Fun and Valuable Experience

I recently just completed a study abroad trip with Projects Abroad in Shanghai and my placement was a medical internship. I am a pre-med student and I knew that Shanghai was becoming developed and I wanted to also experience the medical system of another country and of another culture. The hospital I was placed in was one of Shanghai’s top teaching hospitals and many doctors are well known in the country. A picture of me even went on the news for a liver transplant between father and son. I was placed in the departments I wanted to be in and being in the surgery room was very rewarding. Internal medicine departments were as well because I got to see patient medical histories and listen to how the doctors would treat these patients according to their day to day conditions. The accommodation was down to earth Shanghainese style but fully equipped and decent in size. There’s around five volunteers in a flat and the rooms are very nice (sheets and blankets provided). Tap water is not available for drinking in Shanghai so drinkable water was also provided. I do not think host family is an option for the Shanghai option for the China study abroad but if it is, I would think it’d be a more rewarding experience because it really lets you into the life of a Shanghainese family. The volunteers who I stayed with were coincidently all placed on a medical internship as well and it was so fun to go to and from work each day together, eat lunch at the cafeteria and share our stories. Getting around Shanghai was easy especially with the staff support. They picked us up and also help us call taxis to the airport. They checked up on us and was always there to help when we call or message them. We get an allowance for the trip duration (for food, sightseeing or other necessities) and even if you feel that it won’t be enough to spend, it actually will be. I used it on trying out the different local authentic restaurants. And it was also worth it to go souvenir shopping (so definitely go with your flat-mates). Overall it was a valuable experience and I hope I could apply to go abroad to another city.