It’s hard to believe my time in South Korea is already over. During my time here, I gained so much more than just internship experience. I learned new technical skills, became more confident in myself, traveled to places I had always wanted to visit, and met people I’ll definitely keep in touch with long after returning home.
Professionally, this internship confirmed that I want to continue working with healthcare and technology. Getting to design applications that will actually be used in clinical trials was an incredible opportunity, and seeing everything from research meetings to a live surgery gave me a much better understanding of how many different fields work together to improve patient care. Outside of work, I became much more independent. Living halfway around the world taught me how to adapt and become comfortable with unfamiliar situations.
I couldn’t have done this experience without the people around me. My coworkers were always happy to answer my questions and made me feel welcome in the lab from my first day. The other interns quickly became my friends, and I’m really glad we got to experience this trip together, from weekend trips to Gyeongju and Jeonju to baseball games, convenience store runs, and late-night walks around Seoul. My family and my boyfriend were also a huge source of support, both from home and later when he came to visit, which made being away a lot easier.
If I could give one piece of advice to future Frederick Honors College students, it would be to take advantage of every opportunity you can. Go on the weekend trips, try foods you’ve never heard of, explore different neighborhoods, and buy that cute thing (please you will regret not doing so). Some of my favorite memories came from things I never planned, like becoming a regular at a tiny coffee stand, taking a solo trip to Japan, or just wandering around Ikseon-dong for the afternoon.
The only thing I wish I had known before leaving is how fast the summer would go. I spent so much time wondering how I’d adjust that I never thought about how hard it would be to leave. These past two months have given me memories, friendships, and experiences that I’ll carry with me long after I’m back at Pitt.