Graduate War Memorial Scholarship Travel Report – Zofia Makowska (2019, Medicine)

Between February and April 2025, I have been joining the endocrine clinics run by diabetologist-endocrinologists working in both the private and public sector in Poland. During this period, I have seen many patients, some on multiple occasions. I was able to experience the differences and similarities between the NHS and the Polish equivalent, NFZ, as well as delve deeper into the specialist endocrine care.

The vast majority of patients seen in the clinic were thyroid patients. There were also those with adrenal adenomas, pituitary abnormalities, parathyroid disruptions, diabetes and obesity. From these clinics, I have learned a lot about the more in-depth endocrine considerations and nuances of monitoring and treatment of thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal and pituitary conditions. I was able to practice my thyroid exam and appreciate the importance of USS in diagnosis and management. I could also experience first-hand the frustrations of outpatient work; patients showing up with no blood tests, not picking up blood forms & GP letters after telephone consults, not adhering to medication regimen and its changes, or not bothering to seek repeat prescription.

An interesting cultural observation I have made is that despite my knowledge on endocrine medicine, I was still at a loss with regards to terminology used and jargon that I have heard in the consulting room. This shows how much vocabulary is simply not known to non-medical people and emphasises the importance of patient-friendly language.

Published: 6 June 2025

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