were able to attend? 10 Describe the social and scientific activities you were able to attend I didn’t get to attend any scientific activities Where did your twin stay? Student dorm What was included in the fee for your twin? Did you have to make any extra expenses for them? The lunch and some social programe Did you face any challenges in communicating or getting along with your twin during this time? No Do you think the Twinning schedule and free time were balanced? Yes Would you recommend this experience? YES 100% Is there anything you would change? No Contact –
Macedonia
Skopje
Name and Surname – Country Macedonia City Skopje Faculty Member Organisation (FMO) Skopje Month and year when you visited your twin November 2023 Describe your overall experience I really liked the experience as a whole, it takes you out of your comfort zone for sure and it gives you the opportunity to make new friends. Did you feel integrated with the foreign twins? Yes Did you face any language/communication problems? No Describe the relationship with your matched twin. Did you have things in common? Did you face any problems in getting along? Do you think it was a good match? Very good, we still talk to this day sometimes What would you rate the twin matchmaking? 10 What was your accommodation? Hosting at twin’s home Describe the accommodation in more detail (location, facilities, privacy etc) 10/10 I had my own room privacy safety everything was fine What would you rate the accommodation? 10 Describe the scientific activities you took part in There was a simulation workshop and that was cool and I also went and saw the gynaecology department and learned new things in that domain What would you rate the scientific program? 8 Describe the social program Beautiful, the best part What would you rate the social program? 10 What was included in the fee? The meals I think one or 2 per day and some of the activities What was the estimated cost of the Twinning? (fee + travel + extra expenses) I really don’t remember Month and year when your twin visited you October 2023 How much time were you able to spend with the twins during this week? A lot of time Describe your overall experience I liked my twin, didn’t have a great time with the Bucharest team tho What would you rate the activities you were able to attend? 8 Describe the social and scientific activities you were able to attend They were expensive to attend to be fair (social ones). I had a fixed budget per week and i couldn’t attend some events because of their cost. Where did your twin stay? At your home What was included in the fee for your twin? Did you have to make any extra expenses for them? I think the activities and some meals the same as I had, i didn’t have to pay extra Did you face any challenges in communicating or getting along with your twin during this time? No Do you think the Twinning schedule and free time were balanced? Yes Would you recommend this experience? It could be amazing yes if you get lucky Is there anything you would change? Romanian activities. Too expensive. I had a great time with everybody on the team in Macedonia but the Romanians on the other hand… I think I was one of the few who didn’t already know the coordinators and the emsa team and it showed. Some were cool, but others not so much. I wouldn’t repeat this experience, but given the fact that I was asked for a feedback 2 years+ later… maybe something changed I don’t know. Contact –
Portugal
Porto
Name and Surname Luna Sara Country Portugal City Porto Faculty Member Organisation (FMO) AEICBAS Porto Month and year when you visited your twin March 2025 Describe your overall experience I loved it. Porto is such an amazing city, with tons of things to do and explore. I found the social and medical activities quite entertaining but I also enjoyed the free time we were given. I was a lucky case though, some of my fellow colleagues had a not so great experience due to the lack of organization on the twins’ part. Did you feel integrated with the foreign twins? With some of them, yes. Others not so much, as they were not that open to socialize with the others. Did you face any language/communication problems? There were some, especially given that some of the twins when they were together talked mostly in Portuguese but i believe most of the problems that have arisen were not because of the language barrier. Describe the relationship with your matched twin. Did you have things in common? Did you face any problems in getting along? Do you think it was a good match? Match made in heaven. I know I was part of the OC but I still cannot believe how good of a match I’ve had. We were very likeminded, had the same hobbies and interests, my twin had the most interesting life and I loved hearing her talk about her experiences. She even helped me figure out my ADHD for the first time which I am very grateful for her. The only downside was that she was extremely busy but I do enjoy some alone time to explore the city by myself. She also made sure to give me tons of recommendations when I was alone. What would you rate the twin matchmaking? 10 What was your accommodation? Hosting at twin’s home Describe the accommodation in more detail (location, facilities, privacy etc) I had my own room. My twin lives alone very very close to basically everything and had an overall great experience with the accomodation. Also, she had chocolate crepes that we shared in the morning and she was a skincare fan just like me :))) What would you rate the accommodation? 10 Describe the scientific activities you took part in We had a surgical knots workshop and an intubation one if I remember correctly. They were fun, I would’ve enjoyed more. What would you rate the scientific program? 