International Service Learning: Experiential Medical Education

Send us Fan MailWant to help without harming? We sit down with Dr. Patrick Hickey—nurse, educator, author, and veteran leader in international service learning—to map the real work behind ethical global health volunteering. From the first country risk check to the last clinic debrief, we unpack how preparation, cultural humility, and clinical guardrails protect both communities and volunteers while creating powerful growth for early‑career clinicians.We start where most trips should: assessing risk with U.S. Department of State travel advisories, CDC travel health notices, and realistic logistics that prevent problems before they start. Dr. Hickey walks us through the essentials—reliable flights and visas, vetted lodging and food safety, insured transport with seat belts, and written crisis and evacuation plans that are practiced, not just printed. Then we get practical about culture and conduct: confidentiality that travels with you, informed consent for photos, attire that respects norms, and orientation that blends clinical refreshers with local context so teams arrive ready to listen, not impose.Communication and boundaries anchor safe care. You’ll hear how to use the interpreter‑patient‑provider triad, why language access is a legal right in U.S. settings, and how that training turns students into advocates. We dig into scope of practice—what learners can do, what they should only observe—and how those limits actually speed confidence and competence. Dr. Hickey also opens up about emotional resilience: preparing for hard moments, accepting gratitude with grace, and finding meaning in “small” wins like matching donated eyeglasses that change daily life. Along the way, we address parent concerns, first‑time flight jitters, and the career impact that follows when service becomes a habit, not a hashtag.If you’re planning a medical mission, weighing a service learning program, or mentoring students eager to serve, this conversation offers a clear, humane blueprint for doing it right. Subscribe, share with a friend who’s curious about global health, and leave a review telling us the one safety step you’ll add to your checklist.I also want to thank our listeners for joining us as it is our goal to not only share with you our guest’s introduction to international healthcare, but also to share with you how that exposure to international healthcare has shaped their future path in healthcare. As true patient advocates, we should all aspire to be as well rounded as possible in order to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations. As a 50+ year nurse that has worked in quite a variety of clinical roles in our healthcare system, taught healthcare courses for the past 20 years at the university level, and has traveled extensively with my students on international service-learning trips, I can easily attest to the fact that healthcare focused students need, and greatly benefit from the opportunity to have hands-on experiential healthcare experiences in an international setting! I have seen the growth of students post travel as their self-confidence in their newly acquired skillsets, both clinical and cultural, facilitates their ability to take advantage of opportunities that previously may not have been available to them. By rendering care internationally, and stepping outside one's comfort zone, many more doors of opportunity will be opened.Feel free to check out our website at www.islonline.org, follow us on Instagram @ islmedical, and reach out to me @ [email protected] 

Send us Fan MailYou can feel the moment a clinician realizes the test they want simply doesn’t exist. That’s where our conversation with Rafik goes, and it’s why his reflections on Belize stay with us long after the trip ends.We sit down with Rafik, a fourth-year medical student fresh off Match Day, to talk about choosing internal medicine, navigating the residency match process, and then stepping into a very different kind of classroom: an international service learning clinic in Belize. Our ISL model pairs fourth-year medical students with gap year students, so leadership and mentoring happen alongside real patient care. Rafik walks us through a typical clinic day, the patient flow, and the common problems the teams see, especially diabetes, hypertension, and seasonal cold and flu. If you care about global health, underserved communities, or experiential medical education, you’ll recognize how familiar conditions become challenging when time, supplies, and follow-up are limited.We also dig into what surprised him most: how much overlap exists between protocols in Belize and the United States, and how powerful great teaching can be when attendings make space to debrief and explain their clinical reasoning. Coming home sparks a deeper reflection on medical privilege, technology, and how easily we can lose the art of history taking and physical exam skills when labs and imaging are always within reach. Rafik shares his poem “O The Privilege,” a vivid snapshot of practicing medicine with and without the safety net.If this made you think differently about training, service, or what kind of clinician you want to become, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave us a review. What’s one “resource” you rely on that you’d miss immediately in a low-resource setting?I also want to thank our listeners for joining us as it is our goal to not only share with you our guest’s introduction to international healthcare, but also to share with you how that exposure to international healthcare has shaped their future path in healthcare. As true patient advocates, we should all aspire to be as well rounded as possible in order to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations. As a 50+ year nurse that has worked in quite a variety of clinical roles in our healthcare system, taught healthcare courses for the past 20 years at the university level, and has traveled extensively with my students on international service-learning trips, I can easily attest to the fact that healthcare focused students need, and greatly benefit from the opportunity to have hands-on experiential healthcare experiences in an international setting! I have seen the growth of students post travel as their self-confidence in their newly acquired skillsets, both clinical and cultural, facilitates their ability to take advantage of opportunities that previously may not have been available to them. By rendering care internationally, and stepping outside one's comfort zone, many more doors of opportunity will be opened.Feel free to check out our website at www.islonline.org, follow us on Instagram @ islmedical, and reach out to me @ [email protected] 

Send us Fan MailA blood pressure of 200 over 100. A patient who listens, then calmly says he’s fine and leaves. Moments like that force you to wrestle with the part of medicine no textbook can solve: culture, faith, autonomy, and what it really means to help. We sit down with Ava, a University of South Carolina grad on her gap year, to talk about how international service learning in Belize sharpened her clinical mindset and changed what she values in patient care. We start with the practical side of becoming a doctor: graduating a semester early, using AP credits strategically, and creating protected time for MCAT prep without burning out. Ava shares how pre-health community shaped her path, from Alpha Epsilon Delta to leading Women in Healthcare, and why being around motivated peers can open unexpected doors like jobs, service opportunities, and mentorship. Then we go to Belize for a vivid look at experiential medical education. Ava breaks down the structure of the trip with hospital rotations in Belmopan and a community clinic with vitals, short-term meds, prevention tips, and constant learning from local clinicians. She describes what it’s like to be mentored by fourth-year medical students, to work in a resource-limited healthcare system with minimal imaging, and to rely on listening, history-taking, and the physical exam. We close with details on the next gap year Belize trip she’ll be leading, including how to get more information. If you want more honest stories about global health, gap year growth, and becoming a more grounded future clinician, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review. What question would you ask before signing up for a service learning trip?I also want to thank our listeners for joining us as it is our goal to not only share with you our guest’s introduction to international healthcare, but also to share with you how that exposure to international healthcare has shaped their future path in healthcare. As true patient advocates, we should all aspire to be as well rounded as possible in order to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations. As a 50+ year nurse that has worked in quite a variety of clinical roles in our healthcare system, taught healthcare courses for the past 20 years at the university level, and has traveled extensively with my students on international service-learning trips, I can easily attest to the fact that healthcare focused students need, and greatly benefit from the opportunity to have hands-on experiential healthcare experiences in an international setting! I have seen the growth of students post travel as their self-confidence in their newly acquired skillsets, both clinical and cultural, facilitates their ability to take advantage of opportunities that previously may not have been available to them. By rendering care internationally, and stepping outside one's comfort zone, many more doors of opportunity will be opened.Feel free to check out our website at www.islonline.org, follow us on Instagram @ islmedical, and reach out to me @ [email protected] 

Send us Fan MailBelize looks like paradise until you step into a clinic where “limited resources” isn’t a concept, it’s the daily operating reality. Dr. Patrick Hickey sits down with Lauren, a recent University of South Carolina grad on the pre-med track, to unpack what she learned on a 10-day international service learning trip that blended global health, hands-on experiential medical education, and honest reflection.We talk through what her days actually looked like: splitting into clinic teams, hospital shadowing, observing surgeries, and ending each night with group debriefs and conversations that kept the learning going. Lauren shares what surprised her most, including how few specialty doctors and major hospitals serve the country, and how that scarcity forces hard choices that many U.S. students never see up close. She also describes the strength of local healthcare professionals, the role of bilingual communication, and how culture shows up in everything from the hospital environment to the rhythm of community life.The conversation turns personal as Lauren explains how the trip reshaped her view of healthcare disparities, pushed her to “meet patients where they are,” and even expanded her curiosity about specialties after seeing her first C-section. We also cover her gap year plans, medical assistant work, MCAT lessons, and her new role coordinating ISL social media so future teams can better highlight service, not just sightseeing. If you care about global health, pre-med development, and service learning done with humility, this one is for you. Subscribe, share with a friend considering a service trip, and leave a review with the biggest takeaway you want more students to hear.I also want to thank our listeners for joining us as it is our goal to not only share with you our guest’s introduction to international healthcare, but also to share with you how that exposure to international healthcare has shaped their future path in healthcare. As true patient advocates, we should all aspire to be as well rounded as possible in order to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations. As a 50+ year nurse that has worked in quite a variety of clinical roles in our healthcare system, taught healthcare courses for the past 20 years at the university level, and has traveled extensively with my students on international service-learning trips, I can easily attest to the fact that healthcare focused students need, and greatly benefit from the opportunity to have hands-on experiential healthcare experiences in an international setting! I have seen the growth of students post travel as their self-confidence in their newly acquired skillsets, both clinical and cultural, facilitates their ability to take advantage of opportunities that previously may not have been available to them. By rendering care internationally, and stepping outside one's comfort zone, many more doors of opportunity will be opened.Feel free to check out our website at www.islonline.org, follow us on Instagram @ islmedical, and reach out to me @ [email protected] 

Send us Fan MailYou can learn the steps of medicine from a book, but you learn the weight of medicine when you sit across from a patient and have to earn trust fast. We’re joined by Gabby G, a fourth-year medical student at the University of South Carolina who just matched into general surgery, to talk about how international service learning helped shape her clinical confidence and her career path.We trace Gabby’s journey through service learning medical mission trips to Guatemala, including the moment cultural humility became real: a women’s health case where a spiritual sauna tradition affected symptoms, and the care plan had to respect belief while still reducing risk. From there we zoom out to global health access, what rural communities face when hospitals are far away, and why community clinics can be the only practical point of care for many patients.Then we get tactical about experiential medical education and leadership. Gabby helped build an inaugural med student and gap year student trip to Belize, recruited peers despite chaotic fourth-year schedules, and even created a “blue card” style skills checklist to make sure learners saw core clinical encounters across specialties. She also shares what it felt like mentoring gap year students, working in a rural hospital setting, and collaborating with Belizean medical students who grew more confident day by day.If you’re pre-med, taking a gap year, or already in training, this conversation offers a clear look at what service learning can teach you about clinical skills, teamwork, and the kind of doctor you want to become. Subscribe for more stories from students and faculty, share this with someone considering a global health experience, and leave a review so more future clinicians can find the show.I also want to thank our listeners for joining us as it is our goal to not only share with you our guest’s introduction to international healthcare, but also to share with you how that exposure to international healthcare has shaped their future path in healthcare. As true patient advocates, we should all aspire to be as well rounded as possible in order to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations. As a 50+ year nurse that has worked in quite a variety of clinical roles in our healthcare system, taught healthcare courses for the past 20 years at the university level, and has traveled extensively with my students on international service-learning trips, I can easily attest to the fact that healthcare focused students need, and greatly benefit from the opportunity to have hands-on experiential healthcare experiences in an international setting! I have seen the growth of students post travel as their self-confidence in their newly acquired skillsets, both clinical and cultural, facilitates their ability to take advantage of opportunities that previously may not have been available to them. By rendering care internationally, and stepping outside one's comfort zone, many more doors of opportunity will be opened.Feel free to check out our website at www.islonline.org, follow us on Instagram @ islmedical, and reach out to me @ [email protected] 

Send us Fan MailThe fastest way to understand dentistry isn’t another lecture, it’s sitting chairside in a real clinic where the tools are limited, the need is high, and you have to earn trust before you can help. We’re joined by Nikki, a University of South Carolina pre-dental student, as she reflects on international service learning across the Dominican Republic and Puerto Peñasco, Mexico and what changed when she returned as a student leader.We talk through the real mechanics of a dental mission trip: how the team sets daily goals, rotates through patient intake, vitals, assisting dentists, and charting, and how students with little dental experience learn instruments and procedures on the fly. Nikki shares what surprised her most in Mexico, including oral hygiene patterns like low floss awareness, the challenge of deep decay you can’t fully treat in a short-term clinic, and system differences such as dentists often working without assistants.Some of the most powerful moments have nothing to do with fillings. Nikki describes calming scared pediatric patients when language gets in the way, why communication “without words” becomes a clinical skill, and how a visit to a men’s rehabilitation center left a lasting impression. We also dig into a protocol many US clinics don’t use: required glucose checks before treatment, and how that changed the team’s view of safety, prevention, and access to care.If you’re exploring global health, dental volunteering, or experiential medical education, this conversation offers honest context and practical insight. Subscribe, share this episode with a friend considering service learning, and leave a review with your biggest question about providing care across cultures.I also want to thank our listeners for joining us as it is our goal to not only share with you our guest’s introduction to international healthcare, but also to share with you how that exposure to international healthcare has shaped their future path in healthcare. As true patient advocates, we should all aspire to be as well rounded as possible in order to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations. As a 50+ year nurse that has worked in quite a variety of clinical roles in our healthcare system, taught healthcare courses for the past 20 years at the university level, and has traveled extensively with my students on international service-learning trips, I can easily attest to the fact that healthcare focused students need, and greatly benefit from the opportunity to have hands-on experiential healthcare experiences in an international setting! I have seen the growth of students post travel as their self-confidence in their newly acquired skillsets, both clinical and cultural, facilitates their ability to take advantage of opportunities that previously may not have been available to them. By rendering care internationally, and stepping outside one's comfort zone, many more doors of opportunity will be opened.Feel free to check out our website at www.islonline.org, follow us on Instagram @ islmedical, and reach out to me @ [email protected] 

Send us Fan MailYou can prepare for the clinical work, pack the supplies, and review the protocols and still feel completely unprepared for what poverty looks like up close. That’s what makes Camila’s story stick. She’s an ICU bedside nurse and case manager in Texas, originally from São Paulo, Brazil, who became a nurse at 40 after learning English as an adult. She joins us to talk about a Kenya medical mission trip with 410 Bridge that becomes one of the most meaningful experiences of her nursing career.We walk through what international service learning actually looks like on the ground: setting up clinics across rural villages and schools, working alongside teachers and mental health professionals, and leaning hard on health education when resources are limited. Camila shares the most common conditions her team sees, including dehydration during months without rain, upper respiratory infections, dental decay, pneumonia, and severe eye disease like cataracts and glaucoma. We also talk about why oral hygiene supplies and simple training can create long-term impact when medications and dressings run out.The conversation goes deeper than logistics. Camila describes the emotional weight of identifying serious problems you can’t fully fix, the surprise of encountering genuine joy in communities facing extreme scarcity, and the way faith and human connection help her stay steady. Coming home triggers guilt and a new awareness of healthcare waste in the United States, plus a renewed commitment to nursing as a calling that reaches far beyond hospital walls. If you care about global health, cultural competence, medical missions, and the real-world ethics of service, this one will challenge you in the best way.Subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation, share this with a nurse or student who’s on the fence about serving abroad, and leave a review with the one insight you’re taking into your own practice.I also want to thank our listeners for joining us as it is our goal to not only share with you our guest’s introduction to international healthcare, but also to share with you how that exposure to international healthcare has shaped their future path in healthcare. As true patient advocates, we should all aspire to be as well rounded as possible in order to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations. As a 50+ year nurse that has worked in quite a variety of clinical roles in our healthcare system, taught healthcare courses for the past 20 years at the university level, and has traveled extensively with my students on international service-learning trips, I can easily attest to the fact that healthcare focused students need, and greatly benefit from the opportunity to have hands-on experiential healthcare experiences in an international setting! I have seen the growth of students post travel as their self-confidence in their newly acquired skillsets, both clinical and cultural, facilitates their ability to take advantage of opportunities that previously may not have been available to them. By rendering care internationally, and stepping outside one's comfort zone, many more doors of opportunity will be opened.Feel free to check out our website at www.islonline.org, follow us on Instagram @ islmedical, and reach out to me @ [email protected] 

Send us Fan MailA stranger’s LinkedIn message turned into a story we can’t stop thinking about. Anna, a 23-year-old medical sales representatives, packed her bags for Honduras and traded the OR sidelines for a week of hard, heart-forward work—turning a church into a clinic, running a pop-up pharmacy, and watching passion beat limited resources at every turn.We walk through the anatomy of a responsible short-term mission: iPad intake that keeps patient data organized, a pharmacy line that never stops moving, and clear protocols that make 100 to 200-plus daily visits safe and humane. Anna also spends time in a public hospital with only two operating rooms, observing pelvic floor repairs made possible by donated slings and mesh from Caldera Medical. The gear matters, but the mindset matters more: respect for sterile fields, concise guidance when asked, and deep humility in someone else’s workspace.What lingers most isn’t a procedure—it’s a small hand. A five-year-old with an eye infection needs her drops delivered and explained at home. The walk there, the hug that won’t let go, and the reality of a family doing the best they can with very little reframes what “impact” looks like. Back in the U.S., Anna sees both our strengths and our blind spots. We have resources and training; we need more pathways to serve—locally and globally—for surgeons, nurses, students, and yes, medical sales  representatives who can bring knowledge and logistics where they’re scarce.We share practical takeaways: how to prepare for a mission, why simple systems outperform flashy tools, the Spanish phrases that matter for safe dosing, and how companies can turn humanitarian promises into real patient outcomes. If you’ve been waiting for a nudge to step outside your comfort zone and put your skills to work for people who rarely get seen, this conversation is it. Subscribe, share with a colleague who needs the push, and leave a review to help more listeners find stories that spark action.I also want to thank our listeners for joining us as it is our goal to not only share with you our guest’s introduction to international healthcare, but also to share with you how that exposure to international healthcare has shaped their future path in healthcare. As true patient advocates, we should all aspire to be as well rounded as possible in order to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations. As a 50+ year nurse that has worked in quite a variety of clinical roles in our healthcare system, taught healthcare courses for the past 20 years at the university level, and has traveled extensively with my students on international service-learning trips, I can easily attest to the fact that healthcare focused students need, and greatly benefit from the opportunity to have hands-on experiential healthcare experiences in an international setting! I have seen the growth of students post travel as their self-confidence in their newly acquired skillsets, both clinical and cultural, facilitates their ability to take advantage of opportunities that previously may not have been available to them. By rendering care internationally, and stepping outside one's comfort zone, many more doors of opportunity will be opened.Feel free to check out our website at www.islonline.org, follow us on Instagram @ islmedical, and reach out to me @ [email protected] 

Send us Fan MailCuriosity is a muscle, and global learning is the workout. We sit down with Emory University’s Associate Director of Global Engagement, Natalie Cruz, to explore how students, faculty, and institutions can move beyond stamp-collecting travel toward programs that are ethical, safe, and genuinely transformative. From free passport initiatives and data-driven global maps to research partnerships and virtual exchanges, we trace practical ways to open doors for first-time travelers and deepen impact for seasoned globetrotters.Natalie unpacks what makes a program “high-impact” in the real world: community-led projects, thoughtful pre-departure training, and structured reflection that turns experience into growth. We examine how to avoid voluntourism by centering local needs and consent, why homestays can be powerful when done with training and safeguards, and how universities are professionalizing risk management with dedicated safety roles and clear protocols. For students traveling without a faculty leader, we map out a prep blueprint—country research, language basics, ethical case studies, and early connection with on-the-ground coordinators.We also tackle the big system shifts: diversification of international student mobility, the rise of hybrid and online models, and the need for U.S. institutions to build consistent, partnership-driven strategies. Measuring cultural competence isn’t simple, but tools like the Global Perspectives Inventory and long-term follow-ups reveal the deeper story of skill-building, empathy, and changed trajectories. Funding remains the sticking point, so we share concrete paths—from community groups and alumni campaigns to fee waivers and targeted scholarships—that make global opportunities possible.If you’re on the fence about studying or serving abroad, consider this your nudge. Do the prep, choose partners carefully, and step outside your comfort zone. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a push to go global, and leave a review with the question you want us to tackle next.Book Recommendations:The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara KingsolverI also want to thank our listeners for joining us as it is our goal to not only share with you our guest’s introduction to international healthcare, but also to share with you how that exposure to international healthcare has shaped their future path in healthcare. As true patient advocates, we should all aspire to be as well rounded as possible in order to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations. As a 50+ year nurse that has worked in quite a variety of clinical roles in our healthcare system, taught healthcare courses for the past 20 years at the university level, and has traveled extensively with my students on international service-learning trips, I can easily attest to the fact that healthcare focused students need, and greatly benefit from the opportunity to have hands-on experiential healthcare experiences in an international setting! I have seen the growth of students post travel as their self-confidence in their newly acquired skillsets, both clinical and cultural, facilitates their ability to take advantage of opportunities that previously may not have been available to them. By rendering care internationally, and stepping outside one's comfort zone, many more doors of opportunity will be opened.Feel free to check out our website at www.islonline.org, follow us on Instagram @ islmedical, and reach out to me @ [email protected] 

Send us Fan MailThis is a unique podcast as I have interviewed a student prior to her first service-learning trip ... and at 22:30 the interview continues 5 weeks later post-trip!Curiosity meets courage when a sophomore pre-dental student takes her skills abroad and finds out what care means without the usual comforts. We sit down with Sydney from the University of South Carolina to capture her mindset before a week in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico, and the lessons she brings home after assisting in a free dental clinic focused on quality over quantity.You’ll step inside a real clinic flow: morning equipment checks, Spanish-language triage, rotating roles between greeting, chairside assistance, and sterilization, and procedures ranging from cleanings and fillings to extractions. Sydney explains how working with local dentists—often without assistants or x-rays—reshaped her respect for clinical judgment and durable results. She shares the practical Spanish that bridged gaps and the moments when education mattered most: introducing floss, proper brushing techniques, and simple post-op care that patients can sustain long after supplies run out.Beyond the operatory, the cultural immersion lands deeply. A bilingual church service, family-style meals, and a powerful conversation with a patient at a rehabilitation center reveal resilience and hope in a setting marked by visible poverty. Sydney’s gratitude grows alongside her conviction that teaching is the lasting gift of short-term service, and that a future practice should welcome patients in both English and Spanish while expanding access to affordable dental care.If you’re weighing a service trip, worried about language, or unsure what real impact looks like, this story offers a clear, grounded view from someone who rotated through every station and left more certain about her calling. Subscribe, share with a friend who’s on the pre-health path, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway or question—we’d love to hear what surprised you most.I also want to thank our listeners for joining us as it is our goal to not only share with you our guest’s introduction to international healthcare, but also to share with you how that exposure to international healthcare has shaped their future path in healthcare. As true patient advocates, we should all aspire to be as well rounded as possible in order to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations. As a 50+ year nurse that has worked in quite a variety of clinical roles in our healthcare system, taught healthcare courses for the past 20 years at the university level, and has traveled extensively with my students on international service-learning trips, I can easily attest to the fact that healthcare focused students need, and greatly benefit from the opportunity to have hands-on experiential healthcare experiences in an international setting! I have seen the growth of students post travel as their self-confidence in their newly acquired skillsets, both clinical and cultural, facilitates their ability to take advantage of opportunities that previously may not have been available to them. By rendering care internationally, and stepping outside one's comfort zone, many more doors of opportunity will be opened.Feel free to check out our website at www.islonline.org, follow us on Instagram @ islmedical, and reach out to me @ [email protected] 

Send us Fan MailA fast-track pharmacy degree, night shifts in critical care, and a formative service trip to Costa Rica—Helen Knoche's story is a blueprint for purpose-driven practice. We sit down to trace how a love of chemistry evolved into a role where timing, teamwork, and clear communication decide outcomes, and how a week in La Carpio taught lessons that still save time and suffering in a North Carolina ICU.Helen opens up about the realities of pharmacy school—heavy on medicinal chemistry and practical math—and the less obvious skills that matter most: trust, negotiation, and the courage to suggest changes as a non-prescribing clinician. She walks us through a near-miss stroke case and shows how most medication errors come from communication gaps rather than bad intentions, and how pharmacists build safer systems by closing loops and owning the small details that prevent big harm.We unpack the wide world of pharmacy careers: community and independent practice for accessible counseling, inpatient specialties like ICU and infectious disease, ambulatory care for chronic disease coaching, and industry roles shaping how drugs are made and delivered. Helen’s take is clear and useful—shadow, ask questions, and find the rhythm that fits your strengths.The conversation returns to service learning with practical clarity. Working through translators to counsel patients, leading with empathy, and prioritizing education over short-term fixes transformed how Helen thinks about access and equity. Those skills carry home to rural patients who arrive in crisis because primary care is out of reach. Along the way, we share everyday tips, including why talking to your pharmacist beats guessing in the cold aisle and when the medication behind the counter matters.Subscribe for more grounded stories from healthcare students and clinicians who are building skill, compassion, and resilience. If today’s conversation sparked a question or a memory, share it with a friend and leave a review—what part of pharmacy would you explore first?Recommended Book:Everything is Tuberculosis - John GreenI also want to thank our listeners for joining us as it is our goal to not only share with you our guest’s introduction to international healthcare, but also to share with you how that exposure to international healthcare has shaped their future path in healthcare. As true patient advocates, we should all aspire to be as well rounded as possible in order to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations. As a 50+ year nurse that has worked in quite a variety of clinical roles in our healthcare system, taught healthcare courses for the past 20 years at the university level, and has traveled extensively with my students on international service-learning trips, I can easily attest to the fact that healthcare focused students need, and greatly benefit from the opportunity to have hands-on experiential healthcare experiences in an international setting! I have seen the growth of students post travel as their self-confidence in their newly acquired skillsets, both clinical and cultural, facilitates their ability to take advantage of opportunities that previously may not have been available to them. By rendering care internationally, and stepping outside one's comfort zone, many more doors of opportunity will be opened.Feel free to check out our website at www.islonline.org, follow us on Instagram @ islmedical, and reach out to me @ [email protected] 

Send us Fan MailWhat if the most important tool you carry into a community isn’t a stethoscope or a syllabus, but a few words in the local language and a willingness to listen? That question threads through our conversation with Chrissie Faupel—Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) and Director of International Affairs at the University of Minnesota Duluth—who shares a candid, field-tested view of international service learning and study abroad.Chrissie takes us inside her two years in Senegal, where a new clinic introduced Western medicine to a village that greeted it with understandable caution. She explains how learning Malinke, attending life events, and co-leading cervical cancer education with the head nurse built trust one conversation at a time. You’ll hear why education outlasts supplies, how traditional healing and clinic care can coexist, and what it really means to serve at the invitation of a host community.We also get practical. Christy demystifies Peace Corps Prep and why it strengthens your application rather than “teaching you the Peace Corps.” She shares timely guidance on scholarships—especially the Gilman for Pell recipients—and urges students to look beyond the usual destinations. On safety, she’s direct: preparation matters, alcohol is a top incident driver, and university-approved affiliates and providers exist for a reason. We unpack how to vet programs, manage risk using State Department advisories with nuance, and choose between faculty-led, exchange, and third-party models without getting lost in options.If you’re a student, educator, or curious global citizen, this conversation offers a clear path from curiosity to impact: learn the language, respect the culture, build relationships, and let education be the gift that remains after you leave. Subscribe, share this episode with a friend who’s considering study abroad, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show. Where will your service begin?Recommended Podcast:Changing Lives Through Education AbroadI also want to thank our listeners for joining us as it is our goal to not only share with you our guest’s introduction to international healthcare, but also to share with you how that exposure to international healthcare has shaped their future path in healthcare. As true patient advocates, we should all aspire to be as well rounded as possible in order to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations. As a 50+ year nurse that has worked in quite a variety of clinical roles in our healthcare system, taught healthcare courses for the past 20 years at the university level, and has traveled extensively with my students on international service-learning trips, I can easily attest to the fact that healthcare focused students need, and greatly benefit from the opportunity to have hands-on experiential healthcare experiences in an international setting! I have seen the growth of students post travel as their self-confidence in their newly acquired skillsets, both clinical and cultural, facilitates their ability to take advantage of opportunities that previously may not have been available to them. By rendering care internationally, and stepping outside one's comfort zone, many more doors of opportunity will be opened.Feel free to check out our website at www.islonline.org, follow us on Instagram @ islmedical, and reach out to me @ [email protected] 

Send us Fan MailNurses save lives—and that simple truth reshaped Dr. Patrick “Dr. H” Hickey’s destiny five decades ago. Our conversation with Dr. H blends grit, humor, and deep professional insight to help you decide whether nursing is your calling and how to build a career that endures. We talk frankly about why motives matter, how to manage the emotional load of patient care, and what it takes to stand out when everyone has a strong GPA but little real-world experience.We unpack nursing specialties in plain language—from Pediatrics, ICU, ER, and OR to Oncology and Advanced Practice—and clarify what credentials like CEN, CNOR, and CCRN actually mean for patient outcomes and career mobility. Dr. H breaks down education pathways with nuance: the speed and hands-on intensity of a two‑year ADN, the leadership runway of a four‑year BSN, and the bridge programs and tuition reimbursement that let you keep learning without drowning in debt. If you’re choosing your first unit or your first job, you’ll get practical criteria for evaluating hospitals: orientation length, preceptors, staffing ratios, infection data, turnover, clinical ladders, and the red flags buried in big sign-on bonuses.A mentor at heart, Dr. H shares how to build a resume that speaks to hiring managers—service, leadership, nurse tech experience, study abroad, and even nonclinical work that proves you can multitask under pressure. We also explore global service learning and why supervised, international clinicals can transform confidence, empathy, and diagnostic thinking long before graduation. Along the way, we talk quality of life, faith, and the human touch—how a hand on a shoulder can calm fear and how boundaries protect both caregiver and patient.If you’re curious about nursing in the age of AI, chasing your first offer, or debating ADN vs BSN, this episode gives you a clear map and the courage to follow it. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs clarity, and leave a review with your biggest nursing question—we’ll tackle it in a future episode.Recommened Podcasts:The Harlan Cohen PodcastThe Harlan Cohen Podcast (YouTube)**This podcast was produced by Harlan Cohen ... to see it on YouTube access this link to Harlan's page: https://tinyurl.com/56zucsp2I also want to thank our listeners for joining us as it is our goal to not only share with you our guest’s introduction to international healthcare, but also to share with you how that exposure to international healthcare has shaped their future path in healthcare. As true patient advocates, we should all aspire to be as well rounded as possible in order to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations. As a 50+ year nurse that has worked in quite a variety of clinical roles in our healthcare system, taught healthcare courses for the past 20 years at the university level, and has traveled extensively with my students on international service-learning trips, I can easily attest to the fact that healthcare focused students need, and greatly benefit from the opportunity to have hands-on experiential healthcare experiences in an international setting! I have seen the growth of students post travel as their self-confidence in their newly acquired skillsets, both clinical and cultural, facilitates their ability to take advantage of opportunities that previously may not have been available to them. By rendering care internationally, and stepping outside one's comfort zone, many more doors of opportunity will be opened.Feel free to check out our website at www.islonline.org, follow us on Instagram @ islmedical, and reach out to me @ [email protected] 

Send us Fan MailWhat if a single week abroad could change the way you practice medicine for life? We sit down with Naimick Patel to follow his journey from curious freshman to student leader to oncology clinical research coordinator, connecting vivid field experiences in Nicaragua and Guatemala with the everyday realities of patient communication and clinical trials in the United States. Along the way, we unpack the habits that build trust fast—greeting patients in their language, sitting at eye level, speaking to the person rather than the translator—and why those “small” choices can lower anxiety, reduce errors, and open doors to care.We explore how thoughtful international service avoids the fly-in, fly-out trap by partnering with local hospitals, community clinics, and faith leaders for continuity and follow-up. Naimick shares powerful moments, from church-based clinics to community celebrations, that reveal how gratitude and empathy can cross any language barrier. He also offers a clear-eyed comparison of public and private systems across the US, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and India, highlighting a constant: provider passion is universal, but access and infrastructure determine outcomes.These lessons now shape his work enrolling diverse patients into oncology trials, where clear explanations, cultural humility, and genuine connection determine whether a patient considers research as a care option. If you’ve wondered how study abroad translates into real-world healthcare impact, or how to communicate better with interpreters without losing rapport, this conversation delivers practical steps you can use tomorrow—grounded in lived experience, not theory.If this episode sparks a new idea or nudges you to serve, share it with a friend, leave a quick review, and subscribe so you never miss the next story that helps you grow as a caregiver.Recommended Book: Being Mortal - Atul Gawande I also want to thank our listeners for joining us as it is our goal to not only share with you our guest’s introduction to international healthcare, but also to share with you how that exposure to international healthcare has shaped their future path in healthcare. As true patient advocates, we should all aspire to be as well rounded as possible in order to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations. As a 50+ year nurse that has worked in quite a variety of clinical roles in our healthcare system, taught healthcare courses for the past 20 years at the university level, and has traveled extensively with my students on international service-learning trips, I can easily attest to the fact that healthcare focused students need, and greatly benefit from the opportunity to have hands-on experiential healthcare experiences in an international setting! I have seen the growth of students post travel as their self-confidence in their newly acquired skillsets, both clinical and cultural, facilitates their ability to take advantage of opportunities that previously may not have been available to them. By rendering care internationally, and stepping outside one's comfort zone, many more doors of opportunity will be opened.Feel free to check out our website at www.islonline.org, follow us on Instagram @ islmedical, and reach out to me @ [email protected] 

Send us Fan MailWhat if one week abroad could reset your definition of impact? We sit down with Olivia Albanese Gordon to map the winding road from pre‑med requirements and ER shadowing to trip leadership in Nicaragua, an MPH from Johns Hopkins, and a mission‑driven role directing public health programs for families navigating epilepsy, autism, and intellectual and developmental disabilities. The arc isn’t linear, and that’s the point: service learning didn’t just add a line to her resume, it rewired how she thinks about prevention, ethics, and sustainable community health.We start with the origin story: high‑school service hours, a living‑learning community that prized mentorship, and the choice to major in public health with a medical humanities minor. Olivia shares how pre‑departure training lowered the fear of first‑time international travel, why journaling became an anchor, and how language barriers shrank inside a committed team. From maternal health clinics in the mountains to a hospital delivery room, the moments that stayed weren’t just clinical—they were educational. Teaching handwashing and brushing skills felt small, but the behavior change was built to last long after the pill bottles emptied.Back home, the work expanded. Olivia translated lessons from mission sites to local needs: supporting Spanish‑speaking patients in dental clinics, serving in the ER, and building a high‑school health curriculum that touched every student. Graduate training during a pandemic deepened her systems mindset, and today she leads programs across New Jersey that help families access care, insurance, and medication while advocating for dignity and autonomy. For students weighing a service trip, she offers clear guidance: assess your readiness, seek mentors, don’t let language stop you, and remember that meaningful impact is just as available in your backyard.If this conversation sparks new ideas about your own path, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s exploring healthcare careers, and leave a review with the pivot you’re considering next.Recommended Podcast:Public Health On Call - Johns HopkinsRecommended App:DuolingoI also want to thank our listeners for joining us as it is our goal to not only share with you our guest’s introduction to international healthcare, but also to share with you how that exposure to international healthcare has shaped their future path in healthcare. As true patient advocates, we should all aspire to be as well rounded as possible in order to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations. As a 50+ year nurse that has worked in quite a variety of clinical roles in our healthcare system, taught healthcare courses for the past 20 years at the university level, and has traveled extensively with my students on international service-learning trips, I can easily attest to the fact that healthcare focused students need, and greatly benefit from the opportunity to have hands-on experiential healthcare experiences in an international setting! I have seen the growth of students post travel as their self-confidence in their newly acquired skillsets, both clinical and cultural, facilitates their ability to take advantage of opportunities that previously may not have been available to them. By rendering care internationally, and stepping outside one's comfort zone, many more doors of opportunity will be opened.Feel free to check out our website at www.islonline.org, follow us on Instagram @ islmedical, and reach out to me @ [email protected] 

