Reviews

Ingrid O

Visiting South Africa for the summer, as a medical student was an amazing experience! With the help of Connect-123, I was able to transition into my clinical experiences with no issues. While maintaining a good balance on tourist fun! Their organized events were some of the best parts of my trip! Their suggestions of local events made me love the culture even more. The people of South Africa were very welcoming and kind to me throughout my whole experience. Their rich and diverse culture, allowed me to learn both in clinic and on excursions. I will definitely be returning one day!

Juan S

This program is the easiest way to study abroad and get to know a whole different country/continent if that is something you have in mind. They care enough for you to get to know where you are and also to make sure you know everything about how to move around and how to be safe around the cities. Additionally, some of the supervisors are super nice and they enjoy having conversations with you as well and learning about you. Their team is awesome because they would help you to get most of the things that you need to get done together with your school.

Nheriessa M

I had a phenomenal experience with Connect-123 global programs. Through this program, I was fortunate enough to conduct research at a prestige University in the Department of Molecular & Cell Biology Department. I also had the opportunity to observe Pediatric Reconstructive Surgery at one of Cape Town's biggest public Hospital's. As a pre-med student it is almost essential to have a background in research. I am grateful to this program and my principal investigator because I gained technical skills and knowledge in the subject. I regained my love for science because of my work at the University. It is my goal to become a surgeon and I got the distinct opportunity of observing surgical procedures I was never previously exposed to. I am tremendously grateful for the people I met along the way, administration, physicians and patients. I am grateful for Carla and the program, who worked hard on my placements to make it unique to my needs. Connect -123 has a large variety of weekly activities that they provide students with. As a student who has done study abroad previously, I can say that Connect-123 goes above and beyond to make sure students are engaged and that they have opportunities witness the beauty of Cape Town. There is nothing I would change about my trip and if I could have extended my stay, I would :)

Cameron G

Cape Town was a great opportunity for me to become more culturally competent in healthcare, and Connect-123 provided a fantastic opportunity and location for me to learn from. They provided excellent recommendations for education and entertainment as I became a local and embraced South African culture!

Helene J

I had a fantastic experience at a Medical Centre in Dublin. As a third-year medical student, my internship helped me a lot in figuring out what specialty I might want to pursue after graduation and in which direction I want to develop my career. I was really lucky to have such friendly and helpful colleagues. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to live and work abroad. Dublin is a beautiful city and truly worth a visit. In all fairness, I was skeptical at first if going abroad with an organization would really be worth it, but thanks to the Connect-123 program, it was really easy to make friends and settle in. My experience really wouldn't have been the same without the girls from Connect-123.

Kaylee S

During my internship in Buenos Aires, I got the opportunity to work with medical staff at a local hospital. I was able to analyze patient medication regimens and research cancer chemotherapy drugs. Shadowing physicians and attending rounds gave me the perfect opportunity to enhance my medical Spanish terminology while strengthening my desire to work in patient care. I am super grateful for this opportunity because I got to meet incredible people and also be immersed in a new culture and enhance my Spanish skills. I will always remember my time in Buenos Aires because I was able to become more independent and build confidence in my critical thinking and listening skills, which were highly utilized in an immersive language environment. Being able to travel to Iguazu and Uruguay were also a few highlights of my time spent in Buenos Aires.

Daniel R

My summer in Barcelona was truly incredible thanks to Connect-123. I had an amazing experience living and working in such a vibrant and lively city. As a Biochemical Engineering/Physiology major, I have had the unique opportunity to apply my technical knowledge to real-world scenarios. I worked alongside a diverse and interdisciplinary team to dive into the problems associated with liver injuries and transplants. I participated in countless hands-on experiments and designed multiple setups. I was able to practice literature searching and presentation/project formulation and sit in on multiple business meetings. Additionally, I had the incredible opportunity to practice and develop my Spanish language skills in an entirely Spanish-speaking research project. My experience has shaped my future outlook and career plans and I left my internship with an invitation to return in the future. Barcelona is an incredible city filled with robust culture, incredible food, and amazing people. Being able to complete this program in Barcelona opened my eyes to the world and has provided me with incredible memories, friends, and experiences; all of this was thanks to Connect-123. Thank you for an incredible experience! ¡Hasta luego Barcelona!

Braden B

As a first-year medical student, I was searching for a summer experience that would both enhance my education and challenge me to step outside my comfort zone. Because of Cape Town’s unique socioeconomic, cultural, and medical landscape, it was the perfect setting for these two things to be accomplished. My group and I spent nearly a month shadowing healthcare workers both in a public hospital setting and at a home for chronically ill children. There, we gained insight into how the challenges caused by minimal resources can be overcome and how one’s personal health and social circumstances are deeply intertwined, something that is often veiled in the United States. We learned many other lessons while in Cape Town, and I am confident that this experience will allow us to develop into more understanding, humble, and caring physicians in the future.

