Expanding a Passion for Medicine: A Hands-On Internship Experience in Kenya’s Diverse Clinical Environments

When arriving in Kenya, I was skeptical about what the accommodations would be like both within the hospital and at the residence as well. As soon as I arrived at the residence, I was greeted by countless IMA staff with smiles and open arms offering to take my bags and making sure I was all settled before all else. My experience through IMA was like no other: From the amazing hospitality and food offered at the residence, to the incredible nurses and doctors guiding us interns throughout our time at the hospital, my experience in Kenya was nothing short of “life-changing”. The residence was enclosed in a safe neighborhood where none of us interns felt unsafe in any way, including free/safe transportation from place to place offered by the staff at IMA as well. With the shocking lack of resources available at Coast General Hospital, observing the day to day lifestyle of the nurses and doctors brought forth a new perspective of what true passion for healthcare is all about. No matter how little resources or staff there was, each doctor and nurse present at Coast General Hospital always had a positive attitude and put forth their best efforts in helping any patient that was in need of assistance. Furthermore, I cannot thank the IMA staff enough for one of the greatest experiences I could have ever done.