It has now been about a month since my return from Belfast, and I’ve found myself reflecting on what was such a meaningful global experience. The Social Roots of Medical Innovation program was a unique opportunity both academically and culturally. Before this program, I knew very little about the social contexts that shaped trauma care within post-conflict communities. I learned so much about the role of landscape and conflict that have shaped the community health systems in Belfast over time.
This experience gave me an amazing opportunity to explore how social strife or conflict can develop a need for trauma care. Since the program was based in both Pittsburgh and Belfast, it was interesting to draw connections back to Pittsburgh while abroad. I did not expect the narratives of trauma faced by each community to align so closely with long-term social dynamics created by the physical landscape. As an aspiring healthcare provider, absorbing the value of truly listening to a community will help me to approach care in a human-centered way that contextualizes the way conflict has shaped someone’s life.
Being able to walk along the Shankill Road helped me to understand how the interface barriers act as a physical symbol of division within a broader psychological landscape. The art along each interface displayed and reinforced trauma that becomes carried across generations. Engaging with community members at the Shankill Women’s Centre shifted my perspective as I learned about the ways resilience has been formed within a community that is moving past this shared history of conflict and trauma.
It was amazing to learn outside of the classroom from professors, peers, and locals from various perspectives. Between walking throughout different parts of Belfast and engaging with interprofessional faculty work at Queens University, we were better able to grasp the culture of the community, forming lifelong connections. All of the professors and peers in the program were very welcoming, providing a fulfilling time abroad with new friendships and memories beyond the course.
Coming into this experience, I wasn’t sure what to expect, as I didn’t know anyone else in the program or have a complete sense of the course load. However, the program was set up in a great way that balanced both academic content as well as time to get to know one another and explore Belfast. The lessons I have learned will be carried into the rest of my career at Pitt, opening new ideas on our healthcare system through a social lens. My advice to students on the fence about studying abroad is to just do it. You will not get this experience anywhere else, and the Frederick Firsts programs are the perfect opportunity. Keep an open mind and embrace your time abroad, as you may discover a passion that will shape your future path at Pitt!
