Doctoring in China – Zane Alkoor

From the moment I arrived in China, it was clear the air and the people were different. So it should be no surprise that hospitals, healthcare, and being a doctor in China is also different. This Summer, of 2019, I had the pleasure to spend a few weeks shadowing doctors in The Second Affilated Medical Univeristy of Guangzhou. I passed through multiple departments incudling TCM (traditional Chinese medicine), Cardiology, Orthopedics, Pathology, and many others. In each department I learned something new from reading a ECG to performing CPR to acquiring a new flavor of bedside manner. This experience allowed me to not only learn practical skills needed for any potential medical student, but it also gave me another chance to explore China again (after not returning for thirteen years), and motivated me in my future endeavors— especially when it comes to studying for the MCAT, which I will begin in a few weeks. I was able to better myself, my career in medicine, but also was able to help others and felt like I improved the lives of patients.