Why did you pick this program?
I picked this program because I wanted to participate in the Health Studies portion. I thought it sounded interesting to learn about the Chilean health care system and gain insights by shadowing doctors and nurses in Santiago hospitals.
What do you tell your friends who are thinking about going abroad?
Do it. Just go because this is one thing that you will never regret and it will change your life.
What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?
Definitely just don't be afraid to get out on your own and explore the city. It has so much to offer that you won't be able to see it all, but if you get started right when you get there, you will be able to do and see some pretty cool things. Also, save your money because you're going to want to travel.
What's your favorite story to tell about your time abroad?
One time, I was in surgery at the hospital and we were required to be in scrubs, so we just wore the same scrubs as everyone else in the hospital. I was standing in the operating room before the surgery started and the surgical resident came up to me and started rattling off instructions in very fast, medical Spanish.
Of course, I didn't understand anything, so I just kind of stared at him blankly, until he said, "Are you an intern?" That's when I hurriedly assured him that I was in fact just a student here to watch the surgery and he said, "Oh," and walked away to find the real intern. This perfectly describes the first couple weeks of my experience. I was always confused and didn't understand a lot, but now it's hard to imagine that I ever felt out of place in Santiago.
What is one thing that you wish you would have (or wouldn't have) brought?
I really wish that I would have brought more contact solution, because it turns out that it's really expensive in Chile. Also, I'm really glad that I packed light on clothing because it made getting dressed in the morning really easy and I was able to fit a lot of stuff in my suitcases when I was returning to the States.