In addition to the professional and personal growth, we were able to travel around and enjoy some of what South Africa has to offer, including a multi-day safari, shark cage diving near Shark Alley, and wine tastings at some of the best vineyards in the world. Traversing a country for the first time can be a daunting task, but Carla at Connect-123 helped to make our time there stress-free and enjoyable. She was extremely helpful with scheduling excursions and always available to answer any questions we had. The invaluable education, the gorgeous sunrises, but most especially, the amazing individuals I met along the way, made this opportunity truly unforgettable

Cami S

I am a second-year medical student who is not sure what specialty I will end up practicing in, but I know that I want to serve every patient with the best medical care fitted for their personal needs. Going on this trip to Cape Town, South Africa, with Connect-123 allowed me to gain so much experience not only in the medical sense but also when it comes to socioeconomic factors in healthcare. As someone that had never been out of North America, I think that doing a program abroad greatly improved my individuality and confidence, while also working on my professional development by working with staff and patients from a variety of cultural and social backgrounds. We got to work with nurses, therapists, social workers, and a doctor at a Children’s Hospital to learn the individual needs of children with a variety of illnesses and had the opportunity to shadow surgeons in the ICU and operating rooms at a bigger Hospital. Not only did I learn a lot in the hospitals, but our group also got to do many fun excursions, such as a weekend safari, Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point, and shark cage diving. This was truly a life-changing experience and I would suggest it to anyone looking for an incredible opportunity to become more well-rounded in their field. Thank you so much to Connect-123, and especially Carla who made us all feel so safe and welcome in Cape Town!

Hailee Morisseau

My time in Cape Town was truly memorable. I had the opportunity to complete an observership/internship at the hospital where I was able to learn from the Department of Neurosurgery. My healthcare experience was a well-rounded one as I also had the opportunity to observe other scopes of practice, such as anesthesia, child life, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and physiotherapy. Not only was I able to observe surgeries, clinics, and ward rounds, but I was also given the opportunity to assist with data entry to help transfer the department over to an electronic note system. This experience was incredibly helpful for me to gain more exposure to healthcare and to become more confident in the career path that I want to follow. Cape Town itself is a beautiful city to be in and I met a lot of great people from all over the world. The coordinators were always happy to help with anything and they played a key role in making my experience as memorable as it was!

Joshua Maclin

As part of the 2018 class from Earlham College, I interned in the Geriatric Ward of a Mental Health Center. I wrote a systematic review of four types of dementia: Frontotemporal lobe dementia, Vascular Dementia, Alzheimer's, and dementia with Lewy Bodies. In conjunction with research, I had observed how my supervisors and other doctors operated in the geriatric ward and edited some of my coworkers' work and presentations. In addition to my internship, living in Shanghai was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I lived in an amazing apartment that was in the heart of Shanghai and had access to so much within very little walking distance. I was also able to experience Chinese culture firsthand, which was something I've wanted to do for years! I was able to travel a fair bit with my schedule. I visited Nanjing and a few other notable places in China. I had an incredible time and would highly recommend this program!

Alex Abelkis

During my internship in Shanghai, I learned so much about who I am and what I value. I am currently a senior at Earlham College and hope to go into nursing after I graduate. I was welcomed by the hospital community with open arms and was lucky to learn about many facets of the Chinese medical system. Through my time in Shanghai, I remembered what it was like to feel like an outsider. While I have been to China in the past, I do not know the language well so it was difficult to fully integrate. However, I deeply enjoyed meeting new people, traveling to nearby locations on weekends, and trying new foods! Thank you Connect-123 for this opportunity!

Carleton College Student

Interning abroad with Connect-123 was an incredible experience. During my 8 weeks in China, I was able to grow both personally and professionally. I made great connections with my co-workers at the hospital and other students on the Connect-123 program. Living and working abroad in a country so different from my own was a great way to get out of my comfort zone and explore a new city. The Connect-123 staff was very supportive and responsive to my needs. My internship was a combination of shadowing doctors and nurses as well as seeing surgeries. My experience with Mandarin really helped me engage with staff at the hospital and allowed me to help out with patient care, editing medical reports, and proof-reading hospital documents. My supervisor was flexible with my schedule and hours, which gave me the opportunity to explore not only Shanghai, but also other parts of China. I am so grateful that I got to live and work in such an interesting city!