7 Describe the social program We visited some museums, had a surfing class (very fun – almost drowned :)) ), a cruise to see all of Porto’s bridges, had a daytrip to Aveiro (very nice town), had some hangouts to explore the city center and try traditional food and clubbing during the night which I didn’t take part of because I was very tired. Overall, really liked it, especially the variety fo activities combined with enough free time to check our oan bucketlist. What would you rate the social program? 9 What was included in the fee? Accomodation, scientific programme, transportation in the city and to Aveiro and back, some of the social programme (surfing class, museum entrance, the cruise). What was the estimated cost of the Twinning? (fee + travel + extra expenses) All in all, with extra fee for luggage (i was too courageous for my own good) I don’t think it surpassed 600€. I did not buy that many souvenirs but I did try a lot of food. We also had to take 4 flights in total to get there. Month and year when your twin visited you March 2025 How much time were you able to spend with the twins during this week? My twin could not come so my perspective is a bit biased but I would say around maybe 4 to 6 hours a day on average. Describe your overall experience They were very keen on not spending much, partying and doing touristy things so we had to accommodate that on the spot. It was a bit challenging but not impossible. What would you rate the activities you were able to attend? 10 Describe the social and scientific activities you were able to attend I think we had a nice blend of activities, they got to try doing ultrasounds, neurological exams, explored a lot of places in Bucharest and even had a daytrip to Brasov and Sinaia. Where did your twin stay? At your home What was included in the fee for your twin? Did you have to make any extra expenses for them? I don’t think so. As I didn’t have a twin coming, I cannot estimate any extra costs though. I would’ve probably invited her to like a cafe or for lunch. Did you face any challenges in communicating or getting along with your twin during this time? She didn’t come :(. I did find out on the day of so that was pretty iffy but fortunately when I went to Porto everything went well. Do you think the Twinning schedule and free time were balanced? I am biased because I was part of the OC but I think so yes. Would you recommend this experience? Absolutely. 100% Is there anything you would change? Things that didn’t went so well were mostly because of the other student association but those are the risks of such an exchange. That is also the beauty of it, trying to adapt to any sorts of situations and make the most out of your trip. Contact @sara.juanita Name and Surname Gabriel Svestun Country Portugal City Porto Faculty Member Organisation (FMO) AEICBAS Porto Month and year when you visited your twin March 2025 Describe your overall experience I had a really good experience, my twin was very good with me and the city was really full of life and things to do. The twins stayed with us a lot and showed us things to do and they were all really nice. Although, the organizing committee from there was poorly coordinated, so for me this was the only downside because there were some organization problems that appeared. Did you feel integrated with the foreign twins? Yes Did you face any language/communication problems? No, everybody was speaking good English Describe the relationship with your matched twin. Did you have things in common? Did you face any problems in getting along? Do you think it was a good match? We made a really good match, we got along with everything. What would you rate the twin matchmaking? 10 What was your accommodation? Hosting at twin’s home Describe the accommodation in more detail (location, facilities, privacy etc) I stayed at his apartment, I had my own room and his flat was located in the city centre, close to everything. What would you rate the accommodation? 10 Describe the scientific activities you took part in We had 2 workshops in their training centre. One for sutures and one for airway intubation. They were well organized and interesting. What would you rate the scientific program? 10 Describe the social program Our twins took really good care of us and showed us around and we had a lot of fun at night too. What would you rate the social program? 10 What was included in the fee? Basically the accommodation because you were staying at your twin’s house, the workshops and public transportation and museums and activities entrances. What was the estimated cost of the Twinning? (fee + travel + extra expenses) The fee was 100 euros, the plane like 200 euros and I think I spent there like 500-600 euros because I went to the club a lot and ate in expensive places :))) Month and year when your twin visited you March 2025 How much time were you able to spend with the twins during this week? I was the coordinator so I was with them nearly 24/7 :))) Describe your overall experience I think I did a great job coordinating them and I showed them a lot of things in Bucharest and I also went with them to Sinaia and Bran, so I think they saw most of the basic things of Romania :)) What would you rate the activities you were able to attend? 