It is hard to believe I am writing the final log of my LiA. Week 6, the conclusion of my placement with the Proximity Care project, is a reality that feels incredibly bittersweet. To think that merely six weeks ago I arrived in Pisa with only a basic understanding of the project and the Italian healthcare system, and I am now leaving with new perspectives, meaningful relationships, immense gratitude, and a heavy heart.
What went well this week was the opportunity to bring together everything I had learned into my final presentation. Building on my experiences in the field, conversations with healthcare professionals and community members, and observations of the project's various work packages, I developed a sustainability-focused transition plan for Proximity Care beyond its current funding cycle. Rather than focusing solely on expansion, my presentation explored how the project could continue generating impact once formal research funding concludes in November 2026. In particular, I examined the importance of strengthening local partnerships, embedding successful initiatives within existing healthcare structures, and fostering greater community ownership of project activities.
Preparing this presentation challenged me to think about healthcare innovation from a longer-term perspective. Throughout the placement, I was consistently impressed by the project's technological innovations, cross-sector collaborations, and commitment to improving access to care in rural communities. However, this final exercise reminded me that the success of a project is ultimately measured not only by what it creates, but also by what remains after the initial funding and research phase has ended.
As the mobile unit's summer operations were beginning to ramp up, I was also able to gain a better sense of the project's day-to-day cadence by spending a morning with the mobile unit in Pieve Fosciana. Observing the flow of patients, communicating with the nurses and clinicians, and contextualizing the larger project added some additional color to my already rich time in Pisa. I am curious to see how the project operates differently in different municipalities, and hope to hear more about such experiences when I am back from my LiA.
Throughout my time here, I came to understand that curiosity, adaptability, and collaboration must be at the core of my work. Whether speaking with physicians, researchers, engineers, municipal leaders, community members, or fellow students, I was repeatedly reminded that meaningful change requires many different perspectives (and the ability to translate such perspectives across disciplines and communities). Some of the most valuable lessons I learned came not from formal presentations or meetings, but from conversations in hospital corridors, community events, field visits, and shared meals.
This placement also shaped my understanding of leadership. Effective leadership is not simply about generating new ideas; it is about creating conditions that allow those ideas to be sustained, adapted, and embraced by the communities they are intended to serve. Throughout my time with Proximity Care, I observed leaders who listened carefully, worked across disciplines, and remained focused on long-term impact rather than short-term outcomes.
As I leave Pisa, I find myself returning to the same question that guided much of my final presentation: how do we empower communities to take ownership of their own healthcare futures? While I do not have a definitive answer (yet!), I leave with a much deeper appreciation for the importance of community engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration, and sustainable program design in addressing complex public health challenges. I look forward to carrying these lessons into future research, community engagement, and public health work.
Though I am excited to bring these experiences back with me, saying goodbye is undeniably bittersweet. Proximity Care has given me not only a deeper understanding of healthcare systems and public health innovation, but also memories, relationships, and perspectives that I will carry with me long after this placement concludes. In many ways, my work has only just begun.
Grazie di tutto, Pisa. Non è un addio, ma un arrivederci.