What inspired you to go abroad?
A goal of mine, ever since I developed an affinity for altruism and human compassion, has been to serve in underprivileged parts of the world.
When I was just in third grade, I learned that my elementary school had begun a fundraiser to build an elementary school in Kenya. For some reason or another, I felt compelled towards this cause; thus, out of the one thousand dollars that my school had raised, I managed to contribute two hundred of my own through bake sales, personal savings, and donations from family members.
Fastforward to 2025, I stumbled on the opportunity to actually go and visit Kenya on a study abroad trip, the same country where I helped build a school 13 years prior. It was something that I knew I had to do right when I first learned about it. I had been approved to do study abroad trips in other parts of the world as well, like Portugal and Greece, but I chose to go to Kenya to help an area that is less fortunate and where I could gain the most learning for my personal career.
I would have never in a million years known in the third grade that the country of school I was helping build would be my first study abroad later on; it is definitely the most inspiring full-circle moment of my life to date.
Why did you choose International Medical Aid?
Completion of Internship
I chose International Medical Aid (IMA) because of the location of the internship they offered, which was Mombasa, Kenya, as well as the fact that they provide an all-encompassing approach to their internship, where I would be supported for years after I finish my actual trip in terms of medical school applications, letters of recommendation, and more.
To me, it felt more like a long-term career investment to go with IMA rather than just a trip or unique experience.
What was your favorite part about Mombasa?
The best part of the host city, Mombasa, Kenya, was definitely the people. Everyone was so nice, kind, and caring. They viewed us foreigners in their country with curiosity that stemmed not from a place of ethnocentrism, but from a place of wanting to accept us into their home country.
Moreover, despite a lot of the hardships and poor circumstances these individuals face on a daily basis, they still found ways to remain happy and to cultivate a positive atmosphere, no matter where I went. It was truly inspirational seeing people be grateful for what they have and the position they are in. It made me reflect a lot about my own personal satisfaction with my life in Canada.
Visiting the hospital for the first time
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
I think what made the trip extraordinary for me was the level of immersion we students were subjected to in Kenyan healthcare and community outreach.
Before leaving, I was worried that there wouldn’t be enough things to do in Kenya after completing the hospital shifts. This was a false belief, as when I got to Kenya, the program providers had devised a complete schedule that ensured that we did something new every day.
It was truly remarkable how much I was able to witness and accomplish in just four weeks, not only in the hospital, but outside of it as well.
How did local staff support you throughout your program?
The local staff on residence and in the hospital during my trip were absolutely wonderful. On residence, everyone was so cheerful and kind. They provided me with everything I needed without hesitation and were very hospitable, as if the program residence was genuinely my home. Hospitality is a huge part of Kenyan culture, and I definitely felt the benefits of their accommodation throughout the trip.
Similarly, at the hospital, the nurses, doctors, and surgeons were also very kind and humble. They recognized the gravity of their work without compromising other aspects of their character or life, a trait that is so admirable to me and something I strive to develop as I grow older myself.
Most staff members in the hospital went above and beyond in teaching us during patient consultations or procedures, which made the experience that much more informative and fascinating.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
At the beach, looking over the Indian Ocean
Kenya borders the Indian Ocean, and our program residence was about a 10-minute drive from the beach. I went to the beach a few times, but my biggest regret was that I didn’t actually get to swim in the ocean (it would either be too late in the day, raining, etc.). I would have liked to have swimming in a major ocean crossed off my bucket list, but maybe next time.
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
Typically, my hospital day shifts would be from 8 am to 1 pm; this meant that I would get up by 7 am, take a quick shower, grab my scrubs and day pack, and head downstairs to the main living quarters. At 8 am, after eating breakfast, a bus would pick us up and take us to the hospital.
At the hospital, we would be assigned to a specific unit with other interns, where we would spend the whole day observing doctors, helping and talking to patients, and learning as much as we could during our shift. At 1 pm, the bus would pick us up from the designated drop-off and pick-up area and would take us home.
After coming home, we wouldn’t have much time before we had to leave for a mandatory second event of the day, whether it was a city tour, hygiene education session, debriefing, or more. These would typically start at around 3 or 3:30 pm, which gave ample time for lunch and a quick nap.
After our second event of the day, we would be home at around 6 or 7 pm; dinner would be served right away, and we had the rest of the night to ourselves. I would typically go to a local gym to work out and FaceTime my family and friends. At around 11 pm, I began my nighttime routine and went to sleep for the next day.
What did you enjoy doing during your free time abroad?
