Master's courses in dementia care: “The more I learn, the more I can help other people”
Meet Alejandro Javier Garza Martinez, geriatrician from Mexico, currently working in Spain. He is a participant in the Master’s courses in dementia care for physicians. He tells us more about his experiences of the training, and how it will help him in his pursuit of creating dementia centres in his home country Mexico.
How did you find out about the training?
During my residency programme in the hospital Clinico San Carlos in Madrid, the head of the geriatric department told me that Karolinska Institutet is a great place to study dementia. I started investigating programmes and I found out about this online master's course in dementia.
Why did you participate in the master’s courses?
I want to focus my work on people with dementia. This training was a good opportunity for me as it allows me to learn more and to participate in discussions with teachers at KI. The more I learn, the more I can help other people.
How has this training helped you in your profession?
I treat patients with dementia every day. Many assignments and clinical cases are real cases, so I can discuss them during the course, which helps me a lot.
There is also a constant communication with teachers and other participants. I really enjoy this discussion and I learn from the different opinions and experiences from other parts of the world. For example, the social problems of people with dementia varies in different parts of the world. It is very different how diagnosis and treatment is done in Mexico compared to Sweden.
How do you think this training will impact or help your workplace?
In the future, I am planning to create dementia centres in Mexico to improve the treatment and the quality of life for the patient and the family of the main care giver. Together with a colleague in Mexico we are aiming to start these centres in several places in Mexico. This course is helping me a lot in this process.
Would you recommend this course to others? Why or why not?
Yes, definitely! The lectures are very good, and the recommended reading is very useful. I really appreciate the flexibility of the course. You have a due date for assignments, but you have plenty of time to prepare. I was worried if I would be able to manage to work and study at the same, but it has worked out fine as there is a lot of flexibility. I am very happy with my decision to take this course.