Global Learning Reflection
Growing up in the melting pot of Miami, I have interacted and made friendships with people from all sort of cultures, sexual orientations, religions, and experiences. Similar to growing up in Miami, growing up in a Cuban family with roots from Lebanon and the Canary Islands exposed me to a variety of different cultures and beliefs, which now makes up who I am. My background has taught me the importance of embracing the differences among people from all walks of life, and to me, that’s what diversity is about. I chose to come to Florida International University because of its diverse nature and its ability to be innovative. The diversity inherent to FIU allowed me to obtain an enriched education that suited my desire to work in a diverse environment where my classmates and I shared perspectives and learned from one another.
Upon being admitted to FIU, I decided to join the honors college because I wanted to be part of a well-rounded community that will expose me to qualities of a model student, so I can not only follow their footsteps but create my own experiences. A couple years after, I found out about the Global Learning Medallion program, and I was ecstatic to join it to enhance my global awareness, perspective, and engagement. During my sophomore year, I took an honors course that also had a global learning component, which I learned foundational elements of public health, along with identifying major local, national, and international challenges related to health disparities. We discussed the social determinants of health and how that impacts not only the individual’s health, but the community’s public health. Throughout both semesters, we conducted research and actively discussed topics in adolescent health, chronic and infectious diseases, global health, women’s health, and disaster preparedness. During my junior year, I decided to further expand my global awareness by taking another honors/global learning course, which emphasized healthcare systems in the context of the local, national, and global community. In addition, through the discussion of healthcare systems, health policy, research, public health, and the social determinants of health, I became globally aware of the challenges people face in obtaining healthcare worldwide. Throughout the semesters, we also discussed intercultural issues in medicine, especially when it comes down to alternative/complementary medicines that are widely practiced in certain cultures. Taking these courses enriched my global learning experience at FIU and made me realize the importance of global health.
Looking to enhance my research experience along with my global engagement, I challenged myself in college by involving myself in a research lab that aims to contribute to the fight against a global public health crisis. The emergence of antimicrobial resistance towards currently available antibiotics has endangered the ability to prevent and treat a wide variety of infections, prompting research efforts towards finding alternatives. With the research team and my effort, we synthesized, characterized, and conducted antimicrobial studies on silver pyrazolato complexes as effective antimicrobial agents. During my undergraduate research experience, I have learned to collaborate with people from different backgrounds and fields to ultimately share a common goal. I continue to develop my skills as a professional and even took part in the 2019 CURFIU to share with the scientific community our success in the project. I was humbled to have also received a certificate of recognition for the development of an outstanding project and presentation. Also, I have been able to find this innate desire that I must learn as much as I could and take advantage of every situation and learn from my own mistakes. This growth mindset would allow me to continue persevering and finding success through the rigors of medical education, which would be the next chapter of my life.
Helping my community is ingrained in my self-identity. It is a personal commitment that I have towards a lifestyle that is centered around service and compassion. With my experiences in volunteering at health fairs, STEM Saturdays, and food drives. I have felt the appreciation from others that fosters my individual fulfillment of continually helping society. Thanks to the honors college and the global learning program, I enhanced my global engagement through a service-learning project that aimed to spread awareness and reduce the rising numbers of childhood obesity in our local community. This was a great opportunity that taught me important skills in planning and implementing a project in society. In this experience, I also learned the importance of knowing when to step in and perform as a leader and also when to step down to be a supporter and learn from someone that knows how to do something better than me. In the medical community, I would be collaborating with other physicians, learning from one another and respecting patients’ choices to eventually make decisions that better suit each individual. As a future physician, I recognize that the needs of my patients come before my personal needs.
It is through my hard work, integrity, and values that I commit myself to pursue a career in the medical field. The combination of my life experiences along with the global learning medallion program has enlightened me with the importance of integrating a global learning perspective when finding ways to help my community. Through the help of this program, I have not only expanded my global perspective, but I have also enhanced my self-awareness as an individual, which has allowed me to grow and develop competencies of a leader.
