What inspired you to travel abroad?
I wanted to go abroad because I wanted to see and experience new aspects of culture that I could not observe within the United States. I also wanted an opportunity to witness medicine in action that was different from what could be explained in a classroom. My experience in Kenya was an unforgettable experience.
I immersed myself into the Kenyan culture by going on all the cultural treks International Medical Aid offered and being observant with the things I witnessed while I was shadowing at the hospital. I also signed up for as many night shifts as possible and was exposed to procedures that I would be unable to see in the United States, such as a leg amputation and an ectopic pregnancy removal.
Why did you choose your International Medical Aid?
I chose to intern with International Medical Aid because the program offered a unique experience at a reasonable price. When I was comparing different internship programs, I was really looking for a program that provided an immersive experience and no limits to what I could shadow.
I liked how International Medical Aid provided amenities such as housing and transportation. I also liked how International Medical Aid provided options for cultural treks outside of Mombasa like a safari in the Masai Mara reserve. I liked how the price of the optional treks could be included in the internship cost and they would take care of the flight and housing for the trip.
A picture taken on the Watamu beach safari. The monkeys would jump on us and were lured by bananas.
What was your favorite part about Kenya?
I enjoyed interacting and living among the Kenyan people, including the patients at the hospital and the doctors. The doctors were very nice and were always willing to answer any questions that any of the interns had. Since completing the internship, I have been able to connect with the doctors at Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital to discuss the impact of new healthcare research. I also enjoyed living within the community of peers that International Medical Aid provided.
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
The whole program was extraordinary and either met or exceeded my expectations. One of my favorite experiences was seeing the Big Five on my group's safari. We ended up being the only group in the program to see a lion, a rhinoceros, an elephant, a leopard and an African buffalo.
My favorite part of seeing all of the Big Five was when we heard there was a rhino sighting and the safari guide did some crazy off-roading in the safari Jeep so we could see it. I also did not expect, but was thrilled to witness, several complex procedures at the hospital. I was able to witness international doctors coming into the hospital to perform free procedures on the patients there.
I watched doctors from Turkey perform open heart surgeries and doctors from Germany perform neurological surgeries, like craniotomies. It solidified my choice to pursue a career as a PA and my decision to help people in surgical need.
How did the local program staff support you throughout your program?
The International Medical Aid staff was great in supporting me throughout the duration of my program. I always felt like I could ask them for anything and rely on them for support in any challenges that I faced.
I felt secure during my internship period and I knew I could ask questions for clarification if I was unsure about what I was experiencing in the hospital. At the end of my internship period, I had a long discussion with the internship staff on the differences between healthcare in Kenya and the United States.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
The one thing I wish I had done differently during my time abroad would be asking the doctors more questions. I struggled a lot with asking questions about the things that I was experiencing because I did not want to interrupt their work or I did not understand enough of what was going on to ask some questions.
In a healthcare setting in the United States, it is common for a student to not speak unless spoken to by a doctor but in Kenya, I found that it was common for doctors and other healthcare professionals to only speak to you if you spoke to them first and I really struggled with that aspect.
A picture taken during a community medical clinic. I was paired with a doctor and together we talked to patients about their symptoms.
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
In the morning, we would go to the hospital where we would spend time there until the early afternoon. International Medical Aid offered the option for interns to participate in an afternoon shift if there was a specific area the intern wanted to have more experience in. After the hospital, we would return to the International Medical Aid residence.
In the afternoon depending on the day, we would either do community outreach or do a culture trek to immerse ourselves into the Kenyan culture. Some of the most memorable cultural treks were visiting a park where we watched a giraffe and crocodile feeding, and we spent time with very large tortoises.
What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?
In the morning we would go to the hospital where we would spend time there until the early afternoon. International Medical Aid offered the option for interns to participate in an afternoon shift if there was a specific area the intern wanted to have more experience in. After the hospital, we would return to the International Medical Aid residence.
In the afternoon depending on the day, we would either do community outreach or do a culture trek to immerse ourselves into the Kenyan culture. Some of the most memorable cultural treks were visiting a park where we watched a giraffe and crocodile feeding, and we spent time with very large tortoises.
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
In the morning we would go to the hospital where we would spend time there until the early afternoon. International Medical Aid offered the option for interns to participate in an afternoon shift if there was a specific area the intern wanted to have more experience in. After the hospital, we would return to the International Medical Aid residence.
In the afternoon depending on the day, we would either do community outreach or do a culture trek to immerse ourselves into the Kenyan culture. Some of the most memorable cultural treks were visiting a park where we watched a giraffe and crocodile feeding, and we spent time with very large tortoises.
A group shot taken at a community outreach clinic at a local secondary school for women's health education.
What is one thing every future participant should know about the Physicians Assistant Internship before their program begins?
One thing that a future participant should know before their program begins is that it is okay to ask questions of doctors at the hospital. In the United States, it is common to not speak unless spoken to, but this is not the case in Mombasa. The Kenyan culture is very open to questions, understanding that this is the best way to learn.
For instance, while I was participating in my pediatric rotation, the doctor I was shadowing wanted me to interact with the patients he saw by asking them questions and writing down their symptoms. From that experience, I was able to get comfortable talking to the patients and became more comfortable asking the doctor questions.
Would you recommend International Medical Aid to others? Why?
I would absolutely recommend the program to other students. International Medical Aid provided me with a secure and unique experience that was such a great learning environment for me. We interacted with the doctors at the hospital, learning things about Kenya’s healthcare system and the burdens of disease that impacted Kenya and other countries in Africa.
The program really helped me become passionate about my future career, especially observing the doctors from Germany and Turkey who flew in to perform free surgeries for the Kenyan people. This really inspired me to find a way to help people and give back to underserved communities like that in the future as a physician assistant.
What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?
The biggest benefit of traveling abroad is experiencing a culture that is so different from your own. From experiences such as visiting different cultural centers and community outreach, I was able to immerse myself into the Kenyan culture. My most memorable community outreach memory was going to a school for a menstrual health education session.
At the end of the session, the girls at the school performed songs and dances for us in both English and Swahili. I loved the people that I met within the internship program. I still keep in contact with a lot of the people that I met in the program and we all have plans to meet up once we are all done with school.
A group of interns and myself outside of the hospital on our last day of the internship program.
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
My time abroad has secured my career direction. I am more confident that a career in medicine as a PA is my calling and my purpose. From observing the doctors and other medical professionals at Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital, I was able to observe how to interact with patients and track their hospital journeys during their illnesses. Participating in the internship also strengthened my passion for helping others as I observed a lot of individuals who were in need. This made me want to do everything I could to help them.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel means creating experiences that stay with you long after you return to your home country. The experiences I made in Kenya were unforgettable and really shaped me as a person. By observing healthcare in a developing country, I was able to strengthen my passion for healthcare and the desire to help others.
After I returned to the United States from Kenya, I was able to share my experience with others. I was able to do a research capstone project at my college on the Malaria vaccine that was recently approved for use in Africa. With my research project, I was able to reach out to one of the doctors I met during my internship and he was able to provide a real-world impact for my presentation. I often feel like a piece of me is still in Kenya and I know that a piece of Kenya will always be with me.
