Health sciences senior Bryan Fajardo wants to be an anesthesiologist, and his experience this summer in the new Clinical Shadowing Abroad program has helped affirm that’s the right career path for him. Fajardo spent three weeks in Italy and three weeks in Spain, spending his days shadowing surgeons, anesthesiologists and other healthcare professionals at the National Cancer Institute of Milan and Río Hortega University Hospital in Valladolid.
“I had a great, great team of doctors who were really instructive,” says Fajardo. “They described in precise detail what they’re doing, what they’re looking at, what they’re working with, what the goal is, and what they’re avoiding in the whole process. They were really trying to get me thinking how they were thinking.”
Fajardo shares his experience on Knight Life @UCFCHPS, a video series that provides an inside perspective on student life at the College of Health Professions and Sciences (CHPS) by highlighting internships, research, study abroad, specialized courses, student organizations and other high impact practices in place to help students succeed.
Fajardo is one of 29 students who participated in the Clinical Shadowing Abroad program this summer. Students can select one-, three- or six-week sessions designed to expose them to international healthcare systems and directly observe patient treatment. A separate study abroad program offers students the chance to take health-related courses with a CHPS instructor in Barcelona, Spain. Both programs give participants the new skills in an international setting while receiving credit toward their degree and experiencing new cultures.
Students interested in participating in Summer 2024 international studies programs can find out more and apply on the Study Abroad and Clinical Shadowing Abroad Programs website.
