What inspired you to travel abroad?
I have always wanted to see how I could combine learning about other cultures and medicine. Being able to do just that as a pre-med intern with International Medical Aid in Mombasa, Kenya, was a dream come true.
I really wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone and get first-hand experience both in healthcare and personal growth in a different environment.
Additionally, to add to that idea, I wanted to learn about health and medical care outside of the U.S.
Why did you choose your specific program/organization?
I chose this program specifically because it offered a very compelling and rich experience in medicine and culture different from U.S. practices that I was looking for in an internship.
Furthermore, the staff and mentors were very inviting, and the program seemed very safe and informative.
I was very interested in the rotations that were offered with this program, which included shadowing surgery, OBGYN, and pediatric departments in particular.
What was your favorite part about Kenya?
The outlook of so many individuals I connected with, the rich sense of community, and the importance of family in Kenya.
Even in the most difficult situations, it was so incredibly shocking and beautiful to see how the Kenyan people continued to show such kindness and happiness.
This demonstration of connectivity is something that I will always take with me, especially living in the United States.
The resourcefulness of many of the physicians was incredible to observe and very eye-opening in the context of healthcare.
Women's health clinic at a local school in the community.
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
All the people I connected with, including but not limited to staff, interns, doctors, clinical officers, patients, local students, and anyone else I met, truly made the experience so impactful.
This experience was very emotional at times, but it truly taught me so much about life and perspective, especially in the context of healthcare.
It was very rewarding leading discussions and giving back to a community that was so helpful in teaching me about both life and medicine.
I wish to return someday to the hospital as I pursue a career in healthcare because of the impact it has had on my trajectory in medicine.
How did the local program staff support you throughout your program?
Local staff was very helpful when it came to adjusting to a new environment and understanding cultural differences.
They were very inviting if any interns had any questions or concerns. I really appreciated their willingness to always be available and ensure the safety of interns. They were amazing at helping us establish connections and facilitating interactions with doctors, local schools, and outside activities.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
Overall, I don't believe there was anything I would really change about my experience abroad. Possibly, one thing I would have done differently would have been to build up the courage to ask questions–especially to physicians, earlier there.
At first, the program’s availability of procedural examples intimidated me. Finding the balance between asking questions and being respectful was hard to navigate.
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
On a typical day, we started with eating breakfast around 7:30 am. We usually left for the hospital and started our shift around 8 am.
I rotated in the following departments: Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, OBGYN, Emergency Medicine, Radiology, and Surgery.
We then were able to eat lunch at 2 pm (if we were not working an afternoon shift).
Then, we would leave for a local school around 4 pm in order to lead discussions about hygiene and women's health.
Then, we would get back to the residence around 6/7 pm for dinner. I typically journaled after dinner and spent time getting to know my fellow interns.
What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?
I really enjoyed going on treks, including the Masai Mara Reserve Trek. This excursion was truly such an amazing experience to learn about the community in Kenya through a different lens outside of healthcare.
This safari was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me, and it was so thrilling and fun meeting new people and bonding during safari.
I also really loved drawing in my free time, whether that be drawings from the procedures I saw that day or posters that I gave to International Medical Aid for them to use in their clinics.
I received my certification of completion for my internship.
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
We lived in a very secure residence that included housing for all the interns and a guard that was able to ensure our protection at all times.
I really appreciated the attention to the security and safety of interns. The access to food and beverages that were scheduled for us was very lovely and reliable.
The staff was overall very nice and hardworking which I really was thankful and appreciative of.
What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?
One thing a future participant should know is how emotional this experience can be at times. It truly pushes you out of your comfort zone.
I think being mentally prepared to be uncomfortable at times but knowing what rewarding and life-changing work it all is.
Would you recommend your program/provider to others? Why?
I would definitely recommend this program to others because it truly does connect learning about culture and healthcare in a great way.
There is so much opportunity for growth and learning through this experience. It provides exposure to a diverse array of medical procedures and health situations, as well as cultural differences and connections with people.
What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?
The biggest benefit of traveling abroad is a greater and deeper understanding of the world outside of one's own life and experiences.
There are truly so many incredible people with such different stories. To be able to have that experience and connect with people of all types of backgrounds is invaluable.
All of these connections, both personal and professional, in health care can lead to more possibilities for good.
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
My time abroad definitely impacted the way I view a lot of the cultural differences between Kenya and the US.
The cultural differences between both places were more prominent coming back from Kenya, and I took a lot of what I learned from this experience and applied it to my life.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel means travel with the intent of learning something about the country's culture and way of life. Immersing oneself into a different culture and learning about their perspective and daily challenges is a super important part of meaningful travel.
For me, this experience was so incredibly meaningful because it was unique to the country, people, and places I interacted with.