Send us Fan MailA phone call with an acceptance to medical school. A night flight to a donor hospital. A child’s rash spotted during a game and treated just before the bus pulled away. This is how Shelby’s winding path—public health, Teach for America, transplant logistics, and a formative trip to Nicaragua—built the mindset and skill set of a future physician.We open the curtain on organ donation and transplant coordination: what an OPO does, how multiple surgical teams align in unfamiliar ORs, and why precise preservation and timing mean everything. Shelby walks us through the roles you don’t see on TV—family coordinators trained for the most difficult conversations, the shift from old terms to respectful language, and the solemn ritual of an honor walk that honors a donor’s final gift. You’ll hear how packing protocols, cold ischemic times, and meticulous communication keep hope alive for patients waiting at home.Shelby’s gap years add depth and heart. Teaching in a Title I school during COVID forced new ways to connect and lead under pressure, skills that power better bedside care. Her research on multilingual learners shows how culture and language shape assessment and access, echoing the need for cultural humility in clinics and hospitals. And then there’s Nicaragua: hands-on exam practice with local physicians, real diagnostic reasoning as a freshman, and the realization that education can be the most durable medicine where resources are scarce.If you’re a premed, nurse, PA, or anyone curious about healthcare’s hidden teamwork, you’ll find practical insights on shadowing, service learning, and building empathy through experience. Shelby’s advice is a compass: do it scared, lean into curiosity, and let service open doors you didn’t know existed.Enjoy the conversation, subscribe for more human-centered healthcare stories, and share this episode with someone who needs a push to take their next brave step.Recommended Books:When Breath Becomes Air - Paul KalanithiMaybe You Should Talk To Someone - Loris GottleibI also want to thank our listeners for joining us as it is our goal to not only share with you our guest’s introduction to international healthcare, but also to share with you how that exposure to international healthcare has shaped their future path in healthcare. As true patient advocates, we should all aspire to be as well rounded as possible in order to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations. As a 50+ year nurse that has worked in quite a variety of clinical roles in our healthcare system, taught healthcare courses for the past 20 years at the university level, and has traveled extensively with my students on international service-learning trips, I can easily attest to the fact that healthcare focused students need, and greatly benefit from the opportunity to have hands-on experiential healthcare experiences in an international setting! I have seen the growth of students post travel as their self-confidence in their newly acquired skillsets, both clinical and cultural, facilitates their ability to take advantage of opportunities that previously may not have been available to them. By rendering care internationally, and stepping outside one's comfort zone, many more doors of opportunity will be opened.Feel free to check out our website at www.islonline.org, follow us on Instagram @ islmedical, and reach out to me @ [email protected] 

Send us Fan MailA few weeks in unfamiliar clinics can change a career. Emma joins us to share how three undergraduate service trips—Belize, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua—steered her toward osteopathic medicine, shaped her values in family practice, and sharpened the tools she uses daily with patients and students. We compare the realities of MD and DO training in the United States, spotlighting the additional musculoskeletal and osteopathic manipulative treatment skills that drew her to a more hands-on, whole-person approach.We talk plainly about what global service actually teaches: resourcefulness when there are no labs, humility when culture and systems differ by country, and the power of house visits to reveal social determinants you’ll never see from a clinic chair. Emma reflects on language access—from the confidence of working Spanish in Belize to the limits of phone interpreters in residency—and why in-person interpretation restores nuance, trust, and clinical accuracy. She also explains how faith shows up differently abroad and at home, and how chaplains help patients navigate the hardest conversations with care.For students mapping their path, Emma offers practical steps: how to seek shadowing, why rejection is part of the process, and how service—local or global—builds judgment and resilience. We explore the art of patient education in the age of search engines, the challenge of reassurance, and the grace of admitting what you don’t know while partnering with specialists. If you’re weighing DO versus MD, craving real-world experience, or seeking a more humane way to practice, this conversation delivers clarity and courage.If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review with the question you most want future guests to answer.Recommended Books:When Breath Becomes Air - Paul KalanithiThe In-Between - Hadley VlahosI also want to thank our listeners for joining us as it is our goal to not only share with you our guest’s introduction to international healthcare, but also to share with you how that exposure to international healthcare has shaped their future path in healthcare. As true patient advocates, we should all aspire to be as well rounded as possible in order to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations. As a 50+ year nurse that has worked in quite a variety of clinical roles in our healthcare system, taught healthcare courses for the past 20 years at the university level, and has traveled extensively with my students on international service-learning trips, I can easily attest to the fact that healthcare focused students need, and greatly benefit from the opportunity to have hands-on experiential healthcare experiences in an international setting! I have seen the growth of students post travel as their self-confidence in their newly acquired skillsets, both clinical and cultural, facilitates their ability to take advantage of opportunities that previously may not have been available to them. By rendering care internationally, and stepping outside one's comfort zone, many more doors of opportunity will be opened.Feel free to check out our website at www.islonline.org, follow us on Instagram @ islmedical, and reach out to me @ [email protected] 

Send us Fan MailWhat if the most important clinical tool isn’t in your pocket but in your posture toward people? We sit down with Dr. Katie Lucas, an OBGYN whose career was shaped by service learning in Belize and Nicaragua, and follow the throughline from open‑air clinics to private practice. Katie shares how she chose her specialty for its blend of surgery, continuity, and problem‑solving—and why true teamwork and strong mentors matter as much as any textbook.We dive into language as clinical infrastructure. Katie explains how speaking Spanish transforms trust in women’s health, especially in sensitive exams and moments of crisis. She breaks down the realities of the patient‑provider‑interpreter triangle, offers practical tips for addressing the patient directly, and shows how small phrasing changes protect dignity. The conversation brings raw honesty about returning home after short‑term service, the discomfort of abundance, and the responsibility to translate that experience into everyday care. From free clinics to residency rotations, she shows how consistent practice and reflection make compassion durable.For students and early‑career clinicians, Katie lays out a clear path: get your hands dirty in real clinics, learn the language your patients speak, seek mentors who model the values you want to live, and keep a journal so the lessons stick. We also share book recommendations on public health, equity, and the patient perspective to deepen your thinking beyond the ward. If you want to stand out in interviews and, more importantly, show up better for patients, this conversation is your roadmap to service‑driven medicine that lasts.If this story moved you or gave you a new idea to try, follow the show, share this episode with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a review with one lesson you’ll put into practice next week.Recommended Books:On Call: A Doctor's Journey in Public Service - Anthony FauciMedical Apartheid - Harriet WashingtonIn Shock - Rana AwdishWhen Breath Becomes Air - Paul KalanithiI also want to thank our listeners for joining us as it is our goal to not only share with you our guest’s introduction to international healthcare, but also to share with you how that exposure to international healthcare has shaped their future path in healthcare. As true patient advocates, we should all aspire to be as well rounded as possible in order to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations. As a 50+ year nurse that has worked in quite a variety of clinical roles in our healthcare system, taught healthcare courses for the past 20 years at the university level, and has traveled extensively with my students on international service-learning trips, I can easily attest to the fact that healthcare focused students need, and greatly benefit from the opportunity to have hands-on experiential healthcare experiences in an international setting! I have seen the growth of students post travel as their self-confidence in their newly acquired skillsets, both clinical and cultural, facilitates their ability to take advantage of opportunities that previously may not have been available to them. By rendering care internationally, and stepping outside one's comfort zone, many more doors of opportunity will be opened.Feel free to check out our website at www.islonline.org, follow us on Instagram @ islmedical, and reach out to me @ [email protected] 