Nahom Zwede

Being an intern in one of the most famous international hospitals in Shanghai, China has exposed me to various learning opportunities. As a first-year college student who is pursuing medicine as a career, I had a lot to learn about the field and explore a variety of departments within the field. Learning about how medicine is practiced in different cultures other than the United States is something that I truly appreciate because I believe that it gives me an insight on different types of patient care. Working with physicians and other staff members at the hospital has helped me grow as an individual and gave me a clear vision of what practicing medicine is like. It is mainly because of this experience that I am now able to finally say that medicine is definitely the career path I want to take. Connect-123 has helped me throughout the entire internship from finding housing for the summer to making sure that I got involved in the new things that were happening in the beautiful city of Shanghai. I also made so many great connections with incredible people from all over the world. Thank you Connect-123!

Camille Prairie

My six months as an intern with Connect-123 was an incredible learning experience. I met so many wonderful people at my internship, in Buenos Aires and around Argentina. I have returned to the US with skills I can carry with me for the rest of my life, as well as long-lasting friendships and amazing memories. My time at my internship as well as in Buenos Aires was eye-opening, fun, and challenged me to grow as a person and I think everyone should do something similar at some point. I would absolutely recommend Connect-123 and of course, Buenos Aires. I can’t wait to go back!

Madeline Brent

My internship in Dublin was wonderful. I worked at Trinity University in a biobank archiving and processing samples. The work environment was a very easy transition. Everyone was welcoming and genuinely wanted to get to know me. I learned so many skills from my job that I am able to take back with me and apply to new jobs in the future. Something amazing about interning abroad is also meeting people from many different places. I interned with people from India, Luxembourg, Germany, and so many others. It was fun to learn side by side with other students and see how different places around the world learn techniques differently. Having an internship abroad was an incredible opportunity. Living in a foreign country and having to experience normal life in a culture other than your own is an experience unlike any other. Vacationing is not the same thing as living. Living in Dublin caused me to go to the grocery store, take public transportation, and experience the locals in a way I wouldn’t have been able to on a short trip. Connect-123 helped ease this transition. I was given an orientation with everything I needed including a list of all grocery stores, transportation information, and local attractions. During my stay in Dublin we had many events that brought participants together and gave us a community. Overall I not only learned about a new location, but I made Dublin a home.

Rikke Bangsborg

During my internship in Buenos Aires, I learned a lot about myself and my professional interests. I met great friends from all over the world and was able to travel further to Uruguay and Brazil. However, the most important aspect I take away from this internship is valuable knowledge for my potential future career interest. I have been exposed to an environment and culture far from what I know, and it has allowed me to build confidence and become comfortable within my field. I have developed various crucial skills, such as intercultural sensitivity and health-oriented communication, as well as improved my ability to apply these skills in an appropriate setting. Altogether, during my time abroad in Buenos Aires, I have been able to strengthen my education and gain real-life experience, which will be essential assets in my future profession.

Yi Liang Jiang

I completed my pharmacology internship at a hospital in Dublin. I worked in an immunology lab, where I learned how to operate centrifuge, Phadia 250 and QuantaLyser. The colleagues and chief scientist were welcoming and patient. Thanks to my summer internship, I gained knowledge of many crucial laboratory skills such as preparing coverslips and writing audits. Connect-123 not only made sure that we worked in a safe and professional environment but also filled our free time with exciting adventures and good food!

Sarah Rost

My medical and public health internship in Cape Town and my work in palliative care at a public hospital taught me to live life to fullest and take advantage of every opportunity available to me. Through this experience, I discovered both my love of traveling and healthcare. Working in palliative care taught me the importance of human interaction in medicine, and for that, I will always be grateful to my host organization. This was by far one of my favorite summers ever, and I hope I can return to this beautiful city someday! I want to thank Connect-123 for the experience of a lifetime in South Africa. I absolutely loved living and working in Cape Town, and will really miss this home away from home.

Austin Neal

My medical internship in Cape Town in physical rehabilitation helped open my eyes to different cultures, ways of living, the struggles that people go through, and how resilient people are. The best way to learn is via experience, and that is exactly what I got. At the hospital, I was able to learn the sorts of things you aren’t taught in books. I observed therapy sessions and I got to work with a group of colleagues who, over the course of my internship, became friends. I observed and shadowed occupational therapists and physiotherapists as they treated stroke victims, people with disabilities and those with broken bones. Cape Town was an amazing experience that I will never forget. I met great people here and I feel like it has helped me grow in ways that I can’t put into words. Cape Town will forever have a piece of my heart.