Since I was young, I knew I wanted to travel outside the United States. I was never quite sure why at that time and still to this day, I’m not sure I can exactly pinpoint why I had/have these feelings. What I do know is that it is a gut feeling and that it will be a part of my future. 

There are very few things in life that we, as individuals and as imperfect human beings, can be certain of, but I am confident that my career and my life as a physician will include an international component. ​​​​​​​

Now, fast forward to today, I’m sitting here, on a plane flying back from my third time in Mexico, and my sixth time outside of the U.S. and I can’t help but think about how blessed I am for the opportunities I have been given in my life and for the excellent people that I have had the pleasure of working with. My experiences on this program were unique and helped to give me a different perspective on life, on being a physician, and on patient care. I came into this program with an open mind but also an ignorant one. I did not know anything about the health care system in Mexico nor had I ever spent time in a Mexican hospital. I wasn’t sure what to expect. 

Now, sitting here reflecting, this program allowed me to improve my fluency, it helped me create a better sense of community among my classmates and the MSU community as a whole, and it helped to make me a better person which in turn will make me a better physician. I would highly recommend this program for medical students and for any pre-medical students who want to better themselves. Students would not regret picking this program. Thank you.

Nathan Holmes
Community Medicine in Yucatan, Mexico​​​​​​​
Spring Break 2019