10 Describe the social and scientific activities you were able to attend I organized 2 workshops for them at Cieh and the professors were great. Where did your twin stay? Student dorm What was included in the fee for your twin? Did you have to make any extra expenses for them? They had accommodation, public transport and a welcome kit included and all museums and activities entrances. Did you face any challenges in communicating or getting along with your twin during this time? My twin was great Do you think the Twinning schedule and free time were balanced? For me no because I had no free time during that week, but it was something I took responsibility for. The others must have had a different experience than me. Would you recommend this experience? Yes, very much, it was awesome overall, I made a lot of Portuguese friends. Is there anything you would change? I would just had hoped for their organizing committee to not have had some problems that they had, but it was not in my power to have done that. Contact @gaabiisv Name and Surname – Country Portugal City Porto Faculty Member Organisation (FMO) AEICBAS Porto Month and year when you visited your twin March 2025 Describe your overall experience It was a really amazing experience, well rounded, with history and clubbing and activities such as surfing Did you feel integrated with the foreign twins? Yes very much Did you face any language/communication problems? Absolutely none Describe the relationship with your matched twin. Did you have things in common? Did you face any problems in getting along? Do you think it was a good match? I think everyone’s twin was matched perfectly, we had plenty of good times and he was always there for me, attending at least 75% of the social programme What would you rate the twin matchmaking? 10 What was your accommodation? Hosting at twin’s home Describe the accommodation in more detail (location, facilities, privacy etc) I had my own room in his uncle’s apartment, my twin and his girlfriend were also staying there. The city being quite small we didn’t face any issues with the transportation, I was 10 minutes away from a bus station, and 30 from the city center What would you rate the accommodation? 10 Describe the scientific activities you took part in Intubation workshop and sutures What would you rate the scientific program? 7 Describe the social program Restaurants, museum, day trip to aveiro, boat trip for sightseeing What would you rate the social program? 10 What was included in the fee? Surf lesson, some museum, boat trips, I don’t remember anything else🤣 What was the estimated cost of the Twinning? (fee + travel + extra expenses) I honestly don’t have a clue, as I was in Madeira for like 5 days beforehand Month and year when your twin visited you I don’t remember How much time were you able to spend with the twins during this week? Like 90% Describe your overall experience Amazing they were so eager to visit everything What would you rate the activities you were able to attend? 9 Describe the social and scientific activities you were able to attend Clubs, village museum, Cotroceni palace, workshop for neurology maybe Where did your twin stay? Student dorm What was included in the fee for your twin? Did you have to make any extra expenses for them? Nah only some gifts I gave him Did you face any challenges in communicating or getting along with your twin during this time? No Do you think the Twinning schedule and free time were balanced? There was no free time, but I think it’s better this way Would you recommend this experience? Yes Is there anything you would change? No Contact –
Turkey
Istanbul Koc University
Name and Surname Maria Marchidanu Country Turkey City Istambul Faculty Member Organisation (FMO) Koc University Month and year when you visited your twin April 2025 Describe your overall experience It was a once-in-a-lifetime event, to meet medicine students from another country and see what it means for them to study the same subjects as me and to discover their city, their culture and to get a first hand experience of their life. Besides, showing them around Bucharest made me feel like a tourist in my own city and overall made my first year of med school even more memorable! Did you feel integrated with the foreign twins? Absolutely, everyone was very warm and welcoming and having some common history and aspects of our cultures made us bond even more. Did you face any language/communication problems? Not at all, since my twin was having her university classes in English, so there was luckily no language barrier. Describe the relationship with your matched twin. Did you have things in common? Did you face any problems in getting along? Do you think it was a good match? Yes, we did have some childhood media we both used to watch and music we both liked (the car ride from the airport to the dorm was memorable!) What would you rate the twin matchmaking? 8 What was your accommodation? Student dorm Describe the accommodation in more detail (location, facilities, privacy etc) We stayed at the Hospital’s dorms and they felt like a 5-star hotel. Everyone had their personal room, as they were for one individual person, with their own private bathrooms and a common kitchen space on the floor with a microwave, sink and water dispenser. We had 24/7 security at the dorm entrance. The only downside, in my opinion, was that the dorm wasn’t anywhere close to the center and it took about 30 minutes at least to get there and there weren’t any shops close, but that is just a personal thing. What would you rate the accommodation? 9 Describe the scientific activities you took part in Quiz night organized by SCORA volunteers of their university, visit to the University’s Hospital and Campus What would you rate the scientific program? 6 Describe the social program AMAZING. Visited everything touristic or not, from the Ayasofya, Blue Mosque, to Galata Tower and Dolmabahce + Topkapi Palaces, but also the less touristy places, such as the Turkish students’ hangout spots, parks that you usually don’t see on travelers’ bucket lists and also the Asian side of Istanbul. We visited the northern part of the peninsula as well, where the University Campus was located (and got there by ferry, which was an absolutely beautiful trip). Dare I say more? What would you rate the social program? 