What inspired you to go abroad?
When I was younger, I often overheard fascinating stories from one of our dear family friends, who was an OR nurse. Every year, this incredible nurse and father of two would leave for 2-3 weeks with an organization of nurses and doctors to Ecuador. This was not a vacation among friends, but rather a mission abroad to administer essential medical aid. They were constantly working in makeshift hospitals where their skills were desperately needed. When he returned home, he often spared me the details but never left out the poverty and sheer need he witnessed.
To this day, at almost 60 years of age, he still returns annually and provides as much aid as he can. He remains a great inspiration to me, due not only to his evident heart for humanity, but also his continuing dedication to volunteer his time and expertise to those in need.
While this wonderful human being spurred my childhood dreams of going abroad, I never thought it possible to have such an experience without first earning a medical doctorate, which I was in the process of pursuing. It was not until one of my best friends returned from a similar program through our university that my dreams of going abroad started to become a reality.
However, her experience was different as it focused directly on community outreach. This was intriguing, but my heart was set on being a part of an organization that provided medical support. This led me to the discovery of the organization that would change my life, International Medical Aid. From that point on, there was no doubt in my mind that I would be going abroad no matter the cost.
Why did you choose International Medical Aid?
#Canadian girls
As mentioned above, I was determined to find a program I could join that offered medical aid without requiring me to first earn a medical degree. I remember finding the international medical aid website early on in my research, and how it continually outranked similar programs in affordability, accommodations, safety, and most importantly, experience.
This was common to all International Medical Aid programs, but was most evident in their Mombasa, Kenya Program. Another aspect that really drew me to the organization was its ongoing community outreach. I was constantly seeing videos and images of their weekly women’s health and hygiene clinics. After I saw where our money was directed and the amazing work being done with it, there was no doubt in my mind that this was the program for me.
In the aftermath of this trip, I realized there were innumerable other amazing partnerships and resources this organization was a part of, with the sole purpose of giving back to the community. Looking back now, I don’t think there could have been any better organization for me, and I am so very grateful I was a part of this experience.
What was your favorite part about Mombasa?
Kenya was an absolutely stunning country. I spent the entirety of my time abroad in the bustling city of Mombasa.
I remember being completely awestruck at the perpetual life encompassing the city. I recall vividly, in particular, the early morning drive back to the residence from the airport after I first arrived. The sun was still well below the horizon, and yet as we made our way to the residence, the city was completely alive. I remember seeing food trucks, street vendors cooking over a fire, bars, and strip malls all lighting up the dark morning sky.
When the sun finally rose, I was finally able to take in the beauty of the city as a whole. The word that comes to mind most when thinking about Mombasa is unique. The city was unique in countless ways, from the thousands of personalized buses driving around the city to the different districts, from the tropical feel of the white sandy beaches to the stunning savannahs. Kenya truly felt like it checked all the boxes.
One of my personal favorite gems in the city was the Bombolulu workshop and cultural center. While lesser known than other more common tourist attractions like Fort Jesus and the Mombasa Tusks, I felt this remarkable community represented the essence of what I will always take away from my experience in Kenya. The ingenuity and resilience of the people who have created a sanctuary for disabled members of society and given them jobs to make a living. The beautifully crafted textiles, jewellery, and other items could then be bought at the gift shop to help support these families.
Animal Sanctuary
In addition to providing housing to them and their families, there was also a school on the compound, which just demonstrated how dedicated the community was to enriching the lives of its residents. As we toured through the cultural center aspect of this community, I remember our guide mentioning something that has stuck with me. He said, “You know it’s crazy how we are seen as a third-world country, and yet to me we are rich in humanity that other first-world countries never get to experience,” and in that moment, I saw it was true.
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
There were countless aspects to my time abroad that made this experience absolutely unforgettable. The local staff showed us such hospitality, and the community clinics filled us interns with such joy and laughter. It was clear the impact this wonderful community had on our hearts. As I mentioned before, the country was so incredibly beautiful, and it took me a while to take in all the sights. I loved every aspect of my experience, from walking along the sandy beaches to standing inches away from the operating table, watching my first-ever craniotomy.
