As a medical intern, I spent three weeks in the city of Madurai, India during my college winter vacation. Before my departure, I was given plenty of background info on the area along with emergency numbers that I could provide to my family back home. Thanks to the Projects Abroad staff that was waiting for me at the airport, I never had a sense of being lost or confused. Equally as welcoming was my host family who took the time to make me feel comfortable and teach me about the local culture. Getting situated in the area did not take long and my orientation was informal but informative. I was lucky enough to be living in a home that was about five minutes from my placement, Hannah Joseph Hospital, and even luckier to be rooming with a South Korean named Minsik who would be interning with me.
Being an undergraduate, I didn’t expect to do much other than observing but I greatly underestimated what I was able to learn during my time. Hannah Joseph Hospital specialized in neurosurgery and was headed by the accomplished Dr. Arunkumar and his trained staff of nurses and fellow doctors. There were three ICU units that took up each level along with an E.R. and O.R. For most of the week I would follow Dr. Arunkumar during his rounds and observed how he interacted with the patients and nurses. He was generous enough to take the time to explain to me what he was observing and made sure I understood the procedures. I also spent time with the nurses and patients and was able to look at X-ray, CT and MRI scans along with patient history records. Thursdays were the scheduled surgery days and was where I learned the most during my internship. I observed surgeries for aneurysms, spinal laminectomies, brain tumor removal, facial and skull reconstruction and subdural hematomas and was also able to take close up pictures. These operations would often last several hours, but the environment of the hospital and Minsik’s company made the time seem shorter than it was. During my last day, I was up for over 24 hours not because of packing, but because I saw three different surgeries that were spaced only a couple hours apart. Needless to say, there was hardly ever a bland day in the hospital.
My time in India could not be fully described without bringing up how I was able to experience the culture and locations of the country. Befriending other interns such as Minsik and a fellow American named Ben, we traveled to different parts of India during the weekends and also visited local temples and attractions within our immediate area. Thanks to their encouragement, I even managed to face my fear of heights by climbing to the top of a mountain. Learning and experiencing the culture with them was a great way to spend the time and led to many great memories.
For health and general traveling, I brought a mosquito net and lots of repellant. I only had one fever during the trip but it went away rather quickly after taking some medicine. I highly advise anyone to take all the required immunizations, drink plenty of water and always be cautious of the food. The bottom line is to have fun but be safe about everything.
Overall, I would highly recommend anyone who is medically inclined to sign up for an internship through Projects Abroad. You will pick up professional skills, observe serious medical situations and learn both from observing and actively questioning the staff. While the price may drive people away, I will say that my placement was definitely worth the cost and more. I believe that anyone who keeps an open mind and is proactive with their positions will find their time well spent with little to no regrets.
