What inspired you to travel abroad?
I was inspired to go abroad after a previous abroad experience in the first semester of my college career. I went to Dublin, Ireland and attended the University College Dublin during my first college semester.
I had such a wonderful experience abroad, that I knew I would want to go abroad again. Both times, being abroad allowed me to explore different aspects of my individuality and strengthen my vocational identity.
Why did you choose International Medical Aid (IMA)?
Instead of doing another study abroad program, I wanted to be able to explore my career path in a different country. International Medical Aid allowed me to view the day-to-day life of physicians while gaining a deeper understanding of universal healthcare practices.
During my time at Coast General Teaching and Referal Hospital, I was able to observe seven different departments. This helped me figure out what I was and was not interested in pursuing in the future.
What was your favorite part about Kenya?
My favorite part of my host country was the people I was able to meet and the local amenities we were allowed to explore on our own. Especially in the hospital, the doctors and other healthcare workers were more than willing to explain certain procedures or techniques they were using.
Whereas, I have had few shadowing experiences in the United States that portrayed the same patience and understanding. The hospitality I experienced all throughout my time in Mombasa was nothing like I had ever experienced.
Caught a glimpse of a giraffe in the wild during the Masai Mara safari trip!
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
My experience abroad was so hard to put into words, but extraordinary was certainly one of them. Overall, my life inside and outside of the hospital was so much more than I could've ever anticipated. Inside the hospital, I was able to view surgeries I could only dream of viewing one day in medical school. Outside of the hospital, I was able to form a connection with a local orphanage, and I still text the founder to this day.
The group of interns during my eight weeks there also made my experience extraordinary, and I don't think it would've been the same without them. I was able to form such close friendships, and they were my support system away from home!
How did the local program staff support you throughout your program?
The local staff was extremely supportive throughout my entire time in the program. Both the program mentors and house staff were always willing to help me out with whatever my needs were. Specifically, the program mentors were always accessible, even throughout the day and night.
Even on night shifts, my program mentors would respond to my texts and questions. The house staff always made sure that I was comfortable in the house, and had appropriate meals to eat with my dietary restrictions as a vegetarian.
Did International Medical Aid (IMA) provide specific pre-departure Covid support? If yes, tell us what kind of support you received.
Yes, my program did provide specific pre-departure COVID support. They made sure all of the interns knew the exact expectations of customs and stayed connected with me throughout the pre-departure period to ensure I was all set to land in Kenya. Whenever I had questions regarding these expectations, they would respond in a timely manner!
How did International Medical Aid (IMA) help you stay (and feel) safe abroad amidst the ongoing pandemic?
My program and program mentors helped me stay safe before, during, and after my time in Kenya during the ongoing pandemic. Before my departure, they ensured I had my COVID test and vaccination registered for a smooth entry into the country.
During my time in Kenya, they offered COVID tests if we were feeling unwell, and provided masks for our time in the hospital. When it was my time to leave, they also offered COVID tests prior to my departure, and outlined any quarantine periods just in case!
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
One thing that I wish I did differently during my time in Kenya would honestly be to explore more of the local amenities. Since I was one of the more veteran interns staying there for eight weeks, while most people stayed three or four, I ended up going to a lot of the same places each weekend.
With each new batch of interns, they would want to visit the places the past interns would talk about, therefore I found myself visiting some places multiple times. With that being said, I wish I broke out of my shell a bit more to explore new places, even travel a bit farther to visit places I'd never been.
The last day teaching a hygiene clinic at a local primary school was bittersweet.
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
A typical day in my life as an International Medical Aid intern started around 6:30 a.m., allowing me time to wake up and eat breakfast before getting on the bus to the hospital at 7:30 a.m. The bus ride usually took 15 to 20 minutes with the morning traffic across the Nyali bridge.
Once we got to the hospital, we would separate into our different rotations, and walk to our designated departments. If I was in the surgical theater that day, then we would walk to the second floor of the hospital, where we would change into our second pair of scrubs before entering the sterile operating room. In each department, we would be assigned to a certain physician that we would shadow for the day, allowing us to observe their daily tasks.
The bus would pick us up from the hospital at 12:30 p.m., and lunch would be ready at the house upon return. Once everyone had returned from the hospital, all of the interns would gather in the living room to debrief on their day. This was always really interesting, especially to hear about something cool they saw in the hospital, or if they were in a department I hadn't shadowed yet.
If it was a Wednesday, we had a bit of time to relax at the house or by the pool until getting back on the bus to do a weekly hygiene clinic at a local primary school. Wednesday was always my favorite day, because I have always loved working with kids, and doing community outreach. Every week, we would either teach dental hygiene and hand-washing techniques or feminine hygiene clinics.
After the clinic, dinner would be ready for us at the house, and all of the interns would gather again in the living room to either watch Friends or play a card game. Later in the night, I would always take time to reflect on my day, journal, or talk to my friends/family before heading to bed.
What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?
One of my favorite things to do during my free time abroad was to visit the Baby Life Rescue Center, which was a local orphanage. Each weekend I would try to visit Baby Life to spend time with the kids or drop off donations/food. I loved spending time with the kids, playing with them, or singing songs with them that we both knew!
I also loved to go to the beach, and of course, visit Java House - which was a local cafe. They had the best chocolate cake in the entire world. With my friends from abroad, we would try to visit Java House at least a couple of times a week just to get their chocolate cake, we definitely became known by all of the staff at Java House!
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
During my time in Mombasa, we stayed in Woolsack Suites, which included one main house (kitchen, living room, and a couple of bedrooms), with side villas (including more bedrooms). I lived in the main house in one of the bedrooms upstairs, with two other roommates.
My favorite thing about the accommodation was the main house, as this served as a gathering area for all of the interns. I also enjoyed the fact that I had roommates and was able to grow closer to my fellow interns because it stopped me from secluding myself in my own room.
What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?
One thing that every participant should know before doing an internship with International Medical Aid is how to be respectful of people from different cultures. You are going to another country, with a different culture, different beliefs, and different values. They are not always going to align with your own, which is very important to understand.
I feel as though many other interns didn’t understand this, which led to insensitive comments. Especially in a healthcare setting, it is always important to be respectful and to know your place. Before going on an abroad healthcare internship, make sure to check yourself before you go, know what you can and can’t do, and know what is expected of you.
The first day teaching a hygiene clinic at a local primary school. So exciting!
Would you recommend International Medical Aid (IMA) to others? Why?
I would 100% recommend this program to anyone who is interested in pursuing a career in medicine. It is so incredibly important to have a deeper understanding of universal healthcare and health equity. This program showed me the good, the bad, and the ugly side of medicine, which you need to understand before choosing this as a career.
I didn’t just see the “happy” side of being a physician, because that is not the reality of being a doctor. I saw morbidity and mortality that you would never see shadowing in the United States, but this is necessary to understand and be able to cope with if you see a future in medicine.
I was able to shadow in seven different departments during my time in Mombasa; surgery, ICU, pediatrics, emergency, maternity, internal medicine, and radiology. I was able to get a better insight into these specialties, and what is expected of the position. Even before entering medical school, I have a more concrete idea of what I am interested in.
What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?
I feel as though the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is gaining an appreciation for a variety of cultures. During my time in Kenya, I was able to try new foods, learn a new country's history, try new fashions, and learn a new language.
Especially going into the healthcare field, it's so important to be able to interact with people from different cultures. With International Medical Aid, I was able to gain a new sense of intercultural competence that I can utilize during my future medical career.
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
Upon returning home, I was actually able to take a class called the Impact of Study Abroad, where I could reflect on my time in Kenya. My final research project for the class involved reaching out to the Summer 2022 interns and asking them about their experience in Kenya and how the internship affected them.
Overall, the main way we were affected upon returning home was by learning how to take care of ourselves after certain things we experienced in the hospital. I learned how important it is to take care of your mental health while pursuing a medical career, both while in school, and after you become a doctor. With the morbidity and mortality you experience every day, it is so important to take care of yourself as well. Upon returning home from Kenya, I have really thought about how this will impact me in the future, and I’ve started to find ways to take care of myself, while still achieving my goals.
I have also found new ways on campus to surround myself with diverse cultures. One of my professors is from Zimbabwe, and he loved to hear about my stories from Kenya, as it reminded him of stories he had while growing up. I was invited by him to attend a dinner with his colleagues from Africa. We ordered from a local Zimbabwean restaurant and I was able to engage in an intercultural conversation with a diverse group of professors.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
I believe that meaningful travel is so important to experience, and the outcome drastically differs from travel-for-pleasure. I’ve had both meaningful travel and travel-for-pleasure experiences. Meaningful travel allows you to leave with a better understanding of the country, its people, the cultures, and the customs.
During my time in Kenya, I was fully immersed in everything the country had to offer. Meaningful travel allowed me to do something with my time in Kenya. I was able to give back to the community, work with children, and create long-lasting connections.