With that being said, what I am likely to remember the most from my time abroad is my time spent in the emergency and maternity wards. It was my time in the hospital that I feel most strongly impacted who I have become as a person. It was in the maternity ward and emergency department where I was able to interact most strongly with the patients directly.
While I was never providing medical aid myself, I performed my role best as an emotional support person. Holding patients’ hands as they underwent painful, minor surgical procedures with little to no anesthesia. I will always remember the frightened face of a young first-time mother as she grabbed my wrist, pleading for me to stay with her. Followed by the heaviness that overtook my body as my feet cemented in place, unwilling to move even an inch until she had completed the labours of childbirth.
Although I was not delivering her baby, the simple idea that I played even the slightest role in easing her pain filled me with gratitude for this experience, and it was this gratitude that truly made this experience extraordinary.
How did local staff support you throughout your program?
Our mentors, the residence and kitchen staff, as well as the doctors and nurses, were absolutely fantastic and continually demonstrated unwavering hospitality. All our mentors were always just a call away and did everything in their power to ensure we always felt safe. All the caregivers in the hospital were so welcoming and always trying to know more about us, and wanted to form a genuine connection.
Outside of the hospital, we spent most of our time, especially early on, with our mentors who were always taking us on excursions and touring around the city.
In addition, the mentors would always encourage us to take care of our mental health and provide the opportunity to discuss what was on our minds, whether that be a difficult case or a death we had witnessed, or simply just to be a companion.
One of the best examples of how the staff supported me in particular was when I developed a short bout of food poisoning. While it was no fault of their own, the lovely kitchen staff prepared me a hot bowl of bone broth soup. This was such a lovely gesture, and it further emphasized why I never felt homesick throughout my experience because the local staff truly treated us like family. Even though they were busy taking care of the residents and preparing food for the other interns, I will never forget the heart-warming compassion they continually demonstrated throughout my stay.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
My time abroad was an extraordinarily meaningful experience, one that I will forever be grateful for. The only thing I wish I had done differently would have been to extend my stay. I spent a month in Kenya, and ever since I arrived home to Canada, I have wanted to return.
I learned so much in my time away, and it was honestly the best 4 weeks of my life. I just wish I could have gotten more of it. I would have loved to go on the Masai Mara safari if I had the time, but I knew I wanted to prioritize my time spent in the hospital, and looking back, I would not have done it any differently.
I am so fortunate for every second I spent in the hospital, trying to absorb as much as possible, including all the sights and smells. It was two months after I returned to Canada, and I could still recall the smell of the emergency room at Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital, where I spent my first week and my last night shift.
I truly hope one day I will return to this same hospital, only then I will not just be an intern observing a foreign world, but I will be a doctor able to give back to the very same community that shaped the physician I will become.
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
Haller Park
A typical day in my life abroad began with the waft of breakfast coming from the kitchen. I would wake up and get dressed in our International Medical Aid-branded scrubs and walk into the dining room for breakfast. While devouring a delicious breakfast often complete with a large platter of various fresh fruits, I would often be greeted by one of the mentors, ensuring I was feeling ready and excited for the day.
Depending on our rotation schedule, we would either leave at 8 or 9 am, and our IMA driver would pick us up at the residence and drop us off directly in front of the hospital, where he would return for us 5 hours later. Once arriving at the hospital, I would make my way to my designated rotation for the week, accompanied by 2-5 other interns, and proceed to find the lead doctor of the department. The head doctors and nurses would provide a briefing on the happenings overnight, and I would then spend the rest of the shift asking as many questions as possible and absorbing as much information as possible.
Our driver would then return for us, and we would arrive back at the residence just in time for another delicious meal. After lunch, I would try to make the best of the day, whether that be going on a planned excursion to Haller Park, going to the beach or the mall, or simply lounging around the pool.
On weekends, there were often trips or community programs such as the mental health clinic or my personal favourite, the community medical clinics, where we were actively contributing to the well-being of the community.
To end the day off, after yet another prepared meal, many of us interns would play card games or watch a movie together before all pairing off to journal about our experiences that day.
