Zarah Huo

Contact

zarahhuo@nursing.upenn.edu

Ask me about…

•  Conducting clinical rotations abroad and navigating a new healthcare system
• Getting out of your comfort zone to make friends and try new things
• Traveling around Australia and New Zealand during my semester abroad

My Experiences Abroad:

At the University of Queensland, I had the opportunity to take courses on nursing practice in the Australian healthcare system and conduct clinical rotations as a student nurse. Having only done formal healthcare education in the U.S., even the tiniest of differences surprised me. Whilst these differences initially came as a challenge to navigate, I eventually came to appreciate and sometimes critique the ways that things are done in their respective healthcare systems. This experience abroad has allowed me to reflect on how we define “health” and the role of the nurse within the healthcare system.
For my clinical rotations, I was placed on a Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit where patients were relearning the basics of living that we often take for granted, such as walking, showering, speaking, or eating. I followed patients from being unable to formulate a sentence after a stroke to holding conversations with friends and family. Others, due to infection or a motor vehicle crash, were learning how to navigate life with one less limb. Through following my patients through their rehabilitation journey, regaining function and quality of life, I witnessed true grit and strength, which brought memories of why I first decided to pursue nursing: to care for individuals holistically and not as a disease or problem to be fixed. My study abroad experience not only taught me about nursing on a global context, but also rekindled memories of why I chose this career.

Other Highlights:

• Joining UQ’s photography and social basketball clubs where I met my closest friends abroad
• Exploring many of Australia’s beautiful beaches (special mention to Stradbroke Island)
• Walks throughout Brisbane during the Spring when the Jacarandas were blooming
• Hiking to waterfalls throughout Australia (my favorite being Horseshoe Falls in Tasmania)
• Scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef