Student Spotlight Series

The student spotlight series is new to the Global Medicine Group this year and will feature the stories and experiences of different students past and present. Their stories can provide insight into the opportunities that exist and the potential of pre-med's. Enjoy!

To kick off the spotlight series is Ms. Mera Goodman. She is attending Stony Brook's concurrent MD-MPH program and is a post-bacc alumni!

NOMASTE! After ~5 weeks in India, I now deem myself an “Indiaphile.” As with most International voyages, my expectations were open this April as I embarked on the four week Traditional Medicine rotation in Northern India with Child Family Health International (CFHI) . The program consisted of a mix of urban/rural medicine, private/public healthcare settings, and eastern/western treatments across various medical specialties. It involved shadowing physicians and classroom-style discussions. After flying into Delhi, we rotated through Dehradun (a smaller town known for its health care services), Rishikesh (the yoga capital of the world, filled with Ashrams or ‘healing centers,” which is where we stayed), and Than Goan (a non-profit clinic that serves as a base for neighboring villages’ rural care).

In Dehradun, we stayed with a host family (an OB-GYN mom married to her anesthesiologist husband and their teenage son). Amusingly, upon arriving in our homestay in Dehradun, we were welcomed by the sound of live Green Day music as the son practiced in his rock band – quite the welcome! Since I did not attend the program during the summer months, our group was small (4 attendees); so, on weekends, we traveled to neighboring towns with a sister CFHI program’s participants (Intro to Rural Health); many attendees were participating for credit as MS-4 students. Despite our varying levels of experience, all of the doctors we shadowed throughout the program were able to incorporate us in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients.

It’s hard to say which phase of the trip most impressed me. Since I was pre-med at the time of the trip, there was a limitation to how much I could truly offer the patients, but an extra pair of hands, a bright smile, and an extra brain on a clinical case made for a fruitful experience for all. Since I am also interested in public health, it was interesting to witness how medical care varied across the settings listed above, to attend a few surgeries, and to see how the ownership of patients and healthcare providers in a developing country differed from our system in the U.S.

By far, one of the most unique experiences was the opportunity to base in a rural setting at Than Goan, in which patients would travel from nearby villages (4-10 hour hikes each way!) to receive care in the onsite clinic. At the base, where there was limited running water and no electricity, we also learned about alternative healing methods since a lot of the ayurvedic/natural medicines that the clinic uses are grown on site. On two of five days that we based in Than Goan, we hiked to two different villages with medicine-filled backpacks and directly interacted with local residents.

Culturally, India is a very special place. There are many novels that seem to tag India as a place that one either loves or hates (there are definitely some sanitation and behavioral differences from American culture). While much of the countryside is very preserved, Mumbai (former Bombay) is very modernized, even trendy against New York City standards. In turn, India is a country full of sharp juxtapositions and limited infrastructure. However, I found the people to be India’s major selling point (the food wasn’t too bad as well!). Most people wanted to stop and have a conversation over Chai masala, offered warm greetings, and seem to have taken a genuine interest in getting to know the program participants and more about American culture.

I definitely encourage everyone to participate in an international rotation. For those interested in a structured learning environment or an opportunity to obtain credit for participation, CFHI presents some interesting destination options coupled with a variety of healthcare themes. CFHI offers various scholarship options as well.

After four years of management consulting, I am starting in the concurrent MD-MPH program at SUNY Stonybrook this fall. While I’m not sure how life will pan out, I’m eager to combine my experience in international health and management with something on the clinical side of medicine (possible surgery). I will definitely be exploring other programs (including CFHI) as I build my four-year program at Stonybrook. I also participated in a volunteer program in Peru in 2003 through Cross Cultural Solutions. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at meragoodman@hotmail.com.

For more information about CFHI, please explore their website: http://www.cfhi.org/
For more information on India’s healthcare system, please refer to: http://www.who.int/countries/ind/en/