What inspired you to travel abroad?
I have always loved traveling but the cost limited me from doing so as often as I would've liked. At Penn State, I was accepted into a Fellowship that gave me a stipend to participate in an internship abroad. It was exactly what I needed as it allowed me to combine my passions for traveling and healthcare.
I wanted to go abroad to shadow because I felt that it would give me a new perspective on healthcare and patient care. Being able to observe different medical practices and a different healthcare system would allow me to better empathize with my patients in the future.
Why did you choose International Medical Aid?
I chose International Medical Aid because it gave me the opportunity to travel for a longer period of time and not be confined to shadowing one specialty. IMA gave me the ability to customize and tailor my experience more than any other programs that I had looked at.
In my 8 weeks in Kenya, I was able to rotate through over 6 different departments and even shadow on some night shifts. IMA had a very comprehensive plan for each intern and had many lecture series to help educate the interns on the culture and healthcare system to help with the transition.
A picture of a Maasai warrior during a dance performance
What was your favorite part about Kenya?
My favorite part about Kenya was getting to know the people and the culture. The people of Kenya have such big hearts and will remember you after only meeting you once. They are so welcoming and are truly so proud of who they are and always want to share it with you.
Whether it's teaching you how to make viyazi, teaching you Swahili, or just telling you about local restaurants, they are always so enthusiastic to share and it just made the experience so much more special.
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
There was not one single thing that made my experience so incredible. Everything from the staff, to the food, to my fellow interns really made the experience whole. The excursions really helped to enhance the experience. While so many incredible things were going on inside the hospital, it was pretty amazing to see the different local initiatives and programs going on to help build up the community.
I also participated in the optional safari which was an entirely extraordinary experience in itself. Being able to see nature in a way that I had never seen before was almost cathartic and being able to meet people in the Maasai community was also very humbling.
How did the local program staff support you throughout your program?
The staff was pretty amazing! They were so accommodating - whether it was helping us make dinner reservations, helping us rent a bus for weekend excursions, or just coming out with us on a Friday night, they always went above and beyond for us.
Safety was their top priority and they really went out of their way to try and make us feel safe. Whether it was cooking us new foods or speaking to us in Swahili, they also encouraged us to move beyond our comfort zone and challenge ourselves.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
I truly loved my time abroad and there's not much I would change, however I do wish that I would have pushed myself out of my comfort zone more and tried to form more connections with the doctors and nurses. My main objective going in was to immerse myself in a new healthcare system and learn as much as possible about illnesses and conditions that are not as prevalent in the US.
However, since I knew that they were understaffed and under-resourced, I did not want to be in the way. Because of that, I think I sat on the sidelines a little more and didn't engage as much with the doctors and nurses as I should have. I left with more unanswered questions than I had hoped to because I was too hesitant to distract them when I knew they were busy.
There was a fine line between engaging and overstepping but the healthcare professionals were so eager to share their knowledge that I wish I had just found more opportunities when they weren't busy learning from them.
A picture of a giraffe drinking during the safari
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
Most days we would wake up, have breakfast, go to the hospital for 4-5 hours, go back to the residence, have lunch, and then the afternoons varied. Some days there would be educational lectures about the healthcare system of Kenya, other days we would go to local schools and teach the students about proper hand washing, and dental and menstrual hygiene.
Every other Saturday we would host free walk-in clinics in the community where we would assess vitals for the locals, and they would be able to consult with doctors about their concerns and receive a few basic medications.
What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?
One of my favorite things to do in our down time was to find new places and explore the culture. I love food so I would always try to find a new place to eat at. I also organized a trip for a group of us to go outside of Mombasa and hike to a waterfall on one of our Saturdays off.
When we didn't have time or money for a new adventure, myself and the other interns would have fun hanging out at the beach or by the pool getting to know each other better. While I met some amazing people during the internship hours at the hospitals, it was during the down time where we became closest.
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
The living accommodations were very similar to a shared apartment or dorm in the US as we stayed in an apartment style complex. It was very nice and clean and it was actually pretty fun since you were sharing a floor with other interns in your program.
We all shared rooms with most of us sleeping in bunk beds. The cleaning staff was pretty incredible - they made our beds, did our laundry, and moped the floors daily. We were also provided with 3 meals a day, always with the option to go out and get our own food.
A picture of a lioness stalking her prey during the safari
What is one thing every future participant should know about the Pre-Med/Health Fellowship before their program begins?
It really is what you make of it. The environment has a lot of similarities to the US, but it also has a lot of differences. You will have to go more out of your way to get your questions answered by the doctors and nurses but they are really excited to work with you and teach so don't be afraid to ask. Don't just do the minimum, take advantage of the opportunities presented to you - pick up night shifts, practice skills within your scope of practice, fully immersing yourself in the culture.
Would you recommend International Medical Aid to others? Why?
Yes, I absolutely loved my time with IMA!! They do a great job of handling all of the logistics within the hospital so that you can really just hit the ground running with shadowing. While there are improvements that can be made to streamline the program, it is overall very well organized so that you can focus on getting the most out of your experience. Whether you were there for 2 weeks or 10 weeks, International Medical Aid provided so many opportunities for the interns to learn and experience different aspects of healthcare.
What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?
From a healthcare perspective, traveling abroad really gives you an appreciation for different cultures. In the medical field, it is really important to be able to empathize with your patients. Traveling abroad allows you to meet people and experience things you normally wouldn't. It pushes you outside of your bubble so that you can learn from these new experiences to better empathize with people who are different from you because you have now seen things from a different perspective.
An ostrich crossing the road during the safari
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
I think my time abroad has impacted my life as a student, a person, and as an EMT. This past semester, I found myself connecting a lot of concepts to things I learned in Kenya, especially when it came to maternal health care. It's extremely beneficial to be able to put concepts into a real life context and it was easy to make those connections when so much of what I saw and learned in Kenya was so unique and will stick with me forever. I find myself thinking a lot about the people I met in Kenya when treating patients as an EMT. Whether in Kenya or in the US, there will always be patients who feel undervalued. My goal is to listen and try to make them feel like they are being heard and taken care of.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel for me goes beyond sightseeing. It's about making the most of your time in another country by fully immersing yourself in the culture. While in Kenya, I really tried to do that. I kept two journals, one for quick notes and another to expand on my thoughts and research. I formed friendships with the staff, practiced my Swahili with them, and bought as much local cuisine as possible. While I did do some sightseeing, I also made it a point to explore some less touristy spots.