Send us Fan MailA house call in the morning, a hospital admission by noon, and a seminar on suffering by night—that’s the rhythm our guest lives as a family physician in direct primary care and a fellow with Duke’s Theology, Medicine, and Culture Initiative. We open the door on what happens when you shrink a patient panel, ditch the phone tree, and trade 2,300 names for relationships you actually know. The result is time to listen, continuity across settings, and space to ask the questions most clinical checklists skip: What is medicine for? What do you hope for when life narrows? Who stands with you when the news is bad?We revisit a formative service learning trip to Belize and confront the uneasy line between formation and medical tourism. He shares how attention became his most valuable skill, how reflection and community keep the work honest, and why the real test of any trip is what changes back home. From there, we talk about faith not as a bolt‑on but as a way of seeing that shapes every clinical move—breaking bad news with spiritual hospitality, honoring a patient’s tradition without vagueness, and naming truths without hiding behind autonomy alone.Burnout and moral injury thread through the story, reframed by a larger narrative that makes room for grief and meaning. You’ll hear about kneeling beside beds to shift power, holding tears as a disciplined form of courage, and building parallel communities where weary clinicians read, eat, and remember why they began. We close with practical book recommendations on death, beauty, and care, and with candid advice for students on the fence about global health: discern in community, go humbly, and bring the lessons home.If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a review with one insight you’ll carry into your next patient encounter.Book Recommendations:When Breath Becomes Air - Paul KalanithiSevere Mercy - Sheldon Vanauken The Anticipatory Corpse - Jeffrey BishopLincoln in the Bardo - George SaundersI also want to thank our listeners for joining us as it is our goal to not only share with you our guest’s introduction to international healthcare, but also to share with you how that exposure to international healthcare has shaped their future path in healthcare. As true patient advocates, we should all aspire to be as well rounded as possible in order to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations. As a 50+ year nurse that has worked in quite a variety of clinical roles in our healthcare system, taught healthcare courses for the past 20 years at the university level, and has traveled extensively with my students on international service-learning trips, I can easily attest to the fact that healthcare focused students need, and greatly benefit from the opportunity to have hands-on experiential healthcare experiences in an international setting! I have seen the growth of students post travel as their self-confidence in their newly acquired skillsets, both clinical and cultural, facilitates their ability to take advantage of opportunities that previously may not have been available to them. By rendering care internationally, and stepping outside one's comfort zone, many more doors of opportunity will be opened.Feel free to check out our website at www.islonline.org, follow us on Instagram @ islmedical, and reach out to me @ [email protected] 

Send us Fan MailA young nurse fits an elder with her first pair of glasses, and everything changes—her patient’s world, and her own career path. That moment in a Guatemala clinic becomes the springboard for a wide-ranging conversation with Aubrey Hetland, BSN RN, PCCN, now pursuing her DNP-FNP, about why experience before grad school protects patients, how cultural humility improves outcomes, and what it takes to communicate clearly across language and culture.We trace Aubrey’s journey from cardiac step-down to oncology, through national certification and two Daisy Awards, and into global service learning that reframed her goals around preventive care. She breaks down what nurse practitioners actually do, how state practice authority shapes access, and why application beats memorization when the stakes involve real people and real risks. The clinic days come alive—morning briefings, triage, translators at the table, and nightly reflections that turned emotion into insight and teamwork into safer practice.Aubrey also opens the door on her new project: a training module that prepares students and clinicians to work effectively with medical interpreters. We discuss the triadic relationship, legal protections for limited English proficient patients, and the pitfalls of using family members or children for sensitive conversations. The result is a compelling case for language access as patient safety, not a courtesy. Along the way, you’ll hear practical advice for students on the fence about global health trips, plus reading and podcast recommendations that deepen cultural humility and clinical judgment.If you care about prevention, equitable access, and becoming the kind of clinician who truly meets people where they are, this story will stick. Subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a review to help more listeners find conversations that move medicine forward.Recommended Books:The Spirit Catches You & You Fall Down - Anne FadimanEverything is Tuberculosis - John GreenRecommended Podcast:The Checkup With Dr. MikeI also want to thank our listeners for joining us as it is our goal to not only share with you our guest’s introduction to international healthcare, but also to share with you how that exposure to international healthcare has shaped their future path in healthcare. As true patient advocates, we should all aspire to be as well rounded as possible in order to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations. As a 50+ year nurse that has worked in quite a variety of clinical roles in our healthcare system, taught healthcare courses for the past 20 years at the university level, and has traveled extensively with my students on international service-learning trips, I can easily attest to the fact that healthcare focused students need, and greatly benefit from the opportunity to have hands-on experiential healthcare experiences in an international setting! I have seen the growth of students post travel as their self-confidence in their newly acquired skillsets, both clinical and cultural, facilitates their ability to take advantage of opportunities that previously may not have been available to them. By rendering care internationally, and stepping outside one's comfort zone, many more doors of opportunity will be opened.Feel free to check out our website at www.islonline.org, follow us on Instagram @ islmedical, and reach out to me @ [email protected] 

Send us Fan MailA single sentence can change a life. For Blake Jones, it was a cold prediction at 16 that pushed him toward medicine with a vow to lead with skill and compassion. Years later, two service learning trips—first to Costa Rica, then Guatemala—turned that vow into a calling, as he learned to practice “medicine from a backpack,” partner with local physicians, and make focused decisions when resources run scarce. Those days in makeshift clinics didn’t just teach vitals and physical exams; they hardwired a mindset: do the most good with what you have, and never lose sight of the person in front of you.From there, Blake layered in the discipline of research, the urgency of EMT training, and the realism of full-scale disaster simulations at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville. The Health Professions Scholarship Program opened a path to serve as an Army physician, blending a taste for austere medicine with a deep commitment to patients who run toward danger. Now at a Level 1 trauma center within a military-civilian partnership, he’s steeped in high-acuity cases, tough rotations, and the kind of repetition that builds judgment fast. Along the way, he shares two cases that still anchor his why: an elderly patient with a palpable abdominal aortic aneurysm who needed swift escalation, and a woman who needed a $20 antibiotic that changed everything when a student reached into her pocket.We get practical and personal: what service learning clinics actually look like, how to think about research that opens doors, why HPSP may fit a mission-driven student, and how to face burnout without losing your center. Blake’s message is clear and hard-earned: if you’re chasing money or status, medicine will drain you; if you’re here to make someone’s life better, it gives more than it takes. For students nervous about cost or comfort zones, we talk scholarships, mentors, and why saying yes can reshape your career—and your character.Subscribe for more stories that connect global health, medical education, and real-world emergency care. If this conversation sparked something for you, share it with a friend, leave a review, and tell us the moment that shaped your path.I also want to thank our listeners for joining us as it is our goal to not only share with you our guest’s introduction to international healthcare, but also to share with you how that exposure to international healthcare has shaped their future path in healthcare. As true patient advocates, we should all aspire to be as well rounded as possible in order to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations. As a 50+ year nurse that has worked in quite a variety of clinical roles in our healthcare system, taught healthcare courses for the past 20 years at the university level, and has traveled extensively with my students on international service-learning trips, I can easily attest to the fact that healthcare focused students need, and greatly benefit from the opportunity to have hands-on experiential healthcare experiences in an international setting! I have seen the growth of students post travel as their self-confidence in their newly acquired skillsets, both clinical and cultural, facilitates their ability to take advantage of opportunities that previously may not have been available to them. By rendering care internationally, and stepping outside one's comfort zone, many more doors of opportunity will be opened.Feel free to check out our website at www.islonline.org, follow us on Instagram @ islmedical, and reach out to me @ [email protected] 

