Public Health Study Abroad Programs

My experience in Kenya was amazing. I loved fully embracing the culture and meeting so many new people. The people who worked at IMA and in the hospital were wonderful. From the moment Michelle picked me up from the airport, she made IMA feel like home. She was so welcoming, and we quickly became very good friends. I also grew very close with Hilda, who always went above and beyond to make me feel at home and let me know I had a friend in her. The kitchen and housekeeping staff made my time at IMA even more enjoyable. The housekeeping team once even washed my scrubs when I forgot to put them out—something I truly appreciated. I loved the food at the residence, especially the cake! It was really fun when a few of my friends and I got to help make a cake and cinnamon rolls. The residence quickly became my home, and I’m so grateful for that. I feel that I grew as a person both in the hospital and in everyday life, as I was constantly challenged to step out of my comfort zone. The special relationships I formed and every moment I spent in Kenya will stick with me forever. I truly cannot wait to return someday. Everyone comes into this world with nothing. Most people spend their whole lives working to have something—then leave this world with nothing again. So, your soul must gain more than your hands. That sentiment has come to define the way I view my daily life after my internship in Mombasa, Kenya. I've always struggled to find my passion and purpose. Yes, I have things I enjoy doing, but nothing defines who I am as an individual. It's something I’ve prayed about for as long as I can remember but never quite felt to come to fruition. That changed during my time in Mombasa. I found the importance of being a part of a community greater than myself and the impacts small actions can have on others for an eternity. I can truly say it set me on the path to becoming a better version of myself—a better future physician and a better friend. I witnessed the beginning of life, formed lifelong friendships, and saw the end of life. The full cycle. And through it all, I was challenged to value every part of my life more deeply. Birth. As Dr. Shazim would say in every debrief, “Let’s start at the beginning of life. Maternity.” Before arriving at Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital, I was pretty determined to become a pediatrician. I have always been somewhat apprehensive about going into a specialty where death was on the line, and admittedly I had never stepped into a surgery prior to theater 2 at Coast General. Thus, I have spent most of my shadowing hours in a pediatric clinic. However, surprisingly, the maternity ward quickly became my favorite rotation. I could directly see my feelings about Kenya correspond to labor. Mothers spend months preparing to deliver their babies. They feel everything—excitement, fear, anxiety. There’s always an adrenaline rush. No one knows exactly what will happen, but the mothers, nurses, and physicians prepare for the moment a baby finally comes into this world expectantly. That’s exactly how I felt arriving in Kenya—a rush of emotions and so much uncertainty. A dream I’d held since high school was finally coming true, but I had no idea what to expect. The culture shock, the unknown, the lack of healthcare resources—it was all very real. But the maternity ward shaped me into the kind of physician I want to become. Witnessing a woman’s intense pain during labor to then peacefully hold her newborn is a moment I will carry with me. Despite the challenges of pursuing a career in medicine, like labor, being a part of some of the most shaping and important aspects of someone’s lives will make it worth it. In Mombasa I thought I’d be most influenced by the physicians, but it was the strength of the women that inspired me. They made me want to be the best physician I can be—for them. From C-sections to natural births, witnessing the beginning of life reminded me that nothing is guaranteed. I walked away with a new calling: to pursue a career in obstetrics and gynecology. I looked back on my journal entries for my rotation in the maternity ward, and I couldn't help but smile. The women I directly got to help, either by stretching with them during labor or holding their hands, I will always remember, and that empathy I learned while in Kenya will shape me into the best physician I can become. Friendship. Throughout my life, many people have influenced me. I’m a firm believer in “friends for different seasons”—some friendships fade, and some stand the test of time. Friendship is an impactful aspect of a person’s life and shapes who they are and become. In Mombasa, I saw the true value of friendship: in patients, mentors, fellow interns, and strangers. Growing up, I attended the same private school from kindergarten to senior year. I graduated with seven people, and I was not challenged to step outside my comfort zone and interact with different types of individuals. However, during my time in Kenya, I was able to reflect on different friendships I had encountered and truly what I had learned from other individuals in my daily life. There were friends who rallied together after tough shifts at the hospital. Friends like Hilda and Michelle, who made Mombasa feel like home. Patients who opened up to me—confided in me—as if we had known each other for years. Strangers asking me what I was doing in Mombasa and fully welcoming me into their city and culture. There were friends who became like family. I watched physicians rally around one another to care for a community in need. That kind of camaraderie—rooted in compassion—deepened my belief in the importance of human connection in medicine. According to Harvard Medical School, medicine has somewhat lost its human connection due to technology: “At its best, being a doctor is an extraordinary and intimate privilege. We build relationships with our patients and see them through times of both joy and suffering; our relationships with each other help us through the same. It's hard to do that in a way that's truly satisfying when we spend most of the day at the computer