Perspective is a funny thing.  Standing on the edge of one of the highest bridges in the world, over 8000 miles from home, Lauren McCarthy’s excitement overrode her fear as she bungeed off of it. She came upon this experience in September and, although the jump made quite an impression, it was her work among the poor in South Africa that changed her perspective the most.

 

As part of the West Virginia University School of Pharmacy fourth year of school, students complete eight unique five-week rotations.  Even before she had decided to be a pharmacist, McCarthy knew she was interested in international medicine, so when it was announced that she was among four WVU students who were selected to travel to South Africa for a rotation, she was more than thrilled.

 

“The trip gave me an opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and work in remote villages with limited economic means,” she said.  “It took about 30 hours of traveling to reach our destination near Cape Town, South Africa, where we worked with the staff of Helderberg District Hospital.”

Through her interactions with the patients, McCarthy witnessed conditions that are rarely seen in America. Medications were not available, there was limited funding for testing, transportation prevented them from follow-up care, and the threat of diseases was prominent.  The experience made McCarthy think critically, helping her to develop patient-specific treatment goals for each individual, an uncommon approach in American medicine.  

 

“I really enjoyed working in the pediatric HIV clinic,” she said.  “We educated parents and their children about the importance of anti-retroviral medications, which help to suppress the virus and prevent complications.”

 

McCarthy also traveled to the homes of patients, verifying medications regiments and making sure they were being taken appropriately.  

 

“It was very difficult to experience their living conditions first-hand,” she said.  “Some would consider themselves lucky if they had running water and electricity and many homes were made of scrap metal.”

 

The group spent weekends traveling throughout the beautiful countryside.  They hiked throughout Table Mountain and visited the beaches and rocky coastlines of Cape of Good Hope.  The trip would not have been complete without experiencing an African safari, and McCarthy’s group were fortunate to see giraffes, elephants, rhinoceros, lions, zebras and gazelles.

 

“My favorite part was an elephant walk,” she said. “We were able to walk alongside three orphaned elephants whose mother had been poached at Kruger National Park.  I even stole a few hugs from the elephants before we left.”

 

The bungee jump previously mentioned was part of a number of adventures that challenged both the mind and body.  The group also surfed, paraglided, and ziplined their way through South Africa’s best locations.

 

The contrast of Cape Town and West Virginia were ever present for McCarthy, who says she was impacted by the experience both personally and professionally.  

 

“By witnessing the health care struggles and the poverty, I found myself very humbled to serve a population that were so desperately in need,” she said.  “The rotation expanded my cultural awareness and enhanced my skills to approach each patient with empathy and to help see the world through their eyes.”