Location: Mojokerto, Indonesia
How long was the ultrasound-related portion of your trip?
Our team taught ultrasound for 3 weeks in Mojokerto, and carried out research projects in conjunction with 3 different health clinics in the surrounding area.
How many UCI medical students were a part of your team?
There were 8 of us!
Activities:
Did you conduct ultrasound research? If so, what type?
Yes! We currently have 3 studies estimated for publication. Our first study looked at the effect that smoking has on renal characteristics. Indonesia has one of the highest incidences of smoking in the world, with 72% of the male population over 15 years of age using tobacco products, and according to the CDC, smoking is the leading cause of death in Indonesia. Given our accumulation of data, we also took the opportunity to analyze general characteristics of kidneys in Indonesia and establish reference ranges in the Indonesian population for comparison when examining renal disease. Our last study is an education study that assesses the efficacy of medical students in teaching physicians, nursing students, and midwives a comprehensive ultrasound course in three weeks.
How many abstracts did your group (in total) submit to the World Congress in Ultrasound Medical Education Conference in Montreal this year?
3
Which other conferences did your group submit abstracts to?
Currently, the WCUME is the only conference!
What types of clinical activities did you participate in aside from ultrasound?
We spent most of our time either teaching (about 4 hours in the afternoon) or gathering data for our research projects in the clinics (4 hours in the morning).
Non-medical adventures?
Indonesia is such a beautiful place, in terms of architecture and nature. While we were on the Island of Java, which is where Mojokerto is located, we got to visit various temples (like a HUGE golden Sleeping Buddha) as well as Mt. Bromo, an active volcano only 2 hours away! We also took a quick train ride to Yogyakarta to visit the Borobudur Temple, which is the largest Buddhist temple in the world. It was amazing. Also so much of the area is still very pristine and full of natural beauty, it’s hard not to fall in love with the area. Also not to mention, the area we are in would not be one you would call “touristy,” so you really get to be immersed in Indonesian (or more particularly, Javanese) culture.
Afterwards, we hopped over to Bali, and spent the week zipping around the island on our motorbikes eating good food, catching sweet waves, and enjoying the picturesque scenery!
Testimonials:
“Truly a once in a lifetime opportunity to be challenged and grow in a foreign culture.”-Kyle “Keyle” Dornhofer, MS2
“An incredible period of personal and professional growth. I had truly memorable experiences making cultural exchange throughout the trip.” –Kevin “Keev” Guan, MS2
“Coming from a place of privilege, you are humbled by the circumstances in which you’re placed and learn to compromise through cultural sensitivity and awareness.” – Christina “Nirvana” Kong, MS2
“I am thankful to have gone on this trip to grow closer with my classmates while making a meaningful difference in a foreign country and overloading on nasi goreng ayam.” – Thalia “Money” Nguyen, MS2
Recommendations for those going to the same place next summer?
- A good translator. Ideally you’d have someone on your team who can speak the language, as well as a PROFESSIONAL medical translator for lectures!
- Be proactive
- Common Sense – aware of Surroundings
- Adaptability – your plans and schedule WILL change