Over the past two weeks, I have had the wonderful opportunity of shadowing an Italian endocrinologist, Dr. Anna Lisa Bilotta. Dr. Bilotta was kind enough to provide this experience for me on relatively short notice, and living near and working at the Salvator Mundi International Hospital with her has been incredibly worthwhile for me, both in terms of my Italian language acquisition, as well as my knowledge of the healthcare field. I arrived in Rome on May 12, got settled in my small apartment in the Trastevere neighborhood near the Piazza San Cosimato (at the base of the Janiculum Hill), and began working with Dr. Bilotta the next day. In order to work in the hospital, I was required to enter the Italian Agenzia delle entrate (basically the equivalent of the DMV in America) to obtain a codice fiscale, or an identification number with the Italian government. Although this presented some difficulty, I was able to explain my situation in Italian to the officials in the office and eventually acquired the fiscal code.
Dr. Bilotta and her colleagues at Salvator Mundi are extraordinary teachers. Each morning at 9 AM, Dr. Bilotta took the time to sit down with me in her office and explain a number of issues in the Italian healthcare system and differences in her experience between Italy and the United States. She also gave me detailed accounts of her personal medical philosophy, taught me about the basics of internal medicine, and helped me to understand endocrine anatomy and physiology, disorders, and treatments. This was a wonderful exercise in terms of learning more scientific and medical Italian, and allowed me to more deeply understand how Italian healthcare works in both public and private hospitals.
One of the most interesting and rewarding parts of the experience was being able to meet some of Dr. Bilotta’s patients. As mentioned, Salvator Mundi is an international hospital. I was able to encounter extraordinary people living in Rome from all over the world including ambassadors, religious missionaries and students, professors and many others. In some cases, I was even able to help translate Italian terms and medicines into English (and on one occasion, French) so that the patients were better able to understand their prescribed treatments. Above all, I was struck by the compassion with which Dr. Bilotta approaches her patients and the love she has for her profession. Instead of viewing her job as little more than a way to pay her bills, Dr. Bilotta views endocrinology and internal medicine as serious social obligations, ones that she thoroughly enjoys fulfilling.
Lastly, during my two weeks in Rome, I was able to explore much of the ancient city and interact with locals. In my free time, I saw breathtaking art in the Vatican Museums, appreciated beautiful public spaces like the Villa Borghese, and spoke with real Italians in supermarkets, stores, and train stations. After two weeks, I certainly have a new appreciation for the city’s history, as well as its important place in modern Italy and Europe. Now, I am looking forward to taking classes in Sorrento!