What did you enjoy doing during your free time abroad?
Throughout my time abroad, I wanted to spend as much time in the hospital as possible, so I would often take the opportunity to do night and afternoon shifts, which left me with little free time.
Looking back now, I am still extremely happy I made the choices I did because I knew how valuable my time in the hospital was and cherished every moment of it. With that being said, there were a number of opportunities available to us after our rotation at the hospital and during the weekends.
Some days I spent by the pool reflecting on my time in the hospital or reading a good book. Other days, I spent getting to know my fellow interns as we explored Kenyan culture together. I mean, what better way to bond than on the back of a camel?! I made such amazing connections while abroad, and I loved getting to know other like-minded students and being able to learn from those who were ahead of me in their medical careers.
Part of me wishes I had been able to explore more of the city and potentially visit Nairobi, but I realize now that this is simply a way of holding myself accountable to return to this beautiful country and experience all it has to offer.
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
I would definitely give my accommodations a 5-star review. For the duration of my time in Kenya, I, along with 12 other girls, lived in a beautiful house in a gated community. I shared a bathroom and fully furnished room with two other girls, complete with an air conditioner and multiple functioning power outlets.
There were a handful of other apartments on the IMA compound, all of which were relatively modern and well-looked-after to accommodate the other interns during the especially busy summer months. I was truly amazed by the care the housekeeping staff provided us interns in every aspect of our stay.
Every morning, lunch, and dinner, we would have a healthy chef-prepared meal, often accompanied by large amounts of fresh fruit, and if there were any diet restrictions, the cooks always took care to accommodate the students’ needs. Not only was our food taken care of, but every day after our hospital rotations, we would return to a freshly made bed and clean laundry twice a week. I never imagined in a million years how well we would be looked after, and I cannot thank the staff enough.
While I greatly appreciated the staff and all their contributions, I must say one of my favourite parts of the residence was definitely the pool. One of my fondest memories outside the hospital would have to be the many Saturday afternoons the other interns and I would spend sunning ourselves by the pool, waiting to welcome the new arrivals to the residence.
What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?
Women's Health Clinic
One thing I think is important to remember going into this program is that each intern will have a very unique experience. For example, even if two interns have the same rotation schedule, they will interact with different patients and learn from different hospital staff.
However, the biggest piece of advice I could give would be simply to prepare yourself and enter the program as much as possible with an open mind. You will see and hear of many difficult situations and often have to deal with death first-hand. It is important to remember this is not a simulation to enhance your learning; you are in a hospital with actively sick patients, and real complications can arise that may have been taken for granted in your home countries. This is almost always due to a lack of resources, which in itself can sometimes be enough to trigger tear-jerking emotions.
Even with this in mind, I don’t think any amount of reflection can truly prepare anyone for their experiences abroad. It is not just death and desperation you must prepare yourself for. There is so much joy and inspiration that can be experienced throughout this journey abroad, even in the hospital.
There were times when I was brought to tears just thinking about the perseverance of so many of the patients we saw and how long they had endured excruciating pain simply because they could not afford medical attention. I think this emotional roller-coaster of a time abroad caught many of my fellow interns off guard, including myself, and if I’m being honest, I think that is one of the most important parts of this entire experience. To shake you to your core until a new perspective arises and you return home a better version of yourself.
Would you recommend Global Health & Pre-Medicine Internships to others? Why?
In a single word, absolutely! I cannot rave enough about how amazing this program is and how grateful I am to have been a part of it. I have tried to convince every pre-medicine student I know to follow in my footsteps.
However, I know this program is not designed for everyone. As I have mentioned above, I think everyone who wishes to embark on this amazing learning experience must first thoroughly consider the emotional toll it can take. This is an amazing program for anyone wanting to pursue medicine, especially those who have considered a career in providing international medical aid.
In many ways, this program forces its interns to witness some of the hardest parts of being a physician and the emotional and physical toll it can take on the doctors, as well as some of the most inspiring cases. If you are not prepared to immerse yourself in what it means to be a physician in an under-resourced community, this is likely not the organization for you.