screen” (Harvard Health, 2016). At Coast General, resources and technology are very limited, and these physicians and nurses must communicate with the patients and peers, which depends on human connection and in turn often creates a more positive experience for the patient. I specifically saw this at the medical clinics, as physicians had limited resources but collaborated and did their best to help every individual, which is something I deeply admire. Death. I wasn’t prepared to see someone take their last breath. I expected panic, sadness, maybe fear. Whenever I have had a loved one die in the past, I usually view it in a negative way. But the death I witnessed was peaceful—like the patient was ready. In a strange way, that’s how I felt leaving Mombasa. I expected to be in tears, not ready to leave the place I had called home for the past month. But instead, I felt peace. Peace that I had experienced something life-changing. Peace that I had grown spiritually, emotionally, and personally. Peace that I had found friendships that would last a lifetime. In a way, this feeling of “death” will stick with me as I start my career to become a physician. The feeling of peace is advice I can pass onto others who are losing a loved one. Death is inevitable, but while in Kenya I learned it can also be peaceful. Death does not have to have a negative connotation, but the narrative of death can be changed for the better. “If you think about it, life is nothing but thoughts, and our thoughts come from the mind. Our thoughts are an internal path leading us somewhere. To the next thought, the next idea, the next life. Everything is created with thought—emotions, designs, and theories. Where thoughts lead us is the most important thing; it’s our inner path leading to freedom or suffering” (At Peace With Death | Bennington College, n.d.). The people in Kenya were steadfast in their faith, and this helped me realize that in some way we are all just walking each other home. I feel like this is an important lesson to take with me in my journey to become a physician, as I have to come to peace with death and help loved ones keep moving forward in their lives. Souls. Souls tie people together. A soul is what makes someone who they are—and it’s shaped by every experience, every relationship. Kenya changed my soul for the better. I poured into others. I learned patience. I experienced a completely different culture and let it shape me. In the pediatric outpatient ward, I met a young girl named Nora who became obsessed with a balloon glove I made for her. That small gesture—something so simple—brought her joy, and in turn, filled me with joy. It made me more aware of how even the smallest acts can have a big impact on someone else’s soul. Yes, Kenya was culturally different from my small town in Georgia. But what struck me most was the people—their outpouring of love and gratitude. They valued what they had. They didn’t take life for granted. In the Western world, we often measure worth by material things—by how much we have, not by how full our lives are. But in Kenya, I saw the meaning of the phrase “Make sure your soul gains more than your hands.” Even amidst poverty and corruption, people remained faithful, grounded, and fulfilled. That lesson is one I’ll carry for life. Before Kenya, I struggled to articulate my "why" for medicine. My answer was something generic—“I enjoy helping others.” But now, I understand it's deeper than that. Medicine isn’t just about helping others—it’s about having a soul-level impact. What I saw, experienced, and endured in Kenya wasn’t easy. The children begging for food outside our Ubers, the lack of basic life-saving devices in the hospital, and people dying due to lack of ICU beds. None of this was glorious, but the community of people that rallied around each other was. Despite differences in ethnic and religious backgrounds, I saw new mothers look out for each other and their newborns, which is a testament to the people in Kenya and the type of person I want to be for others in my life and when I become a physician. Following my arrival home from Kenya, I was asked to speak at church about my experience. I gave my presentation about my time in Kenya and the ways Mombasa and Coast General impacted my life. I will still struggle to put into words the impact the experience had on me. However, unbeknownst to me, the sermon directly following my speech was about souls. About how people have started to value what they materially have in this life over friendships and the impact they have on others. But whenever one dies, none of those materialistic things goes with them, but their soul does. The experiences and impacts that others have on their soul go with them to their next life. Thus, I realized that the impact Kenya had on my life will stay with my soul forever, and consequently the impact I had on others will stay with their souls. Those who connect medicine with the soul are the difference between a good physician and a great physician. The main physician I saw this connection in was Dr. Faruk. Spending the day with him in the diabetes and thyroid clinic, he taught me the importance of finding my voice and passion in medicine that subsequently has an impact on others' lives. He is starting his own nonprofit to help children with type 1 diabetes get access to insulin. This is something he is passionate about and will have an amazing impact when accomplished. Dr. Faruk is an inspiration for me, as he is the physician I want to become. A physician who is not in it for the money or for the fame but is in it for the direct impact that they have on others' souls and daily lives. As Sir William Osler said, “The good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease” (Centor, 2007) International Medical Aid has shaped me into the physician I want to become. My time in Mombasa taught me the importance of understanding each patient’s story and beliefs, and the responsibility I have now to leave a lasting impact on everyone I meet. These challenges and lessons will stick with me forever and my growth as an individual is all accredited to my experience in Mombasa, Kenya.

