Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Alina Wilson

Alina Wilson seated at a robotic surgery device while interning at a hospital.
Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital

Human biology major Alina Wilson interned at Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital in Taiwan this summer. 

"As a premedical student preparing my medical school application, having the opportunity to learn alongside medical students and participate in clinical rotations in Taiwan this summer was invaluable," she shared. "One particularly memorable day involved learning to use the da Vinci robotic surgery devices, which was truly incredible. We had a private demonstration from a urologist and then completed several simulations with the $2 million robot. Other highlights included visiting a traditional Chinese medicine farm and shadowing at four other hospitals in Taiwan to gain a more in-depth view of the Taiwanese healthcare system."

Read more about Alina's experience in the Q&A below.

What work was assigned to you during your internship?

Mostly clinical rotations. I would spend a few hours a day just shadowing doctors and getting a feel for what each specialty was like. I spent a month in infectious disease, two weeks in obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN), and two weeks in traditional Chinese medicine. I also attended lectures alongside medical students, reviewed interesting case studies of patient diseases with physicians, and created a clinical research proposal on the comorbidities associated with cytomegalovirus end-organ disease affecting AIDS patients.

What did you get out of the program? What was the most significant thing you learned? What challenges did you encounter and how did you overcome them? 

Learning alongside medical students gave me valuable insight into what life as a medical student entails. While there are differences between medical training in Taiwan and the U.S., I felt I got a unique inside peek into the medical field. The major challenge was the language barrier, but the physicians and students did their best to translate for me, and I studied Chinese while in Taiwan. Despite the language differences, I learned a lot.

Has this experience influenced your future plans, academically or professionally in some way?

This experience has reaffirmed my interest in medical school and underscored the importance of learning public health strategies from other countries. While in Taiwan, I gained valuable insights into infection control strategies and the COVID-19 response.