However, if you are a pre-medicine student desperate to learn the intricacies of what it means to be a physician and learn directly from doctors and nurses, all while gaining a unique perspective on how healthcare is deeply rooted in culture, then this is most definitely the program for you.
What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?
There are so many amazing benefits to travelling abroad.
First off, travel abroad allows you to experience and learn from a new culture you might otherwise never experience. For me, this was extremely rewarding because I had never travelled outside North America before, and this experience opened my mind, allowing me to realize how vastly diversified our world is and how much I still have to learn.
With that being said, I think the most beneficial part of traveling abroad, and this was especially true for me, was that it pushes you out of your comfort zone. While I never felt afraid during my time abroad, I was constantly, but in situations that were out of my comfort zone, and as a result, I feel as though these experiences have made me a better, more capable person.
In a way, these situations instilled a confidence in me that I had never known existed. I wanted an experience that required my full attention and put me in situations I might not have been ready for, but felt as though I needed to be a part of, and this was exactly what I received with the International Medical Aid program.
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
In a single word, my time abroad has given me perspective. Perspective on healthcare as a whole and where I belong in it, perspective on the emotional and physical price physicians must endure, and perspective on life itself.
While in Kenya, there were many times in the hospital when we interns would reflect back on our own healthcare systems. Coming from a country with free universal healthcare, a number of us Canadian interns were in complete shock at the condition many patients would enter the hospital with. Awful diseases they had endured for years simply because they could not afford treatment.
In many cases, these various illnesses had progressed so severely that the doctors were rarely able to treat, let alone cure, these patients. This absolutely humbling realization only furthered my appreciation for our Canadian healthcare system as well as my appreciation for medical workers, especially in regions with limited resources.
Women's Health Clinic
Prior to traveling abroad, I had been repeatedly warned of the emotional and physical toll emergency medical responders endure, though I had never been able to truly experience this. After being physically immersed in the daily lives of the emergency doctors, I realized first-hand the extraordinary compassion and emotional strength one requires to work in emergency medicine.
I will always remember one surgical resident in particular who exemplified these qualities and treated each patient’s ailment, no matter how minor, with devoted attention. Going into this program, I always thought emergency medical professionals were required to remain reserved and not show their emotions, otherwise it would interfere with or disrupt their focus. After spending time with this one surgical resident, I see now that this is not always the case. He assessed each patient with grace, demonstrating both empathy towards the patient as well as a deep desire to heal them, even if that meant causing them temporary pain resulting in long-term relief.
In addition to extending empathy toward patients, I learned that a large part of working in under-resourced communities is being forced to make impossible judgment calls, even when there are no good answers to be found. While other students might have been turned off at the realization of these high demands, I was truly inspired, and I was imbued with a newfound dedication to pursuing this career. A dedication that I now take with me daily in my studies and through every other aspect of my life.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
In my opinion, the term meaningful travel should push you to immerse yourself in the culture and daily lives of your host country. To open your heart in such a way that you take a small piece of your experience with you when you leave. This was definitely the case with my experience in Mombasa, as we were exposed to many Kenyan customs both outside the hospital and within. I remember different aspects and interactions from my time abroad that continue to shock me to this day, and I know I will hold these memories in my heart.
I also believe meaningful travel can be interpreted simply, as traveling with the intention of pursuing a cause or need that you feel a strong connection to. For me specifically, travelling abroad with International Medical Aid allowed me to pursue a desire to learn and be a part of a community of physicians. Those who generously donate their time and energy to the betterment of society.
No example better demonstrates this than the community medical clinics the organization holds twice a month. In these clinics, doctors and nurses from private and public hospitals alike donate their time and expertise directly to those in need. These clinics are completely free of charge, providing members of society access to valuable healthcare they might otherwise never receive.
I had the privilege of working in the pharmacy during one of these clinics, where I helped the physicians organize and refill prescriptions. I felt as though I was actively playing my role in contributing to this amazing community, and it was this aspect, pursuing a cause that was so dear to my heart, that truly made my travel abroad meaningful.
