- Please provide a brief description of your STEP Signature Project. Write two or three sentences describing the main activities your STEP Signature Project entailed.
My STEP project consisted primarily of exploring the public health scheme in Finland and Estonia. As a student prior to the trip, I learned about Finland’s primary perspective on providing universal healthcare, along with Estonia’s initiative in steps to advance medicine. After the lecture portion, I was given the opportunity to explore Finland’s culture, health initiatives, and way of life.
- What about your understanding of yourself, your assumptions, or your view of the world changed/transformed while completing your STEP Signature Project? Write one or two paragraphs to describe the change or transformation that took place.
Primarily, my perspective on way of life outside of the United States was broadened. Previous to my trip to Finland and Estonia, I had only been outside of the United States twice – and that too, was when I was very young. As a college student with ambitions to dive into the medical field, I believed personal interaction with diverse cultures outside of the norm was extremely crucial to my knowledge and appreciation. Not only did the trip itself open an avenue for me to explore, but allowed me to fine tune my skills in communicating with those that may/may not have the same background as my own. After going to Finland, I experienced the difficulties of language barriers, the sense of appreciation of different cultures, along with the actual transition of being in another country altogether. My view of the world definitely changed in this aspect, as I was given the opportunity to not only experience a country I had never seen before, but was allowed to transition myself into a culture that was foreign to me.
I believe this experience will be crucial to my hopeful future in medicine where I will be interacting with people from all around the world with varying backgrounds. Having an experience of already doing so as a tourist, I believe I will efficiently be able to translate what I experienced in a professional atmosphere as well.
- What events, interactions, relationships, or activities during your STEP Signature Project led to the change/transformation that you discussed in #2, and how did those affect you? Write three or four paragraphs describing the key aspects of your experiences completing your STEP Signature Project that led to this change/transformation.
The very first events that allowed me to broaden my scope was the actual class itself held at OSU. I was given the opportunity to be put in the same room as likeminded individuals that had the same ambitions to explore the medical field / public health standards outside of the United States. In just learning the material, I was given a sense of appreciation of being given the opportunity through STEP and OSU of diving into an experience I would have otherwise never have gotten before. Within the class, I was able to interact with other students and built a very strong relationship with many of them. After going to Finland, we were given a day to explore the city of Helsinki. During this time, my bonds with the other fellow students grew stronger as we experienced the different food, culture, and lifestyle of Finnish people. This was a growing experience for each and every one of us, and doing so together made the experience all but brighter.
As the days moved on, we explored the country of Finland as a whole. From moving city-to-city, we were given the opportunity to see the differences within the foreign country as a whole. From the wealthy side of Helsinki to the less fortunate side, I was able to gain a broader perspective and set stereotypes aside that I had formed about the sheer wealth of Finland. This not only gave me the opportunity to relate, but also provided a sense of growth in overall understanding of what it is Finnish people experience differently than those in the US. Through tours of the numerous museums, not only did we gain a better understanding of the history of Finland, but also the culture that they hold so dearly. This allowed me to broaden my viewpoint on importance of appreciation of your homeland and being able to expand on one’s identity.
Finally, our last few days were spent in Estonia. Although a less developed country, the experience allowed for a different side of the European identity. Being able to see the living conditions of some of the poorer neighborhoods in Estonia and the living styles that changed overtime since the Soviet regime allowed for a greater appreciation of being blessed here in Columbus, OH. Also, the ambitions of all citizens to succeed on a day-to-day basis served as an inspiration for someone interested in pursuing an ambitious career.
- Why is this change/transformation significant or valuable for your life? Write one or two paragraphs discussing why this change or development matters and/or relates to your academic, personal, and/or professional goals and future plans.
As discussed in the previous paragraphs, the sheer experience of being able to communicate with those of a different culture, background, and identity as a whole was a skill that will go a long way in a future career of medicine. Physicians often encounter a variety of patients – each with their own story, and to be able to relate to each of them in some sort of way is vital to building that patient-physician understanding. I believe this trip allowed me to experience this firsthand, and I am grateful to have an upper hand in this aspect. My adaption to different cultures will also provide as a great tool to have in the near future. I believe the experience of transitioning from a typical life in Columbus, OH to a very foreign lifestyle in a part of the world I had never experienced played as a crash course of being able to adapt – and that too, in an efficient manner. This will be vital in my life no matter what the conditions are, and I am very thankful to STEP for facilitating an experience that has improved my scope in numerous ways.
