Getting firsthand global health experience in Tanzania
The lights flicker and then the power goes out. The surgeons look at each other and then at the patient, who is only mildly sedated and completely aware that something has gone wrong. A minute passes with few noises other than the shuffling feet of those
This scene did not come from a Netflix Original. It was part of the study abroad experience that Jessica Brumbaugh (’18) had while on a six-week course in Tanzania in May and July 2017. Brumbaugh, a Global Health minor, set her eyes on experiencing something new in a part of the world she had never been to before and for longer than the one-week experiences she had doing volunteer work in South America. But she never expected to be in an operating theatre, witnessing a potential medical tragedy firsthand.
“When the power went off it was the longest minute of my life,” Brumbaugh said as she recalled the calm composure of the surgeons in the room and the fearful face of the patient. “It was like this happened every day and they knew what to do, because when the lights came back on, everything returned to normal.”
The embedded study abroad experience that Brumbaugh participated in is part of the Global Health program at Penn State. This six-week program had a clinical and a field experience focused on public health in Tanzania. During the clinical portion of the program, the students shadowed physicians in settings ranging from the burn clinic and traditional medicine to the surgical theatre. They also met with representatives from the Peace Corps, USAID, and UNICEF to understand what public health providers in the field do and how they fit into the complex puzzle of global health.
For another part of the program, the Penn State students, nine in all, partnered with nurses to do a community assessment, where they interviewed community leaders and families and worked closely with nursing students. “The assessment, to me, was valuable. It’s what you should do first before ever doing any research,” said Brumbaugh. “We could recognize that there were potential problems that could be addressed by further research.”
The Eberly College of Science’s Office of Science Engagement facilitates experiences abroad, such as Brumbaugh’s, as a way to add value to students’ experience beyond the classroom. The office actively facilitates other programs, such as undergraduate research, to help students gain experience and realize their potential as they prepare for life after graduation.
“Our goal is to have all science majors graduate from Penn State with a more global perspective, Student Spotlight Getting firsthand global health experience in Tanzania because no matter where you go from here, you will be working and interacting with people from a wide range of backgrounds,” said Global Experiences Coordinator Krista Miller.
“I’ve always been fascinated by global health, and to see the differences between the United States and a place like Tanzania was definitely rewarding, because it confirmed ideas that I had in my head about global health and now I can see myself doing something like this in my career,” said Brumbaugh. “The hands-on experience that I had there was extremely valuable for me to help figure things out. It opened doors.”
Since returning, Brumbaugh has begun to attend the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics (CIDD) seminars, where she is the only undergraduate student in the audience. Her interaction with the researchers there has been insightful. She also works in a laboratory and finds interacting with experienced researchers very enlightening. She is considering working abroad after graduation for an organization such as the World Health Organization or USAID. She is also studying Kiswahili so, if she returns to Tanzania or goes to Kenya, she can speak directly to the people and her colleagues.