From May to July, I was thrilled to reside in Edinburgh, Scotland, for six weeks, to work on a health policy research project. For the first two weeks, I would stay at a flat in Dundee, then transition to live in one of the dormitories at the University of St Andrews for the remainder of the experience. It was my first time travelling internationally alone to a continent I had never explored with my classmates from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Days before departure, I ensured I had packed all I would need, quickly recalling to bring a UK adapter.
Our project is based on early evidence-based diagnostic tests for consumers, also known as Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) testing. We aimed to explore how these tests, which are often advertised online and in various communities in Scotland and the UK, may not always be corroborated by evidence. Through this project, I investigated how UK regulatory organizations ensure only evidence-based tests are advertised and made available to the public. These regulations facilitate trustworthiness in DTC testing and fulfill its original purpose: reducing premature mortality and addressing health inequalities by detecting and treating health conditions and diseases as soon as possible.
This would be my first time collaborating in small groups for a larger research project. From past research experience at Duke, it was common for me to work with a group of 5-7 peers and advisors. It was intriguing to know how authorship on a research paper can occur differently in the United States. In this case, there would be perhaps 15+ researchers on one larger project, which emphasized the importance of collaboration, coordination, and communication. I do believe skills will translate to my future career as a physician who conducts research, as I expect to work with other physicians. Furthermore, it was an interesting perspective of research to study more about health policy systems from a top-down approach.
For my first research meetings, I would ride a Stagecoach bus from Dundee to meet my research supervisors and peers from the University of St. Andrews. Because public transportation is more heavily relied upon in Europe compared to the United States, it took some time to acclimate to timing my rides to ensure I would get off at the right stop for my research meetings. Periodically, I would get off at the wrong stop. Despite the initial uncertainty, these experiences made me more confident in navigating public transportation in Durham. The Duke bus transportation is primarily for students on campus; the practice in Scotland encourages me to use transportation in Durham to explore more of my city, even if I do not have a car on campus.
Residing in a flat in Dundee enabled me to practice independence when it came to grocery shopping. Oftentimes at school, it can be easy to forget the privilege of having a mobile ordering system where I don’t have to make a grocery shopping list, unlike other universities and commuting students. There were times when I was unsure of what to buy, or believed my groceries wouldn’t last me throughout the week. However, this experience provided practice for the time when I would be required to buy groceries and handle future responsibilities of adulthood.
Throughout my time dedicated to research and working closely with my peers, I was able to learn more about the Scottish culture. A key moment was attempting Ceilidh, something I had only seen in the movie Tangled, where Rapunzel and Flynn Rider dance in a free yet synchronized fashion with other townspeople. Beyond being a member of Duke’s dance group Street Medicine, attempting to do Ceilidh folk dancing speaks to the community-centered culture of Scotland – something I find mirrored in my research experience at the University of St Andrews.