It’s getting close to the end of my practicum and I’ve had a well-rounded experience to what global health research is like. My practicum began in Palo Alto, California where I became part of the REAP, Rural Action Education Program, research team at Stanford. This team of talented individuals works on policy change and research to help the poor communities in China. As part of the team for the summer, I focus on building and adding new material to the Healthy Future curriculum, a program to be given by Community Health Workers in rural China to improve maternal and infant nutrition as well as prevent infant injury. China’s rural infants too often suffer from malnutrition but providing such an education program will help improve conditions for them. With this in mind, I’ve enjoyed working on the curriculum knowing that it will make a difference for many individuals once it is implemented.
Outside of the practicum work and research environment, I enjoyed exploring northern California for the first time. I definitely got to feel what it’s like to live locally and stayed two doors down from Mark Zuckerberg! I was also lucky enough to have a bike rental during my time there so that I was able to travel to and from Stanford as well as around town! The flexibility of the work allowed me to work at coffee shops where I ordered my first mint mojito, a sweet and creamy latte with mint, at the very popular Peet’s. Lastly, I was able to rent a car and travel to San Francisco and visit the many well-known places such as China Town, Fisherman’s Warf, and of course the Golden Gate Bridge. I greatly enjoyed my time in Palo Alto and would definitely recommend considering a practicum on the West Coast!
While I was scheduled to travel to China for the rest of my practicum, my trip has been delayed, I continue to work and will hopefully be able to visit the university in the future. While, I’m saddened that my trip has been delayed, I have received a well-rounded experience of global health research and I know that the work that I have been doing this summer will make a difference in foreign communities and I believe that I have gained global experience to prepare me for future endeavors.
– Nicole