10 What was included in the fee? Accommodation, social + scientific program, transportation to and from different locations (including ferry, car ride, metrobus, tram) What was the estimated cost of the Twinning? (fee + travel + extra expenses) I’d say around €450 for everything including the participation fee, the plane tickets and absolutely all of the expenses Month and year when your twin visited you March 2025 How much time were you able to spend with the twins during this week? I had only been missing for a few hours during 3 of the days, but otherwise I spent all of the time with the Turkish students Describe your overall experience I loved showing them around the city and getting to know the incoming students, since it had also been our first week together and everything went great. I’m sure everyone had a great time and it felt, at least from my part, that we needed at least one more week. What would you rate the activities you were able to attend? 10 Describe the social and scientific activities you were able to attend TOP. Between social and scientific activities, I tried to take part in most of them and I think that week had been one of, if not THE best week of all spring. We went visiting the Arch of Triumph, Herastrau Park, shopping at Parklake, partying both in the Center and at one of the participants’ place, learning at Uni while attending workshops, all across Bucharest (+ Sinaia for our Day Trip when we visited Peles) and even I got to see new places, all while bonding with my Turkish arkadaşlar. Where did your twin stay? At your home What was included in the fee for your twin? Did you have to make any extra expenses for them? Entry to different museums, medical workshops such as laparoscopy or sign language, bus card. I did not need to make any extra expense for them Did you face any challenges in communicating or getting along with your twin during this time? No issues communicating, but since my university timetable was a bit awful and had a test that very week, I had to skip a few of the activities and I feel like I didn’t get that much time to get to know my twin better since it was also the first bit of the twinning where we were practically just strangers Do you think the Twinning schedule and free time were balanced? Absolutely. We had both time to visit, take part in scientific activities, but also walk and shop together and also hang out and party! Would you recommend this experience? 100%. If you see Koç University, Istanbul pop up as one of the opportunities, RUN DON’T WALK! Best twinning there was (in my humble opinion) with great people and amazing places to see! Is there anything you would change? Adding more days to the twinning maybe hahah Contact @fevruarie Istanbul Marmara University
Name and Surname – Country Turkey City Istambul Faculty Member Organisation (FMO) Marmara University Month and year when you visited your twin July 2024 Describe your overall experience It was an amazing experience and I made very good friends that I am still in contact with. Did you feel integrated with the foreign twins? People were very friendly and we all got along very well. Did you face any language/communication problems? Not really, everyone from the Romanian and Turkish teams had very good English. Describe the relationship with your matched twin. Did you have things in common? Did you face any problems in getting along? Do you think it was a good match? My twin, Selma, is such a good friend and we got along instantly and we communicate to this day. We are very different people but at the core we have the same values and dreams which made us instant friends. What would you rate the twin matchmaking? 10 What was your accommodation? Student dorm Describe the accommodation in more detail (location, facilities, privacy etc) The dorm was very clean and adequate, we had plenty of room, good beds and a nice campus. The only disadvantage was that we had to be in the dorm by 11 pm, from what I remember. We always had to hurry back and we couldn’t stay outside past that hour even in the campus. What would you rate the accommodation? 8 Describe the scientific activities you took part in We had a workshop about bloodwork which was nice, we practiced taking blood from manequins and another workshop about lab work. What would you rate the scientific program? 8 Describe the social program We visited the most important attractions in Istanbul and also got to see some more hidden spots less touristy. Our twins got us to their favorite eating spots and coffee shops and truly the food we ate was amazing everytime. What would you rate the social program? 9 What was included in the fee? The accommodation, the public transport and the workshops. What was the estimated cost of the Twinning? (fee + travel + extra expenses) 200€ for plane tickets (I also had checked lugagge so that’s why it was more expensive), around 200€ for food and activities, around 200 lei if I remember correctly for the accommodation and public transport Month and year when your twin visited you April 2024 How much time were you able to spend with the twins during this week? I spent as much time as I could since I really liked them. I tried to skip my classes to go with them. Describe your overall experience It was very nice and I think they also loved what we showed them. What would you rate the activities you were able to attend? 9 Describe the social and scientific activities you were able to attend We had a knots&sutures mini workshop and another workshop about basic life support. The social programme included museums, malls, parks and restaurants. Where did your twin stay? Student dorm What was included in the fee for your twin? Did you have to make any extra expenses for them? I don’t know for sure but I think the accommodation and public transport. Did you face any challenges in communicating or getting along with your twin during this time? Not at all. Do you think the Twinning schedule and free time were balanced? Yes. Would you recommend this experience? 100% Is there anything you would change? It would have been nice for the mobilities to be a little longer. Contact –