Hi, my name is Kate and I am a junior at the University of Montana studying human biology and psychology. I am hoping to pursue a career in medicine and for my beyond-the-classroom experience, I participated in a 3 month medical and teaching internship in Nepal. Over my time in Nepal, I had the opportunity to shadow doctors and nurses in 3 different hospitals in the Kathmandu Valley as well as teach health and hygiene classes to students across 3 different schools. My internship was very self-led so most days I was the only intern/student that was observing in the hospital, although I often had between 4-7 housemates at any given time who were also doing separate projects. I became very familiar with using the chaotic public transportation in Kathmandu and each morning I would have breakfast, head to the hospital, and start my day doing rounds or observing appointments and procedures in the outpatient department.

I was lucky to be surrounded by Nepali nurses and doctors, so during slow times they would help me practice my Nepali language skills and they would tell me more about their lives outside of healthcare. Because of this, I was able to communicate more with locals and patients in their language which really made me feel connected more to the people and their culture. Moreover, I taught first aid, public health, and sexual/reproductive health classes to students ranging in age from 9-14 years old. Public and global health is my global theme for GLI so I really gained a broader perspective about healthcare in a developing country through my internship. Moreover, my teaching experience was greatly informed by the things I learned and observed in the hospitals. I was able to focus the curriculum on subjects like first aid and hygiene because I observed that many people had limited education on these topics and would end up in the emergency room because of it.

I am so grateful to have had this experience and I learned so much about medicine, culture, and education in a country so different from the United States. On top of it all, I was able to explore all around Nepal including trekking, seeing tigers and rhinos in the jungle, and visiting many cultural sites. It was an amazing experience and such a unique way to learn and immerse myself in a new culture!