Student Study Abroad Experience

These feelings are already rare in a career that is so intimidating, and so unbelievably difficult to achieve, but having a chance to pursue something so incredible, makes the biggest difference. As a student pursuing medicine, before you get a chance to even think of healing people you are required to tick boxes. These boxes qualify you to maybe get a seat at the table at a medical school but don’t reflect how well of a medical provider you will be. This is why minorities, or first generational students like me do not pursue careers in this field. I grew up in a family with parents that had to squash their dreams to work and keep their heads over the water for their children. Their sacrifice has opened doors for me, including the chance to attend university and pursue greater opportunities. 

As I marched on into my journey to becoming a PA, I recognized my need to gain medical experience under my belt early in the game. I found a program called Med X. This is a medical enhancement study abroad opportunity in the Dominican Republic. I watched their videos and read up on their mission and immediately knew it could be for me. After applying, a few months later I was accepted. Hurray! Right? Well yes, of course. Any pre-med student would be jumping for joy -- not only am I going out the country to the Dominican Republic, but I’m also going to be shadowing surgeons and getting community service...and more? This couldn’t be more fitting. Still, I couldn’t get over the fact that I may not be able to afford the program and doubted that I could go. After months of procrastinating the trip, my support system encouraged me that I could do it. With a little financial planning, I was definitely able to pull it off. I had these limiting beliefs holding me back from something more. 

Without overcoming this I would never have been able to get over 30 hours of shadowing and clinical hours. Including amazing procedures, I got to learn from and watch from up close like neurosurgery, an amputation of a diabetic foot, or a knee replacement in ortho. I also achieved 20 hours of community service by visiting a shelter for boys where they were being cared for, and we got to play with them. We also did two workshops where the first one focused on vital skills such as manual blood pressure, checking heart rate by pulse, and even learning the tools to test glucose. We got to then provide these services to the community of La Vega, and you’d be surprised how many people were willing to be taken care of just because it was free, and they trusted us. That was beautiful. In our second workshop, we learned about phlebotomy (drawing blood) from a licensed Dr. through a presentation. Then, we got to practice using little mannequins that had faux blood and faux veins. This practice was like no other, and I felt prepared to draw blood if asked to. 

Although this was an amazing opportunity for myself, and I hope to achieve many more, I want myself and others pursuing this field as a first generation to know it starts with just one opportunity and the moment you start believing you can do it. I am a co-founder of a new club on campus to do exactly this. It is called, “Black Health Profession's Organization.” My goal is to ensure my members receive the proper resources to achieve their dreams as well. Everyone can achieve their dreams even if they have less to do so. If it is in God's plan it will succeed.