What inspired you to go abroad?
I was inspired to go abroad to continue expanding my knowledge of healthcare across different cultures and countries. As a public health science major on the pre-pa track, I wanted to explore how medicine is delivered in resource-limited settings.
As someone who has studied abroad before in Thailand, Kenya was my next destination in fulfilling my goals of creating a strong sense of cultural appreciation, adaptability, and cross-cultural understanding. I wanted to have more experiences that would challenge me while strengthening my global health understanding.
Why did you choose International Medical Aid?
My incoming intern cohort.
I chose International Medical Aid (IMA) as the organization to go through because of how much they were able to provide in global health opportunities, education in and out of the hospital, and collaboration with fellow students and faculty.
They offered structured clinical rotations, community outreach, and mentorship that aligned with my goals of becoming a physician assistant, and opportunities to learn about Kenyan culture and be truly immersed for the duration of our stay.
What was your favorite part of Mombasa?
My favorite part of Mombasa was the sense of familiarity within a new environment. The city reminded me of Mali, which is where my family is from in West Africa. The people were so welcoming, and the city was very lively beyond the walls of the hospital.
Being able to explore the city and go to different locations such as the beaches, the mall, and other parts of the city was truly fun. I talked to the locals, from store owners to Uber drivers to fellow students at the hospital. It was just such a great experience to really get those perspectives from the people who are living there and hear about the good and the bad.
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
What made my experience extraordinary was the amount of exposure I had to both community health initiatives and clinical care. I was able to rotate through internal medicine, emergency surgery, and maternity. I was also able to participate in community health educational sessions that were about hygiene and women’s health.
As a public health science major, I was able to observe how medicine, public health, and advocacy intersect with one another. Throughout my rotations, I was able to witness the providers deliver exceptional care despite the limited resources they had. I was able to learn so much from them and learn even more about the Kenyan healthcare system. Depending on what you were already licensed to do in the United States, you were able to help triage and do other things to help based on the scope of your practice.
Maternity was especially my favorite rotation because I am interested in women’s health. I was able to watch live births, C-sections, ectopic pregnancy surgeries, and so much more. Even beyond shadowing in the hospital, we were able to do global health sessions with the doctor who was partnered with IMA. We learn about different health techniques as well as reflect on the department we were assigned for that week.
More importantly, nothing sugar-coated, we learned the reality of what they truly needed and what was lacking. I was also able to participate in a cultural track, where I was able to go to another part of Kenya that really showcased the culture and the rich history. I was joined by fellow students and staff members and was able to create stronger bonds throughout the trip.
How did local staff support you throughout your program?
The local staff were so incredibly patient, welcoming, and supportive. The healthcare professionals that allow us to shadow them were super considerate and really took the time to talk to us students. It was busy every single day, and I will forever be grateful for that because there were so many times when it was so hectic, but they really were trying their best to give us their time.
The staff for our program were truly just amazing and they organized everything. They became the last people we saw before heading to bed and the first people we saw when we woke up. They made sure to be available at all times, even past working hours. Oftentimes, the staff would host meetings throughout the week for everyone to get a chance to talk about what could be improved in the house and scheduling situations. We had meetings where we discussed our experiences in the hospital. They also hosted different presentations so we could learn even more about the culture.
Overall, the staff became people we could have a good laugh or a good conversation with. The staff were not just program providers, but there were staff who were there to clean the place to make sure that we lived in a clean and wonderful environment. There was also staff who cooked for us every day from morning to night, and security who ensured our safety. I really enjoyed talking to everyone, and they all were a big part of my experience.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
I think one thing I wish I had done is take more time to really process our experiences because we were busy every single day. I really took the time to journal the processes, but sometimes I was not really processing all of the emotions that I felt.
I feel like being able to balance that would’ve been even better, just to make sure that I really was experiencing every moment and really processing it in those moments and not just afterwards.
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
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A typical day began around 6 AM, when we would get up and have breakfast made by the staff chef. We will eat together, and then we will take our bus and go to the hospital.
We would then meet up with our team of other interns in the same rotation as us that week. We then go to find out who we were shadowing that day. For example, the week that I had my rotation in maternity, we watched births, and when there was a C-section going on, we would watch.
Once the afternoon came around, we would get back on the bus and go back to the house. We would have lunch ready for us from the staff, and then we would settle in. We would have a group meeting with all interns to talk about our rotations for the first day, or we would have a different session where one of the collaborating doctors would come and do an educational session. One of them was suturing sessions, and afterwards would likely have free time.
Sometimes we would either pick a restaurant to go to or somewhere we haven’t experienced yet, like go-karting, paintball, beaches, and more. In the evening, we would wrap it up by either doing something in the house, like hanging out, getting to know each other more, or doing the little stuff that we needed to take care of ourselves before going to sleep.
What did you enjoy doing during your free time abroad?
During my free time, I really enjoy spending time with the other interns and getting to explore Mombasa. We shared meals as we reflected on our hospital experiences, and we were also just able to talk about where we were from. Everybody was either from different countries or from different states in the United States.
It was really great to just talk about our experiences being college students and talk more about our future and healthcare. They were also eager to find some new place to hang out and explore, and we would ask the staff what places they would recommend.
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
So during my time in Kenya, I shared a residency with other interns, and it was pretty much a big house that was separated into two buildings, and each room had 3 to 4 people in it.
At the time I was in the program, we had our largest student cohort during the summer, and it was really fun just being around each other. We had fun and enjoyed the main house, which had more of the living room area where we could all collectively hang out to enjoy food, entertainment, and more. It’s also where the staff hosted meetings and other announcements, as well as where we gathered before leaving for the buses.
What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?
I think future participants should know that the program can be intense emotionally, but also rewarding. You will see so many challenging cases and limitations, but you will also witness so much resilience, compassion, and teamwork.
I think that being open-minded, adaptable, and willing to learn is extremely important. Making sure to embrace every moment, while being understanding as well, because I think there’s no point in wanting to explore something without actually being open to it.
Would you recommend Physician Assistant/Pre-PA Internships to others? Why?
I would 100% recommend International Medical Aid to others. The program provided safety, clinical exposure, strong mentorship, and opportunities to engage while making sure that we were doing everything we wanted to do within limits.
They offer so many opportunities to learn more about the culture, allow for personal growth, and create an excellent experience through all aspects of what you would want in a study program.
What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?
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I think the biggest benefit of traveling is the different perspectives you can gain. Experiencing different healthcare systems, cultures, and ways of living is just something that continues to build humility and empathy.
It challenges what you already know and encourages personal growth, while understanding more about the global equities that we often read and learn about. It just helps in seeing how care is more than just medicine, but as something that involves community, culture, connections, and how it can affect the type of health people receive.
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
Since returning home, my time abroad made me think about how I could further my commitment to healthcare and service. My rotation in maternity further reinforced my goal of wanting to become an OBGYN physician assistant.
It also reminded me how much healthcare extends beyond the hospital and being able to show compassion wherever you are and however you can. It really encouraged one of my goals of even trying to possibly pursue becoming a doula to take part in providing more holistic care.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
To me, meaningful travel is being able to engage with new people, different communities, and different cultures, rather than just visiting a place. I realize that through the different countries I’ve studied abroad, there is a difference between traveling to a place for a vacation and really being able to immerse yourself and say that you truly went to these countries. There are definitely touristy areas that are fun as well, but there are also opportunities to really be engaged in a culture and explore the different places, things, and experiences.
Meaningful travel can be done through building relationships with other people who were there to experience the same experience as me, and continuing to build those relationships. As well as having relationships abroad with the locals and allowing those experiences to be able to shape what I aspire to become, and to do in the future.
