AACC December 2020 Shadowing Experience – Amaya Jackson

The virtual shadowing program was one of the most unique, exciting, and informative experiences a student aspiring to enter the field of medicine/health science could encounter. My favorite aspect was learning about Chinese culture and ancient medicine in the latter part of the week-long program. However, throughout each session the other participants and I had the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the techniques, methods, materials, and facilities utilized in the first Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University; this allowed for us to identify similarities between healthcare in the US and in China and understanding varying means of healthcare is extremely important for anyone entering the field. The virtual presentations conducted by each physician and professional was in depth, clear, engaging, and demonstrated a wide scope of information regarding physical and physiological anatomy, common diseases, and typical treatments for each department within the university; some of my favorite departments to learn from were the neurology, cardiology, and gastroenterology departments, but I gained great insight into the fields of public health, oncology, and immunology as well. I also appreciated all of the support from Ms. Qing, those who assisted with/facilitate the program, and the physicians/professionals as they did such an amazing job answering our MANY questions even if they were difficult ones, but also handled technical difficulties extremely well! I would recommend this program to anyone interested in expanding their knowledge on medicine and ready to dive into learning about different departments within a hospital. Thank you AACC!