Send us Fan MailWhat if the most powerful thing you bring to clinic isn’t a medication but a moment of calm and a clear explanation? That question runs through our conversation with Maddie Huff, a recent public health graduate and future physician whose path was forged in service—from repairing ramps in Appalachia to leading medical mission cohorts in rural Guatemala.We unpack the early sparks that made service feel inevitable, then trace how COVID forced a reset that ultimately deepened focus. Maddie explains how joining a pre‑medical fraternity created mentorship and momentum, and how taking on trip leadership taught logistics, cultural humility, and the art of building trust. Inside clinic days, she walks through a simple, repeatable model—three students per patient, clear roles, case presentations to local physicians, and a pharmacy loop—that turns learning into care. Then we sit with the moment a patient named Sarah asked for her racing mind to stop, and how ten minutes of shared breath gave her a tool she could carry long after the team left.Through a public health lens, we examine social determinants of health, access barriers, and why education may be the strongest medicine in low‑resource settings. Maddie contrasts a UTI treated in an afternoon in the U.S. with months‑long symptoms abroad caused by distance, lost wages, and limited clinics, and makes the case for prevention, self‑management, and local partnerships. We also get honest about emotion: nightly reflection circles, walls coming down, and why tears aren’t weakness—they’re evidence of connection and growth outside our comfort zones.If you care about global health, medical education, or how service can shape a career with purpose, you’ll find practical insights and human stories here. Listen, reflect, and share it with someone who needs a reminder that dignity, education, and presence travel with us wherever we practice. If this resonated, follow the show, leave a quick review, and tell us the one small tool you think every clinic should teach.I also want to thank our listeners for joining us as it is our goal to not only share with you our guest’s introduction to international healthcare, but also to share with you how that exposure to international healthcare has shaped their future path in healthcare. As true patient advocates, we should all aspire to be as well rounded as possible in order to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations. As a 50+ year nurse that has worked in quite a variety of clinical roles in our healthcare system, taught healthcare courses for the past 20 years at the university level, and has traveled extensively with my students on international service-learning trips, I can easily attest to the fact that healthcare focused students need, and greatly benefit from the opportunity to have hands-on experiential healthcare experiences in an international setting! I have seen the growth of students post travel as their self-confidence in their newly acquired skillsets, both clinical and cultural, facilitates their ability to take advantage of opportunities that previously may not have been available to them. By rendering care internationally, and stepping outside one's comfort zone, many more doors of opportunity will be opened.Feel free to check out our website at www.islonline.org, follow us on Instagram @ islmedical, and reach out to me @ [email protected] 

Send us Fan MailA rainy roadside in Costa Rica changed everything. Jonathan Birnbaum watched buses pause for photos and press on, while he and his family stepped out to help. That simple choice grew into International Service Learning, an education-first, healthcare-focused organization that partners with ministries of health and local teams to deliver ethical, hands-on experiences for students, faculty, and professionals.We dig into how ISL built a model that puts community needs first and learning at the center. Jonathan explains why the organization shifted from general service to medical care, how faculty-led teams became the norm, and what it takes to credential nurses and clinicians so they can legally practice in-country and earn CEUs. You’ll hear the structure of a nine-day trip—from orientation to home visits, mobile clinics, community celebration, and cultural immersion—and the quiet systems that make it work: bilingual translators, vetted kitchens and hotels, and evacuation plans tuned by on-the-ground staff who know the neighborhoods, not just the news.This conversation unpacks the heart of responsible global health. Instead of chasing big numbers, ISL chooses careful, supervised clinics that uncover root causes like indoor smoke, water safety, and sanitation. We talk scholarships, leader fee waivers, and why airfare is left to travelers so ISL can stay focused on education and safety. Jonathan also shares what’s next: rebuilding post-COVID capacity, expanding specialties, and deepening partnerships with universities and associations to create accessible, high-quality global health programs across Latin America, Africa, and Asia.Ready to travel, serve, learn? Subscribe for more stories, share this episode with someone who needs a nudge, and leave a review to help others find the show.Book Recommendation:Where There Is No Doctor - Werner, Thuman, & MaxwellI also want to thank our listeners for joining us as it is our goal to not only share with you our guest’s introduction to international healthcare, but also to share with you how that exposure to international healthcare has shaped their future path in healthcare. As true patient advocates, we should all aspire to be as well rounded as possible in order to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations. As a 50+ year nurse that has worked in quite a variety of clinical roles in our healthcare system, taught healthcare courses for the past 20 years at the university level, and has traveled extensively with my students on international service-learning trips, I can easily attest to the fact that healthcare focused students need, and greatly benefit from the opportunity to have hands-on experiential healthcare experiences in an international setting! I have seen the growth of students post travel as their self-confidence in their newly acquired skillsets, both clinical and cultural, facilitates their ability to take advantage of opportunities that previously may not have been available to them. By rendering care internationally, and stepping outside one's comfort zone, many more doors of opportunity will be opened.Feel free to check out our website at www.islonline.org, follow us on Instagram @ islmedical, and reach out to me @ [email protected] 

Send us Fan MailI also want to thank our listeners for joining us as it is our goal to not only share with you our guest’s introduction to international healthcare, but also to share with you how that exposure to international healthcare has shaped their future path in healthcare. As true patient advocates, we should all aspire to be as well rounded as possible in order to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations. As a 50+ year nurse that has worked in quite a variety of clinical roles in our healthcare system, taught healthcare courses for the past 20 years at the university level, and has traveled extensively with my students on international service-learning trips, I can easily attest to the fact that healthcare focused students need, and greatly benefit from the opportunity to have hands-on experiential healthcare experiences in an international setting! I have seen the growth of students post travel as their self-confidence in their newly acquired skillsets, both clinical and cultural, facilitates their ability to take advantage of opportunities that previously may not have been available to them. By rendering care internationally, and stepping outside one's comfort zone, many more doors of opportunity will be opened.Feel free to check out our website at www.islonline.org, follow us on Instagram @ islmedical, and reach out to me @ [email protected]