Author: Sage Paschall | Major: Chemical Engineering | Semester: Summer 2024
At Petra Tou Romiou, or the birthplace of Aphrodite.
This Summer, I spent four weeks in Cyprus in the Summer in Cyprus: Pre-Med program. The program offered a unique opportunity to study anatomy in a cadaver lab, which gives a small taste of a potential medical school experience. Additionally, the program provides a lecture-based course on the ethics, issues, and controversies surrounding comprehensive primary health care.
As someone unsure of the exact career path I wish to pursue, the chance to have a more detailed and first-hand experience of what one of those career paths would consist of was invaluable. Students from all over the country were a part of the program, although not all were in the pre-med program. The anatomy course offered a hands-on and direct learning opportunity that was conducted at the University of Nicosia’s medical school. The course was part lecture and part cadaver examination and clinical skills. The latter half was the most engaging and informative aspect of the course for me. Although initially unsettling, the cadavers provided an amazing opportunity to visually apply the theory taught in the lecture portion of the course. While learning about various bodily systems or structures, we were able to immediately observe them in a real, physical specimen. I will particularly remember, getting to hold a real human brain during the central nervous system portion of the course! In the clinical skills portion of the course, we were taught how to observe and treat a patient for a wide variety of conditions, to give an accurate, albeit brief, outline of what will be taught in further detail in medical school. As part of the clinical skills, we practiced basic surgical sutures on pig skins.
The other course, titled management of care, was quite different. Focusing around the ethical and moral aspects of healthcare, it forced me to ask questions about myself and my morals as a potential future healthcare professional. We discussed topics such as euthanasia and healthcare access inequality. The instructor was incredibly kind and passionate, and it was bittersweet to say goodbye at the end of the program.
Over the weekends, the program took us to places all around the island. From beaches to mountain ranges, Cyprus had plenty of diverse and beautiful sights. Cyprus is also rich with archaeological sites that we got to observe with information from a local guide, who gave great detail on the rich history. My personal favorite trip was to the Troodos Mountain range. We were brought to the peak of the island, which gave an amazing view and a much-needed break from the intense heat in the rest of the island.
Outside of the program, I found great enjoyment enrolling in a martial arts program for the month I was abroad. I had begun practicing Jiu Jitsu back home and I wanted to continue the practice while abroad. I found that it was easily the best way I got to meet and talk with locals. It was at these classes that I learned the most about Cypriot culture as well as Cypriots perception of Americans. One of the people I met was Dr. Petros Leptos, an orthopedic surgeon who also coincidentally taught anatomy at the University of Nicosia Medical School to higher level medical students. Dr. Leptos was extremely friendly and helpful throughout the program, and even invited me to visit his operating theater, where I got to observe him perform a couple of shoulder arthroscopies and a knee ablation. Visiting the clinic was my first experience in a clinical setting and it was great to get the unique experience of it being in Cyprus!
My experience in the Summer in Cyprus: Pre-Med program was incredibly valuable in helping me determine my future career path. The hands-on anatomy course and the thought-provoking lectures on healthcare ethics provided me with a clearer understanding of what a medical career entails. Moreover, the friendships I formed with fellow students and the connections I made with locals, enriched my time in Cyprus. These experiences and relationships will undoubtedly influence my decisions moving forward, making this summer an unforgettable and pivotal chapter in my life.