After flying back from the UK and settling back in the States for over a week, I’ve finally had some quiet time to reflect on my experience. Looking back, this summer was defined by immense personal growth and incredible exposure to work. I did my absolute best to absorb as much knowledge as I could from conversations with clinicians across various departments. As the program came to an end and I completed my final project hand-offs with my supervisors and team members, saying goodbye felt bittersweet. While leaving London was sad, I departed feeling satisfied with the work I accomplished.
From an academic and career standpoint, the impact of this experience has been overwhelmingly positive. The internship exposed me to real-world inpatient workflows, different facets of patient therapy and care, and day-to-day clinical responsibilities. I even had the opportunity to step into the operating rooms and observe surgical procedures firsthand. Seeing different departments collaborate in a major hospital showed me how multidisciplinary teams work together to deliver comprehensive patient care.”
For future students looking into this program, my main recommendation is to be proactive about your placement. Because the program assigns you to specific departments at King’s College Hospital, it’s important to advocate for a placement that genuinely excites you and offers broad, clinically diverse experiences. At the same time, it’s also important to remain open-minded and adaptable. I faced my fair share of challenges along the way, but navigating them helped me build a far stronger sense of personal and professional confidence.
Overall, having the opportunity to travel to London, intern inside a hospital, and experience a different international healthcare workflow firsthand has been really impactful. I am glad I took this leap. Having a summer abroad opportunity where I could not only explore a new city, but also do meaningful work that directly aligns with my healthcare career aspirations, feels like an incredible privilege.
