Growing as a Researcher and Future Physician in Auckland

I didn't just want to take courses when I decided to study abroad at the University of Auckland. Since I was a pre-medical student, I hoped to gain an understanding of healthcare, science, and research from a point of view different from the one I had known in the United States. The most valuable part of my time in Aotearoa New Zealand has been participating in research at the University of Auckland.

During my stay at the university, I got the chance to act as a student researcher in the Bioluminescent Superbugs Lab under Dr. Wiles. Our research aims to study how bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli, grow in conditions that simulate the vaginal environment and in relation to reusable menstrual products. For this purpose, we have been testing chemically prepared vaginal media under various conditions, for example, with an acidic pH and containing amino acids, in order to gain a better understanding of bacterial growth in connection with menstrual cups and discs. As the research is ongoing, we continue to examine these conditions and build knowledge about issues affecting microbial menstrual health.

This research has been an excellent opportunity for me since I am a pre-medical student. Although before I moved to Auckland I had realised that research is an important element of medicine, it has only been by working in this laboratory that I have been able to see this more clearly. I have found that healthcare research DEMANDS patience, a careful attention to detail, collaboration, and the capacity to keep asking questions even when there is no immediate answer. It has also taught me that science isn't always governed by a simple or predictable process, and that at times the most important aspect of research is being willing to acknowledge the things that you currently do not know.

This experience has also given me insight into the way research can deal with questions that have an effect on people's daily lives. Although menstrual health is a important element of healthcare, it has not always been given the same level of attention or funding as in other areas. The fact that I have been involved in a project concerning menstrual products has made me consider more carefully how research can close existing knowledge gaps and enhance health education. Since I hope to become a physician, I find this particularly significant as I would like to understand not only the individual experiences of patients but also the broader issues that affect health.

The research I have carried out in Aotearoa New Zealand has meant that this experience has become even more significant. Because I have studied abroad, I have been able to gain an understanding of science and healthcare beyond the systems that I am familiar with in the United States. It has also given me the chance to find out more about Māori culture, the New Zealand healthcare system, and other ways of understanding health and wellbeing. The various experiences I've had with Māori customs, such as saying prayers before travelling, performing the haka, and learning about the histories associated with mountains and the land, have prompted me to think more carefully about the connection between culture, community and health.

When I was a pre-medical student, there was often a sense that I had to stick to a particular course of action: taking the required classes, having clinical experiences, doing volunteering, carrying out research, and then going on to medical school. Yet, my study abroad experience has shown me that becoming a physician is not simply a matter of fulfilling each of these requirements; it is also about cultivating curiosity, adaptability, cultural humility, and the ability to understand people from different backgrounds.

Because of my research I have acquired practical experience in the field of microbiology and have become more at ease when taking part in a research team. Meanwhile, the experience of living and studying in Aotearoa has made me think more about the way that culture, access and social conditions affect people's experiences of their health.

I went to Auckland with the aim of experiencing a different country as I carried on with my studies. Now I have a wider understanding of science, healthcare, and of the kind of physician I hope to become. The time I spent at the University of Auckland has shown me how important it is to ask questions, to notice the gaps in healthcare, and to stay open to points of view that are different from my own. The opportunity to study abroad has allowed me to establish international contacts and to gain the kind of perspective that I hope to take into a career working with people from a variety of backgrounds.