What inspired you to take a gap year in Tanzania with Gap Medics?
Tara: When I finally decided that I wanted to undergo the application process for medical school, I realized that a major requirement was work experience. Being only 17, work experience in local hospitals was hard to come by, so I decided to look for placements overseas, and this is what really attracted me to Gap Medics as it combined the two. Another reason was the fact that we were placed in a secure volunteer house; I have never been too keen on being placed in a family. I chose Tanzania because I had never been to Africa and was really interested in learning more about the country and the culture.
What were some highlights of your travels?
Tara: The whole month was amazing but there were a few highlights. The most incredible one was assisting the surgeon during a C-section; having the opportunity to cut the umbilical cord was incredible! The staff at the house were also very helpful and assisted us in organizing excursions during our free time. During the week a few us went to help out at the local orphanage, which was a lot of fun as we got to play with the children and help out. During weekends we could either plan trips to the island of Zanzibar or a 3 day safari to the Ruaha national park. I had always wanted to go on safari so that was definitely a highlight as I was able to see a lot of animals up close including a cheetah!
How has this experience impacted your future?
Tara: Personally, my experience has been very enriching. Having never travelled on my own, I felt like it really helped; it taught me how to be more independent and responsible while giving me a lot of confidence to go out and do things on my own. My time in Tanzania was a huge help to my application process to medical school. It was a main focus point of my personal statement but also was something the panel was very interested in during my medical school interview. Academically, seeing so many interesting and exotic cases during my placement helped me with my studies as I have seen some of the conditions that are discussed.