This trip was truly life-changing and inspiring, and I am very thankful for all of the staff for their amazing support through the process. I loved everything—the food and culture were beyond amazing. I want to give a shout out to my bestie Janet; she accompanied me through my weekend treks. I had a blast with her, and I’m so glad she’s the one that went with me. I never felt unsafe during my time in Kenya, and for that I am so appreciative. I think one of the most positive experiences I made on this trip were the friendships I made, but also the community outreach events we had. There was nothing more eye-opening than going to underprivileged communities and providing the extra support that they desperately needed, which is proper healthcare. I am so blessed to have been able to experience something like this with such a well rounded program. Thank you!! The first time I heard about IMA, I was immediately intrigued. I remember seeing the program, and it fueled my curiosity that had been growing ever since I thought about doing an internship. The idea of actually getting accepted into such a program felt almost far-fetched. I have never taken the time to apply to anything like this before, so the idea of stepping into this opportunity was so thrilling yet nerve wracking. I was lucky enough to have a supportive circle around me—people that encouraged and reminded me that I was capable of doing anything I set my mind to. With enough convincing, I applied. In my mind, I thought, “What’s the worst that could happen? I don’t get accepted—or I could end up having the craziest experience in Kenya.” Fast forward a couple months, and I find myself at the Royal Suites residence, staring in awe at what the next three weeks of my life would hold. I was greeted by a wonderful group of peers and staff, and from that moment, I knew I would be in good hands. Walking into this program, I had some experience as a medical assistant in a neurology office. However, that was completely different from what I encountered at Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital. I vividly recollect the first day I arrived at the hospital, knowing I would encounter far more striking cases than those back home. During my time there, I rotated through the Emergency, Pediatrics, and Surgery departments, and I also participated in night rotations at least once a week in other departments. Before beginning, I received an orientation that included discussions on what to expect in terms of medical cases, as well as the local culture and customs. I was told that healthcare in Kenya was severely understaffed and poorly supplied due to location and financial reasons (Cultural Approaches to Pediatric Palliative Care in Central Massachusetts: Kenyan, n.d.). I was also informed that many patients present with advanced stages of illness, often as a result of financial constraints or religious beliefs. During my time in the Emergency Room, I saw many patients that would arrive with advanced cancers, severe infections, and untreated wounds. When asked about the situation, the most common response was that they simply did not have the money for treatment. Others would say the nearest medical facility was too far from their homes, requiring them to strategically plan when they could make the trip. One response in particular really struck me: a patient’s family explained that they were relying on prayer to heal their loved one, believing it was best to let God provide the cure. As a believer myself, I was impacted and inspired by that statement. However, it was hard to reconcile because many of the situations I saw needed urgent attention. In those moments, it felt challenging to accept that faith alone was being relied upon in circumstances where timely medical care was critical. There are many traditions of healing and medicine that Kenyans use. Various natural remedies are commonly used such as African potatoes, rooibos, and the hoodia cactus. Additionally, there are rituals that are performed for spiritual healing. For example, shells, bones, and stones are used to communicate with ancestors or spirits to learn more about the patient’s health condition (Brooke, 2023). When I was in the hospital I never encountered someone that firmly believed in these practices, but I heard from the nurses around that it was used by many patients. In terms of patient care, I witnessed a wide range of cases. Being in a public hospital, I observed severe understaffing as well as lack of essential tools equipment. There were many moments when I would instinctively look for an instrument we would normally have back home, only to find it unavailable. In those situations, we often had to improvise and make do with what was already on hand. I vividly recall one night during a shift a patient began coding. One of the nurses was desperately searching for a BVM (bag valve mask), going drawer by drawer in an attempt to find one. The search took four or five minutes, and by the time the mask was