Hiking in Howth
Author: Ashleigh Letterman | Major: Biology
Dia Duit! (That means “hello!” in Gaelic). My name is Ashleigh Letterman, and I am a sophomore biology major following the pre-medical track with hopes of becoming a physician someday. This summer, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Ireland through the U of A Faculty-Led: Health Professions in Ireland program.
This program is through the COEHP’s Public Health track and is primarily for PBHL majors, but its applications to my aspired career path are vast. As a biology major, I usually take classes in subjects such as biology, chemistry, and their labs, along with other related sciences. However, with my dreams of becoming a physician, I also wanted the opportunity to learn about the social and patient-care side of medicine, which is why I chose this program. I learned about the difference in healthcare systems between Ireland and America, as well as concerns within healthcare from a patient perspective. I learned about navigating language barriers and taking the time to address and understand patient concerns. The Health Professions in Ireland program was not the typical study abroad program: instead of sitting in classrooms with instructors, my coursework was service-learning based. Our cohort visited teaching hospitals and social work agencies while attending lectures and presentations with guest speakers at some of Ireland’s most prestigious universities. With such a wide range of experiences, it came easy to reflect on these experiences and connect them to healthcare in America and how they applied to each individual pre-professional career path – including my own. My time visiting and learning about these different agencies and their application to healthcare broadened my perspective of medicine outside just the doctor’s office and diagnosis, as this style of learning I experienced is very different from anything I had ever done on campus at the University of Arkansas. Moreover, it allowed me to see things from a completely different, unique perspective – that of the patient – and learn about healthcare and patient care in an entirely new way.
Studying abroad so early in my undergraduate career, I wanted to use this experience to determine if healthcare and medicine is truly the path I wanted to go down. After immersing myself in this career field, I gained a greater passion for helping and caring for others and a new view of medical care through this service-learning experience.
Outside of visiting hospitals, universities, and agencies, I spent one week in each of Ireland’s three major cities: Limerick, Galway, and Dublin. I had the opportunity to learn and explore each of these places with a new adventure awaiting me each day. I conversed with many Irish locals daily and learned about topics from culture and politics to the best (and worst) food and experiences to try along the way. Some of my favorite memories were the day trips we took as a group to hike at the Cliffs of Moher and the coastal town of Howth near Dublin. The sights were unlike anything I had ever seen before; from 700-foot cliffs to beautiful rocky beaches along the coast, beauty was in every corner of Ireland.
Before my time studying abroad, I had never had the chance to visit Europe, so I had no idea what to expect. I was constantly immersed in new surroundings, people, and experiences for some of the best weeks of my life. Even though I am not a public health major, this program is an amazing experience for anyone considering going into healthcare. Studying abroad can be a bit of a culture shock at first, but the experiences I took part in, the things I learned, the amazing people I met, and the astounding sights and culture I experienced made this trip unforgettable. Not only did I grow as a student, but also as a person and a professional.
My advice would be that if you are interested in studying abroad, do it! I studied abroad at the end of my freshman year and was the youngest on the trip, so it is never too early to start. Safe and happy travels!