Erasmus +  Success Stories

Erasmus+ Period: 01.12.2025-31.01.2026

I am Borislav Valchev, a fourth-year medical student from Medical University of Sofia. I had the opportunity of a lifetime to visit Japan as part of the Erasmus+ program. I went to a Japanese language-teaching high school, so I have always wanted to visit the country. Even though I considered myself relatively well-versed in Japanese culture and language, no amount of research truly prepares you for how unique and impressive it really is.

After a near 9000-kilometer flight and a quick bullet train ride, I started my traineeship at the Hiroshima University Hospital. I rotated through three departments: Cardiovascular medicine, ENT and Head and Neck surgery and Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic surgery under the First Department of Surgery. The hospital was incredibly well-equipped with several robots, cameras in the operating rooms, advanced navigation systems and devices, so I had the chance to observe world-class medicine.

My first rotation was three weeks in Cardiology, where I had the opportunity to observe different interventions and procedures like PFA, TAVI, device implantation and TEE. I also attended lectures, where I met a group of Japanese medical students. We quickly became friends and had a great time together. I was even lucky enough to observe treatment of a very rare ablation complication - pulmonary vein stenosis. A team from Tokyo came to perform it and it turns out only a handful of doctors treat this condition in the whole of Japan!

The next rotation for me was ENT, where I spent three weeks. During my time there, I observed both the clinical and surgical aspects of the specialty - from different outpatient clinics to endoscopic procedures and 11-hour surgeries. Something really impressive I saw was photoimmunotherapy, as this procedure is currently only performed in Japan. I was also able to observe some surgeries of Japanese origin like VANS thyroidectomy, interdisciplinary operations and a great deal of robotic and minimally invasive ones.

My final rotation at the Hiroshima University Hospital was General surgery, specifically HBP surgery. My 2 weeks there were filled with suturing, outpatient clinic and many surgeries, including different kinds of open and robotic pancreatectomies. Actually, I caught the first ever robotic spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy (with sparing of the splenic vessels) done in the hospital! The practical aspect of my education there was fantastic as I was allowed to suture on every surgery and the team even taught me how to use the robotic surgical system. 

In every single department I was treated with great care and support, everyone was so kind-hearted and welcoming to me. They also showed a genuine interest in Bulgaria beyond the yogurt, which they already knew really well, so the cultural exchange part of the program was on point. They treated me like one of their own and we went out together all the time with both the students and the doctors. During my stay in Japan I travelled a lot and took part in some traditions, like ringing the bell in a Buddhist temple to welcome the New Year. Of course, the food was exceptional as well and I ate my fair share of delicious raw fish.

Overall, this was a life-changing experience academically and culturally. My dream of visiting Japan came true, which is something I will be forever grateful for. A huge thank you to everyone who made this possible, the Erasmus office in MU Sofia and the International office of HU for their constant support throughout my traineeship and, of course, all the amazing doctors who took part in my education.