During my free time in Kenya, I really enjoyed going to a local gym and working out. It was pretty small, and the equipment would be rusty, but it got the job done.
Additionally, alongside some of my friends in residence, we enjoyed going out to eat dinner at nice restaurants in Kenya. We even went to a restaurant on a boat and got to sail on the river as we ate lobster, which was definitely a highlight of my trip.
On the weekend, we also enjoyed going to a local club with music, pool, and a beach view. This was kind of like the residence hangout spot on weekend nights, as it was very fun and was relatively close to the residence.
Other than that, I stayed to myself on residence, completing work on my computer or facetime my family any chance I could.
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
The program residence was very big, comfortable, and accommodating. It was like one large building with separate houses for the boys, girls, and the main living quarters. It even had a pool, which we spent a good amount of time in throughout the week. Every room had an air conditioning unit, which was well needed in the hot and humid weather in Kenya.
We had all three meals made and served to us buffet-style in the morning, afternoon, and evening. The food was very good, and the menu would constantly be changing, from traditional Kenyan food to classic burgers and barbecue. There would also be snacks available at our disposal in case we were still hungry.
Moreover, while we were on shift, we had people come in and clean our rooms, shoes, and scrubs. I would come back to my residence to my room being spotless, which was very considerate of the local program staff. I have absolutely no complaints about my stay in Kenya whatsoever!
What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?
In the maternity ward at Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital
The main thing that someone should anticipate before going on their own trip is that the internship is unfiltered and sometimes unforgiving.
Something I admired about the program was how we interns were not shepherded or protected from any of the harsh realities present in the hospital. This allowed me to grow my sense of humanity and compassion at an unprecedented scale later on during my experience, but initially, seeing these truths about Kenyan healthcare came with a hefty shock value.
Just being mentally prepared and ready to see a side of the world that the individual has most likely never seen is crucial to overcoming this shock value and to fully understand the severity of the Kenyan health crisis.
Would you recommend Global Health & Pre-Medicine Internships to others? Why?
I was very anxious about leaving for Kenya. I had spent a lot of time and money preparing for this trip, and what I dreaded more than anything was returning from the trip and not feeling satisfied or fulfilled with the experience.
However, what made this experience so amazing is that it was valuable in more aspects than I could have ever imagined. Of course, I gained valuable clinical experience, but apart from that, I learned how to navigate relationships with other brilliant individuals, discovered the meaning of life, and gained a renewed perspective on my purpose in this world. I came home genuinely satisfied with everything that the trip had to offer, not just what I was anticipating from the start.
For all these reasons, and for reasons I simply do not have the time to convey through this interview, this trip was undoubtedly worth it.
What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?
There are so many benefits to studying abroad that it is genuinely hard to choose one. However, I feel like learning about different cultural norms and traditions is crucial to these experiences.
However, I also learned that simply learning is not enough; it’s about integrating different practices that resonate with you from another country or culture into your moral compass, habits, behaviour, and way of life.
Hygiene education session in a rural primary school
For instance, in Kenya, I witnessed a different perspective on being grateful and content in life, which helped me realize that my worries in Canada were relatively insignificant in the grand scheme of things. As a result, my life has become more stress-free, I have become more confident, and I have more control over controllable aspects of my life. This realization may have been delayed, if ever it occurred, had it not been for this experience.
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
It has been 7 months since I returned from my trip. Frankly, the trip in its entirety does not even feel real to me. It still feels like it occurred in a distant dream to me because of how distinct my life was there compared to my life back in Canada.
However, I still hold on to the lifelong lessons that I learned from the trip. Most importantly, I carry myself in school and in my professional endeavours with a renewed sense of purpose to achieve my goals in medicine. I came back feeling almost intoxicated with motivation to become a doctor to the point that I wanted to relinquish all other things in my life, like sports, to pursue this goal.
When the time is right, that’s what I intend to do, and I intend to come back to Kenya to visit and hopefully practice in the same hospital that welcomed me in 2025.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
To me, meaningful travel is when the trip reinforces an individual’s sense of purpose. It sparks the individual’s passion and instills within them the motivation to carry forward with what they feel they are destined to do. This holds true for me in medicine, but could also be the case for lawyers, photographers, athletes, entrepreneurs, artists, or any other line of work that sparks the interest of the individual.
This reinforcement can also be accomplished with the temporary withdrawal from passion, such as a vacation, to restimulate the brain, provoke new ideas, and avoid burnout. I truly do believe that travel can always have meaning if the traveller chooses to attribute meaning to it themselves. Luckily, I did not have to look too deeply to figure out how meaningful my study abroad truly was.
