Going abroad to Ghana was one of the most meaningful experiences I’ve had so far in college, both academically and personally. As someone planning to go into medicine, being able to rotate through different clinical units like labor and delivery, antenatal care, surgery, and the NICU helped me see healthcare through a much broader lens. I got to see how resource limitations, patient trust, and culture all shape the way care is delivered. It made me think more critically about what kind of doctor I want to be and reminded me that compassion and adaptability matter just as much as technical skill.

On a personal level, this experience pushed me out of my comfort zone in a good way. I had to adjust to a completely new environment, new routines, new foods, a different pace of life and that helped me become more flexible. I also had to navigate moments where I wasn’t sure how to communicate, especially when patients or children didn’t speak English. I got better at reading nonverbal cues and finding ways to connect that didn’t rely on words. I think a lot of people picture studying abroad in Africa as unsafe or only for certain majors. That wasn’t my experience at all. Ghana was welcoming, and I learned things there I never could’ve learned in a classroom.

As a first-gen college student from a low-income background, I wasn’t sure if studying abroad was even an option for me. I didn’t grow up traveling, and I definitely had some hesitation at first. But I’m really glad I pushed through that. I think a lot of students can see themselves in my position, wanting to do something big, but unsure if they can. I’m here to say you absolutely can, and it’s worth it.

Name: Latrell Massey
Status: Junior
Major: Human Biology
Hometown: East Lansing, Michigan
Program: Child Development in an African Context in Ghana