As I prepare to leave to study healthcare systems in Austria and Slovenia, it’s important to set some expectations for how my experiences will shape me.

Personally, I believe traveling abroad will strengthen my confidence. Traveling requires navigating foreign environments, and though I will be surrounded by my peers and will have the guidance of my professor, I am bound to face challenges. I expect that overcoming these challenges will build my confidence in my abilities. By pushing myself outside of my comfort zone, I hope to become more adaptable, more resilient, and ultimately more comfortable with discomfort itself. Growing comfortable with discomfort will help me to pursue future opportunities that my current self may not yet feel brave enough to take and to remain calm in the face of adversity.

Professionally, I believe this program will foster my development of a comprehensive and culturally informed lens of healthcare. By observing firsthand how Austrians and Slovenians practice medicine, I hope to gain unique insights and perspectives from experience that I would not encounter within the U.S. healthcare system. Additionally, through engaging with individuals from diverse backgrounds and immersing myself in Austrian and Slovenian culture, I aim to strengthen my ability to create inclusive, respectful environments for every individual I work with—regardless of their background.