finally located, the patient had already been declared deceased. I don’t know if the patient would have survived had the mask been found and used sooner; regardless, the situation highlighted the critical lack of necessary resources. Another example of improvisation was when gloves were used as tourniquets, which led to supplies running out more quickly. I remember one shift in the PICU, I was reminded that one of the mothers that gave birth to two beautiful boys was in intensive care due to birthing complications. One of the nurses approached me and one of my peers, asking if we were interested in feeding the babies. Without hesitation, we both agreed. I have never fed a premature baby before, so I was incredibly nervous and assumed there would be a machine of some sort. I was wrong. We had to use a syringe, carefully letting the milk independently go through the tube. This process was time-consuming, as we had to hold the syringe up in the air to allow the milk to flow, which took roughly ten to fifteen minutes. At times, the milk would get stuck in the tubes or even harden, creating additional challenges. I remember hearing that these methods were used back in the day, so it wasn’t uncommon—just time-consuming and requiring extra attention. Typically, Nairobi and the Central Province are considered to offer the best public healthcare, while the North Eastern Provinces are generally more underdeveloped in terms of medical infrastructure and resources. There are private hospitals in Nairobi that are very respected and known to be top tier (Healthcare in Kenya, n.d.). After all that I have learned during this trip, I returned home with a deep sense of appreciation for the healthcare providers I had worked alongside, as well as a strong desire to continue learning more about global healthcare practices and the challenges faced in resource-limited settings. Witnessing the dedication of the healthcare providers who worked tirelessly despite limited supplies and overwhelming patient needs gave me a deep sense of respect and admiration for their commitment to their patients. I recall all of the conversations I had with the providers and students—one thing was clear: they all shared a deep love for the field. They acknowledged that their work could be challenging and frustrating at times, yet none could imagine doing anything else. There was genuine passion and grit behind every single provider, evident in the care they provided and the dedication they showed to their patients. I witnessed what it was like to think quickly on my feet and rely on the limited skills I had. These experiences taught me that healthcare isn’t just about medicine—it’s about human connection, understanding, and trust. I will be sure to bring these lessons into my career by prioritizing empathy, effective communication, and cultural sensitivity. I’ve always had a deep passion for healthcare, shaped both by my childhood interests and personal experiences. This trip has only intensified my passion, leaving me with a strong desire to learn and do even more in the field. I fully plan to return to Kenya and work at Coast General once I am a certified Physician Assistant, so that I can gain more practical experience while contributing to the healthcare system and properly helping patients in need. My time in Kenya was transformative. It exposed me to the realities of healthcare in resource limiting settings, challenged me to develop critical thinking skills and adaptability, reignited my passion for healthcare, and strengthened my commitment to pursuing a career as a Physician Assistant. I am determined to apply all that I have learned in every aspect of my future practice—fully dedicated to serving patients with compassion and cultural competency while continuing to seek opportunities to learn and grow as a healthcare professional. Beyond the clinical skills, this experience taught me the importance of patience and resiliency. This applies to myself and the patients. I learned how small gestures like listening, showing empathy, and providing reassurance can have a profound impact on the patient’s wellbeing and steps to recovery. Allowing myself to see how other providers navigate such a challenging system inspired me to think of more solutions and think proactively about improving healthcare, even in similar situations where resources are limited. I have gained an appreciation for proper teamwork and collaboration. It was refreshing to see how providers rely on one another to manage heavy workloads and ensure the patients’ comfortability—some demonstrated it better than others. This experience has diligently motivated me to approach my future career with a humbled mindset of service, humility, and continuous growth. Every patient encounter is an opportunity to make a meaningful difference. I am now more committed than ever to properly advocating for patients, embracing diverse perspectives, and integrating proper cultural competency in all aspects of my future practice.