Sebastian Elben

From Febraury 2025 to June 2025.
Clinical research Intern during the third year of Medical School at ETH.

Sebastian Elben (Sebi) completed his ETH translational research internship in our group during five months at the University Hospital Zürich and Hospital Männedorf, well above the required workload required by the ETH Zürich for completing the Bachelor in Medicine.

From day one, Sebastian impressed us as a motivated and dedicated medical student. He was a great addition to our team.

Sebastian, it was a real pleasure working with you, and we hope to have the chance to collaborate again in the future!

Curious about Sebastian’s experience in our group? Read his thoughts below.

Working in this team provided me with a wealth of opportunities. Not only did I get to work with patients from all walks of life, but I also gained a broad perspective on the world of clinical research.
During my time in the group, my responsibilities were diverse and engaging. I was involved in the recruitment and onboarding of patients, the collection of physical data (ranging from bioelectrical impedance analysis to blood sampling), and hands-on laboratory work such as pipetting, centrifuging, and labeling samples. I also contributed to documenting patient data and had the chance to participate in writing and editing scientific papers for publication.
I cannot sing enough praise for this team. Everyone was incredibly welcoming, understanding, and always helpful. While the first few days of any new job can feel daunting and overwhelming, I always felt it was safe to admit when I didn’t know something or needed clarification. My supervisors were patient and happy to explain or re-explain anything that was unclear, and my peers treated me as an equal right from the start.
Even after I had settled into a routine, the work never became dull. The variety of patients kept each day interesting, and although the paperwork could occasionally be monotonous, it was never overwhelming. Plus, we usually tackled it together as a group, which made it much more manageable.
All in all, my time here was an absolute delight. I was able to learn a great deal, both practical skills and theoretical knowledge. Even though I don’t see myself working specifically in gastroenterology or visceral surgery, I can definitely imagine continuing to be involved with this group throughout my studies.