What inspired you to travel abroad?
For me, going abroad was about broadening my horizons and allowing myself to defy my own borders. As an individual who has lived in my hometown since birth, I found it of the utmost importance to allow myself to see more of the world that wasn't just my small southern town.
As an inspiring working professional and physician, I think it's always important to learn more about the world around you, to meet people that broaden your mindset, and allow yourself to experience life outside of your comfort zone.
Why did you choose International Medical Aid?
Originally when choosing my program, I wanted to find an organization that would not only allow me to personally challenge myself, but also allow me to make a huge difference in the lives of others. As long as I can remember, it has always been my passion in life to help others whenever they are in a time of need.
As I grew older, I started to make the connection with my passion for others and my passion for medicine. I started to understand how the two intertwine with each other so congruently; I could help so many people through the power of medicine. While the process of me becoming a physician is still rather early, I still want to be able to help as many people as I possibly can along my journey to becoming a doctor.
What was your favorite part about Kenya?
What I loved most about the Kenyan community was how kind and welcoming everyone was to complete strangers. As an American, I knew traveling to a foreign country during a peak political crisis of the Black Lives Matter movement as well as the COVID-19 pandemic was going to make traveling as a tourist very difficult.
I know our country had been stigmatized during these times and I was very afraid that the behavior of some may reflect negatively on all Americans during my stay in Kenya. Would they think poorly of me for being an American or judge me for how history has unfolded? To my surprise, I was welcomed into the country with open arms. Every single person I met along my time in Kenya were some of the most sweet, genuine, and fun loving people I have had the pleasure of meeting in my life. I was never nudged from where I came from or looked at negatively for being an American.
More than anything, the Kenyan community was curious to learn how America is from my point of view and not what had been stigmatized through social media or news outlets. It was like a breath of fresh air to come into a place that feels so warm and friendly, making Kenya so much more enjoyable.
With students at a local elementary school after a hygiene clinic
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
I believe what made my experience so extraordinary in Kenya was all of the community service work we were able to complete. Almost every day of the week, the program allowed the interns to go out in the community and provide basic care to the citizens.
This was done by providing weekly clinics to the community or even planning educational health lectures at local elementary schools. While I was able to perform care to patients within the hospitals in Kenya, it meant so much more to me to go out into the community, meet and care for so many amazing individuals, and get to see the difference you get to make in their lives. I believe it can be hard to really get to see the difference you make in the medical field from just being in a hospital setting.
Primarily, caregivers perform the best care possible and can only assume they will be better once they are discharged, never really seeing the outcome of their patients. But, being able to actually see the kids at the local schools learn from our clinics and see the smiles on their faces made the experience worthwhile.
How did the local program staff support you throughout your program?
The staff of International Medical Aid was absolutely amazing. They always made sure all of our basic needs were met such as cooking, cleaning, and driving us everywhere we went. They also made sure to build a relationship with us and to make us feel like this was really our home.
If I was ever sick, the staff would personally come check on me, ask me how I was feeling, and personally let me know when meals were made. It was very evident that the staff truly cared for my well-being and those of the other interns. That was the biggest support I needed during my time abroad.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
During my time in Kenya, the one thing I wish I would have done differently was take more notes/ physical documentation during my stay in Kenya. While I do believe I took plenty of notes during our morning rotations and health lectures, I wish I would have taken more pictures during procedures or illnesses that I witnessed.
Since I took plenty of notes during our rounds, it would have been even more beneficial to have a picture to support all the notes that I had taken. It would have allowed me to make deeper connections and understanding to what I witnessed in Kenya and could even be used as a resource to refer back to during my journey to becoming a doctor if needed.
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
A typical day in the life of an International Medical Aid intern consisted of waking up around 6-7 in the morning, eating breakfast and getting ready for your morning rotation at the hospital. Most shifts are from 7am-12pm or 8am-1pm. During these shifts, each intern is assigned to a weekly department where we shadow doctors, watch procedures, and assist in basic care in our scope of practice.
After our shift, we return to the residence where the staff has prepared us lunch and we get ready for our daily shift debriefing. During these debriefings, each department discusses their day and any major takeaways they experienced in the shift. Once the debriefing is over, we then would have our afternoon activities that usually lasted until dinner was ready.
