- Joined
- Feb 16, 2006
- Messages
- 39
- Reaction score
- 0
So I'm stuck between deciding which study abroad trip I would like to go. Both trips are offered next summer and I'm making it a special point to study abroad during my college experience. There are two that particularly catch my eye and they are both equally appealing. The first is a trip to Kenya with three local physicians to practice, and learn about, third world medicine. Here is the run down on the trip:
"We have a large number of pre-professional students in pre-medicine and pre-dental and this program is designed with them in mind to get service learning, Dr. Rice said.
Partners in Caring builds on a memorandum of understanding between WKU and the University of Nairobi. WKU has been working with the Kenyan school in recent years on a biodiversity and conservation project.
The course will be taught with the support of Dr. Michael Collins and Dr. Richard Clouse, both family practitioners, and Dr. Kelly Kries, a pediatrician. The programs objective is to develop a partnership among WKU pre-medical students, local physicians, University of Nairobi medical students and Kenyan physicians in order to enhance health in the Kasigau region of Kenya.
Students, though participation in rural medical clinics led by our partnering physicians, will gain an appreciation of Kenyan culture and medicine and learn about the epidemiological challenges facing a third-world country while having a substantive, engaged international learning experience, Dr. Rice said. This is a unique opportunity for our students,
In December, Dr. Rice, Dr. Collins and Dr. Clouse visited Kenya to establish formal ties with the University of Nairobi Medical School and to perform a needs assessment of the Kasigau area.
Residents of the region are poor and have no electricity or water. Access to medical facilities is limited to just three communities in the region.
And those facilities are very primitive, Dr. Clouse said. Theyve made use of what they have.
The group did surveys to get basic information and history of the villages and determine their health needs, which include childbirth education, HIV education, proper use of medications and use of mosquito nets to prevent malaria.
While the physicians will provide medical treatment, the students will take vital signs and medical histories of patients. What we found out was that we can do a lot of good, Dr. Rice said. Wed like to make this a sustainable program.
Once the program is established, the goal will be to make trips every six months during summer and winter terms.
The other trip is to Belize for two weeks to study reef and rainforest distribution. We would spend a week scuba diving in the great barrier reef 14 miles off the coast of Belize. 84 degree, clear water. We would each be able to conduct our own research on any given topic. For the second week, we would spend it in the rainforest and learn about the wildlife and ecology there. The teacher that is leading this trip is great and I know him personally.
I know I can't make someone else decide for me but this is my only chance to have an opportunity like this for either trip. I just wanted some opinions from others to see what others would do in my situation. 😕
"We have a large number of pre-professional students in pre-medicine and pre-dental and this program is designed with them in mind to get service learning, Dr. Rice said.
Partners in Caring builds on a memorandum of understanding between WKU and the University of Nairobi. WKU has been working with the Kenyan school in recent years on a biodiversity and conservation project.
The course will be taught with the support of Dr. Michael Collins and Dr. Richard Clouse, both family practitioners, and Dr. Kelly Kries, a pediatrician. The programs objective is to develop a partnership among WKU pre-medical students, local physicians, University of Nairobi medical students and Kenyan physicians in order to enhance health in the Kasigau region of Kenya.
Students, though participation in rural medical clinics led by our partnering physicians, will gain an appreciation of Kenyan culture and medicine and learn about the epidemiological challenges facing a third-world country while having a substantive, engaged international learning experience, Dr. Rice said. This is a unique opportunity for our students,
In December, Dr. Rice, Dr. Collins and Dr. Clouse visited Kenya to establish formal ties with the University of Nairobi Medical School and to perform a needs assessment of the Kasigau area.
Residents of the region are poor and have no electricity or water. Access to medical facilities is limited to just three communities in the region.
And those facilities are very primitive, Dr. Clouse said. Theyve made use of what they have.
The group did surveys to get basic information and history of the villages and determine their health needs, which include childbirth education, HIV education, proper use of medications and use of mosquito nets to prevent malaria.
While the physicians will provide medical treatment, the students will take vital signs and medical histories of patients. What we found out was that we can do a lot of good, Dr. Rice said. Wed like to make this a sustainable program.
Once the program is established, the goal will be to make trips every six months during summer and winter terms.
The other trip is to Belize for two weeks to study reef and rainforest distribution. We would spend a week scuba diving in the great barrier reef 14 miles off the coast of Belize. 84 degree, clear water. We would each be able to conduct our own research on any given topic. For the second week, we would spend it in the rainforest and learn about the wildlife and ecology there. The teacher that is leading this trip is great and I know him personally.
I know I can't make someone else decide for me but this is my only chance to have an opportunity like this for either trip. I just wanted some opinions from others to see what others would do in my situation. 😕
