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Medical volunteer work in Phnom Penh, Cambodia treating children anyone can do

#Overcame shyness; became proactive in approaching others #Overseas practicum experience, equal opportunities #Confidence to live more comfortably and happily

  • I was able to discover a new side of myself.When I met someone I hadn''t met before or a foreigner, I can now approach them and start a conversation without hesitation. The weekend of the week I returned home, I went to a nursing home to volunteer as a companion, and I think I was surprised at myself for responding and continuing conversations with the elders, since I usually used to be very shy.

     

    Cambodia — Phnom Penh medical volunteer program treating children that anyone can participate in.

    Gapper Cha Yuseon''s review

     

     

     

    # The opportunity to gain medical experience abroad was truly appealing to me.

     

    Hello. I am 25-year-old Cha Yuseon, a medical student.

    I had experience volunteering at hospitals in Korea, but I had never done so abroad. AlsoI thought that the fact you could stay for at least four weeks (not short-term) and volunteer in a hospital alongside local medical staff was a distinguishing feature that other volunteer programs didn''t have.

    * *Dreaming of becoming a future medical professionalMs. Cha Yuseon needed time to gain certainty about her career path and to learn more about herself. Together with a professional consultant she decided on a project and made the decision to start a gap year.Want a project that''s perfect for you? I highly recommend one-on-one consulting with a gap year specialist!

    A sure way to change my life: Gap Year 1:1 Consulting

     

     

     

     

    # Learning from and communicating with locals in a country I''ve never been to!

     

    I believed that communication skills would be the most important ability for my future career.

    It''s not an English-speaking country, nor a nearby country like China or Japan,

    My goal was to adapt well, communicate with locals, and build memories in a country I was visiting for the first time.

     

    No matter what country you travel to, I think the most important thing is to respect that country''s culture.

    In Cambodia people greet by putting their hands together like this 🙏🏻. Even with strangers, when I put my hands together and said "suosdei~" everyone welcomed me with a smile. I think I used that greeting more often than "Hello."

     

    Later, a student nurse I met on the ward told me that "suosdei" is like the informal "annyeong" in our language and that "chomripsuo" means the formal "annyeonghaseyo." I was embarrassed, thinking "So I''ve been using casual speech this whole time?!" but it was a new and fun discovery that they have honorifics like we do.

     

     

    # I remember the memories of chatting casually and spending time with newly made friends.

    There were hard times, and there were moments when I felt challenged in the unfamiliar environment, but I was able to endure those moments thanks to the precious friends I met in Cambodia. Buying souvenirs at the Central Market with Briana, who lived on the third floor, and the Korean roommate, and going to the pool to hang out soothed my lonely heart after flying alone to a foreign country.

    Also, I have memories of meeting up with the Cambodian friends I met at the hospital after volunteering — eating at the Riverview restaurant and sharing cocktails at the trendy spot Bassac Lane, chatting late into the night.

     

     

     

    # I was able to discover a new side of myself.

     

    After my gap year, I was able to discover a new side of myself.

    When I met someone I hadn''t seen before or a foreigner, I can now approach them and start a conversation without hesitation.

    The weekend I returned home I volunteered as a companion at a nursing home, and I was surprised at myself for responding to the elders and carrying on conversations, even though I''m usually quite shy. I believe this change was definitely thanks to the experience and confidence I gained during my gap year. :)

     

     

     

     

    # Cambodia medical volunteer work — here’s my daily routine!

     

    I usually woke up at 7 a.m. and got ready to go to the hospital. Schedules vary by department, but the ward I was in volunteered from 8 to 11. I heard lunch was from 11 to 2, and I was surprised how long the lunch break was compared to Korea. In the morning I did rounds with the nurses, changing IVs, mixing medications, or giving injections. After rounds I did blood draws or IV replacements together with student nurses and student doctors. After work I ate lunch at the volunteers’ cafeteria and then had free time.

     

     

     

     

    # My Cambodia overseas medical volunteer gap year!

     

    Experience★★★★★

    :I was able to have valuable experiences that I couldn''t have had in Korea. There were environmental difficulties, but I was able to endure them simply because I could go to the hospital.

     

     

    Learning★★★★★

    : I was able to learn various treatments and procedures up close. No one ever rushed or scolded me; they taught me slowly and I’m very grateful they gave equal opportunities without discriminating against local students.

     

     

     

    Cha Yu-seonwho participated in the Cambodia overseas medical volunteer project​​​ Want to know more?!

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Why This Project

What makes this project special

#Knowledge & Skills#Wisdom & Capability#Career & Direction#International Medical Field#Medical Volunteering#Clinical Practice#Medical Student Clinical Training#Nursing Practicum#Saving Someone's Life#Global Career#Volunteering in Cambodia#Practical Work Experience#Change in Career Values#Creating Meaning in Life#Noble Work#Global Career Challenge#Major-related Volunteering#Understanding Age#Rediscovering Passion for Life

Take just one brave step.
GapYear will take care of the rest.