These activities consisted of cultural lectures, medical lectures, performing clinics within the community, or even touring the host city. After the activities, we would then return to the residence for dinner and be released for free time around 6pm-7pm to do whatever we chose around the residence or community until curfew at 9pm.
Some interns and I teaching hand-washing
What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?
During my free time, my favorite activities consisted of walking around the city of Mombasa and getting to shop at local stores, learn about the culture, see the local sites, or eat at local restaurants. What was really convenient about where we stayed in the city was how close of a walk everything was.
This allowed me to easily walk and grab coffee at local coffee shops, walk on the beach, or even go to local grocery stores. Although I was a tourist in such a beautiful city, it was rather comforting to get to do "local activities" and immerse myself in the African culture even though I was just a tourist.
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
The accommodation to the residence we stayed in was far better than anything I could have imagined. The residence was a large mansion that was located in an upscale, central area of Mombasa. There was a pool, WIFI, security and staff on site at all times.
The landscape of the home was absolutely breathtaking and kept maintained and watered daily. All of the residents roomed with each other in bunk beds, usually 3 to a room, and shared a bathroom with 2 - 3 other rooms. Each floor of the mansion had its own common area and mini kitchen, with one main living room, dining room and kitchen in the grand area of the mansion. All residents stayed within this one residence.
This made the residency so much more fun because it felt like we were all at one giant adult sleepaway camp. Other than all of us living in one huge home together, the best aspect of our accommodation was how close our residence was to the rest of the city. Whenever we had free time, the interns were always just a simple walk away from the beach, a restaurant or even local stores. It allowed us to fully immerse ourselves into the life of Kenya, but also allowed us to stay entertained when we did have down time.
What is one thing every future participant should know about the Pre-Med/Health Fellowship before their program begins?
I think the biggest piece of advice that every intern needs to know before going to their program is to be prepared to take notes and ask as many questions as possible. This internship is a once in a lifetime opportunity and every working professional is there to answer your questions and help you along your path to success.
You're going to see and learn a lot of vital information that will help you along your journey to becoming a medical professional and you are going to want to be able to easily recall and remember the information they give you. Write down notes during lectures and rounds. Make notes of any words or jargon you are not familiar with to research later. Make a journal for your program and make it your lifeline because your memory is only so good for so long.
Some interns and myself after teaching a feminine hygiene lecture during the weekly clinics at one of the elementary schools
Would you recommend International Medical Aid to others? Why?
I would absolutely recommend International Medical Aid to my peers. I actually do it all the time. This internship has allowed me to grow so much as a medical professional and gave me an extra boost of confidence to pursue my dreams and make them feel possible. I got amazing medical exposure, provided care for the community, worked in local hospitals and made connections that will last a lifetime with both interns and medical staff.
As an aspiring physician, it is so essential to a medical school application as well as to your future career to have the exposure that International Medical Aid has to offer. Without this internship, I do not believe it would set me up for such great success - and that is why I would recommend this program.
What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?
For me, the best part about traveling abroad is getting to broaden your horizons and experience cultures that are so different from your own. I think it is important to experience life outside what is considered normal, because life is different for everyone around us.
The best part about traveling abroad is getting to slip into the life of someone else and experience it from someone else's point of view. This really allows your mind to understand the magnitude of life outside the one you live. I believe getting to experience that level of understanding of life makes studying abroad so beneficial.
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
My time abroad has really allowed me to grow as a professional and as a person. Since my time abroad, I feel like I can just take on the world. It has allowed me to see the world in such a different light and that I can accomplish whatever I can set my mind too. I also believe I am a much more open-minded person since my travels abroad.
When traveling abroad, I believe you get to open yourself up to new experiences and life lessons. Due to this, your sense of open mindedness has been broadened. Because I traveled abroad, my beliefs have broadened my life, allowing me to become a more educated and stronger individual.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
To me, meaningful travel is all about taking the experiences during your travels and finding a way to grow as a person from those experiences. To me, that meant becoming a stronger and more confident individual. As a girl from a small town in Kentucky, I didn't think it was possible for me to travel across the planet, by myself, shadow under medical professionals, and learn the day in the life of a physician.
Since then, I have allowed myself to become this strong and confident woman who is sure of herself and her future. Because I studied abroad, I was able to become a better version of myself, which makes for a very meaningful travel experience.
