Students from the Radiological and Imaging Technology program benefited from a valuable experience at Lisbon Higher School of Health

Seven second-year students from the undergraduate degree program in Radiological and Imaging Technology within Faculty of Medicine no. 1 of Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy returned from an academic mobility course attended at the Higher School of Health in Lisbon, Portugal. Vlada-Vladislava Vulpe, Paula-Patricia Lavric, Madalina Balan, Victor Gherghelegiu, Alexandru Tolica, Mihaela Ciornaia and Claudia Morandini carried out an exchange of experience during 5-14 February 2026, within the framework of the "Blended Intensive Programme" (BIP), entitled "Claustrophobia and Anxiety in Medical Imaging and Radiotherapy".

The course was held in a hybrid format and brought together 28 international students from prestigious European institutions: Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy from Cluj-Napoca (Romania), University of Florence (Italy) and Metropolia University of Applied Sciences in Helsinki (Finland).

During the mobility, the students actively participated in case presentations and simulated clinical scenarios in the laboratories of the Lisbon School. Finally, the medical students formed multidisciplinary teams, together with colleagues from the other partner universities, with the aim of developing scientific articles, which will be published on the UREKA Connects platform.

The students were accompanied by Angela Cazacu-Stratu, Associate Professor at the Hygiene Discipline within the Department of Preventive Medicine, vice-dean at Faculty of Medicine no. 1, and Evelina Gherghelegiu, head of the Department of External Relations and European Integration, who mentioned that "through this participation, Nicolae Testemitanu University reaffirmed its commitment to internationalization, patient-oriented practical training and integration into European academic networks dedicated to excellence in medical education."

The medical students reported that they were impressed by the experience gained during the mobility, highlighting the emphasis placed on practical and accessible strategies, the analysis and implementation of critical thinking, innovative working methods, etc.

Blended Intensive Programme is an innovative educational format developed within the Erasmus+ programme, combining online learning activities with a short-term physical mobility component. These programmes bring together students and teaching staff from several European institutions and promote international academic collaboration, interactive learning and an interdisciplinary approach to relevant European topics, facilitating the exchange of good practices, the development of transversal skills and the strengthening of the international dimension of higher education.

The initiative, organized by the bachelor’s program in Medical Imaging and Radiotherapy of ESSL, addressed a key topic for clinical practice: the management of anxiety and claustrophobia in the imaging and radiotherapy environment. The program was coordinated by Prof. Maria Margarida Ribeiro and benefited from the active involvement of the teaching staff of the bachelor’s program and the Council of the Medical Imaging and Radiotherapy study program, as well as partnerships and strategic support.

Anxiety and claustrophobia have been analyzed as significant obstacles in medical imaging and radiotherapy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) or PET/CT procedures have been discussed from the perspective of the psychological impact on the patient, as they involve maintaining immobility in confined and noisy spaces, a situation that can generate fear, tension and discomfort.

In Radiotherapy, the challenge has been highlighted as being amplified by the duration of the treatment, which involves multiple successive sessions. The use of masks and immobilization systems, indispensable for therapeutic precision, may create a feeling of physical constraint, stress and emotional difficulties, influencing the patient's experience and, in certain situations, the quality of the therapeutic act.