A specially tailored introductory course on life in Latvia has concluded, this time designed specifically for Ukrainian healthcare professionals. The aim was not only to provide practical information about living in Latvia, but also to create space for conversation, experience-sharing, and creative collaboration.
To make the course truly useful for medical professionals, several content adjustments were made. Participants visited the Latvian Medical Association, where they received up-to-date information about medical education opportunities, as well as guidance on certification procedures and required documents for practicing in Latvia.
Lecturer Andris Šķenders led a session on employment. A special guest from LVSADA, Līga Bāriņa, introduced participants to the opportunity to join a trade union and benefit from its legal protection services.
The cultural part of the course included a visit to the Pauls Stradiņš Museum of the History of Medicine, where participants explored the development of medicine in Latvia with the help of a guide. Historian Gunta Vīksne also provided an overview of Latvia’s historical background.
A special moment was the ceramic workshop at the VEF Culture Palace studio “Saule”, where participants created clay dishes and other items – experiencing Latvian culture in a hands-on way. Photos of their creations can be viewed in our gallery.
Participants shared heartfelt and inspiring feedback:
“Thank you for the meeting at the Medical Association. Very useful information, everyone tried to help us. The museum tour was wonderful. Thank you for your help and support!”
“Huge thanks for the course! It provided so much useful information and the chance to try our hand at art. The coordinators and lecturers were excellent!”
The positive experience highlights the importance of continuing to create introductory programmes tailored to specific professional groups. We are already planning the next ones.
The project “Latvia – a country by the Baltic Sea!” is implemented with the support of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (2021–2027), grant agreement No. PMIF/13.3./2023/1/04.
