In her college career, Sarah Rhodes has been on the fast track to help those around her. Sarah, a senior cell-molecular biology major, took the MCAT just this past week. However, Sarah spent the summer getting medical experience before even getting into medical school.
Sarah spent the summer in South Africa not only learning about the culture, but working in the field that she won’t see from a doctor’s point of view for another eight years.
Her summer started in Johannesburg, South Africa learning about the socioeconomic issues that exist within Africa along with information about Nelson Mandela. After a crash course in culture, she went to Lusaka, Zambia. While there Sarah, and other students, spent two weeks working in the public hospital. In this hospital, Sarah was able to scrub in on surgeries, help deliver babies and work in the pediatric ward.
Another week of Sarah’s trip was spent working in a small clinic. This was where people went to receive HIV/AIDS medications, tuberculosis testing and care for simpler issues, much like an urgent care.
Sarah’s experience wasn’t all work and no play though. Sarah spent two weeks with her fellow students doing all of the touristy things that Africa has to offer. This included Sarah bungee-jumping off the tallest bungee-jump site in the world.
Now that the summer is over, Sarah is back in Boone and preparing for her future. Once she has completed medical school and all the steps to become a full-fledged doctor, she still wants nothing more than to help those around her.
When Sarah becomes a doctor, she wants to travel, nationally or internationally. Her plan? To provide free or cheap medical care to impoverished children in order to give them their best fighting chance at an education and a future.
“If you’re sick every other day, you can’t go to school,” Sarah said. “Healthy kids get better educations and better futures. I want these kids to have that opportunity too.”