Vaishnavi Joshi
CAS ’26
Neuroscience and Bioethics
SA: University of Edinburgh
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As a pre-med student, I was one of few in my cohort at Penn who studied abroad, which was initially daunting. There’s often an assumption that going abroad is difficult or distracting from Penn’s rigid pre-med track, but my semester in Edinburgh showed me just how valuable it can be. I took courses in the Health in Social Science department – equivalent to Penn’s Sociology, HSOC, and Anthropology departments – which satisfied my intersectional Bioethics minor requirements while deeply engaging with global perspectives on health, care, and identity.
Unlike many structured study abroad programs that involve exchange-student-specific housing or homestays, I lived independently in a local flat and built my academic and social community from the ground up. Although Scotland is English-speaking, it was still a major cultural adjustment – navigating the NHS, decoding Scottish slang, adapting to the UK grading system, and experiencing a much slower and more nature-oriented pace of life. Edinburgh’s historical charm also reshaped my premed identity and has influenced the way I now think about space, memory, and health. Students often overlook the kind of quiet, immersive culture shock that happens in “familiar” English-speaking communities – but it shaped me profoundly.
I’d love to talk with other students – especially pre-meds – about how going abroad doesn’t have to be a detour from academic and professional goals… it can actually enhance them.
My Experience Abroad
As a pre-med student with an interest in psychiatry, global health, and medical ethics, studying at the University of Edinburgh allowed me to explore health through a broader, more human-centered lens. I took courses in Identity and Experience in Health, Mental Health and Society, and Ethical Values and Challenges in Care – fulfilling requirements for my interdisciplinary minor while deepening my understanding of narrative medicine, trauma, and the social dimensions of care. My final projects allowed me to hone in on my creative side: I wrote an essay on dementia and the changing self, explored the ethics of global health volunteering within organizations back home and at Penn, and created a mental health zine for first responders based on my own experience as an EMT. Through these avenues, I was able to gain a better perspective on my own prior experiences beyond the American lens.
Being immersed in the UK’s discussion-driven, interdisciplinary teaching model helped me think more critically and expansively. I gained new tools for grappling with ethical ambiguity, systemic inequities, and cultural assumptions in health care. It pushed me beyond a clinical mindset and reminded me why I’m drawn to medicine in the first place: not just to treat illness, but to understand people. This experience affirmed my long-term goal of becoming a physician who approaches care with empathy, cultural humility, and ethical clarity.
Other Highlights
- Traveling to the Scottish Highlands three times—each visit revealed something new. I hiked across the Isle of Skye’s rugged rock formations, learned about the history of castles and lochs I’ve seen or heard about before in films, and even learned how to play the Scottish bagpipes.
- Building close bonds with my flatmates, who came from five different countries, fields of study, and walks of life. Living together meant sharing meals, celebrating cultural holidays, and exchanging perspectives on everything from politics to pop culture. Our flat became a space of everyday cultural exchange. I’ll never forget our final day together, when we spent the entire night recounting our memories together and watched our final sunrise on Calton Hill.
- Exploring Edinburgh’s farmers markets every weekend, where I got to know local vendors who introduced me to sustainable practices, seasonal foods, and ethical sourcing. These weekly routines grounded me in the city and helped me reflect on health not just as a clinical issue, but as a product of the environment.
