Author: Juan Lemus | Major: Public Health and Biology | Semester:  Summer 2025

Hotdogs and Hiking with our Program Leaders!

Hi! My name is Juan Lemus, and I am a current Junior studying Public Health on a pre-med track in the College of Education and Health Professions. This summer, I spent 3 weeks studying abroad in Sweden in the Public Health Teams Abroad Program. The aim of my experience abroad was to analyze Sweden’s method of administering healthcare, earn 6 hours of credit towards my Public Health degree, and immerse myself in Swedish culture to understand the impact that culture can have on policy. Regardless of how much time wespent preparing for our time abroad, nothing could’ve prepared me for the sheer number of learning experiences I would have and the connections I would establish.

The reason that I chose to study abroad in Sweden was because of the stark diMerences in their healthcare system in comparison to ours. When I arrived in Sweden, I was blown away by the natural landscape and the societal eMorts towards sustainability. Despite being in a diMerent environment, drawing on the collaborative culture that is common in Latino households, I was able to acclimate quickly and pursue my curiosities through exploration and conversation with locals in my free time. After my time in Sweden, I had mastered the art of Fika, slowing things down and taking a break to have conversations with friends, something that I plan to integrate into daily life in the U.S. For the first two weeks of my program, we would spend our mornings at Jönköping University for carefully selected lectures with professionals across multiple disciplines that would break down the governing agencies and cultural factors that contributed to Swedish policy and social determinants. One lecture we very immersive and involved experiencing life in a wheelchair. This was extremely eye-opening and changed my perception of how a provider is supposed to approach patients who are transitioning or live with long-term conditions or disabilities. These interdisciplinary lectures were very beneficial and helped emphasize the role that providers must play as connectors and advocates to secure absolute holistic care for their patients. Our class spent a lot of time in meaningful discussion, with lectures feeling very conversational, which nurtured our curiosities and made us dig deeper to answer the question, How can we become better healthcare professionals? Often after our morning classes, our program would have built-in sight visits and immersive experiences to ensure that we weren’t just growing academically but truly coming back as more well-rounded individuals. One of my highlights of the trip was a hike in Hassafallsleden park. It was my first time ever going on a hike, and I got to get closer with all my classmates as we traversed the Swedish wilderness and cooked hot dogs over a campfire. Being in nature was extremely refreshing, and it was a part of the program that I didn’t think I’d enjoy as much as I did. Once we had reached the peak of our hike, we were rewarded by one of the best views I’d ever seen in my life, and the perfect opportunity to capture some pictures to share with my family. Being surrounded by Sweden’s natural landscape was life-changing because it wasn’t what I imagined when I envisioned aScandinavian state. Everyone in our program found a new appreciation for the value of spending time outdoors, no distractions, no problems, just nature and human connection.

This experience is one that I would recommend to any student, regardless of their chosen discipline. I was able to fabricate a new interpretation of Swedish culture after living in the country and dismantle preconceived notions about American culture through the cultural exchanges I shared. Observing how a diMerent country approached socialization and instilled cultural values through education. The collaboration in Sweden is the thing I will miss the most and hope to bring back and manifest in more settings on my campus. This trip taught me how to slow down and Fika, something that is forgotten because of the pressure to constantly strive for the top echelon within our careers. It was a great experience that gave me a new family on my campus, and a new family across the globe that is striving to improve medicine and guide patients through their most vulnerable moments.