During my time at Ï㽶ÊÓƵ, I studied Environment and Development in the Bieler School of Environment. Through my degree, I have developed an interest in understanding the intersection of environmental science, health, and human well-being. Having pursued an internship during this time through the School of Population and Global Health, I have gained a passion for public health, particularly that which addresses child and maternal health. An immigrant to the United States from India, I have always hoped to apply my education towards public health care in my hometown. Therefore, I decided to gain experience in the practical work being done in the field of child and maternal care in Pune, India.
To accomplish this, I interned at Chordiya Nursing Home (maternity hospital) in Pune’s Kondhwa Budruk area to familiarize myself with health care practices in a culture and setting completely different to that of Canada or the United States. I hoped to understand the unique challenges faced by both doctors and patients in health care delivery in low-income settings, as well as the unique solutions and policies used to confront these challenges.
Founded by gynecologist Dr. Praveen Chordiya, Chordiya Nursing Home aims to provide affordable, high-quality care to patients experiencing pregnancy, infertility, PCOS, and infant care. As an intern, I was able to shadow Dr. Chordiya in the Outpatient Department. Through this process, I was able to witness care delivery in a completely different cultural context, learn medical vocabulary in Hindi and Marathi, and understand both common and uncommon issues that women in India face. Through this process, I became familiarized with vaccine protocols for infants born in India. One of the highlights of my internship was having the opportunity to see treatments prescribed in effective ways that were extremely different from ones we would see in the United States. For example, patients needing more exercise were told to walk and do yoga (Surya Namaskars), rather than go to a gym, which is not as common in the culture and presents financial barriers.
Another highlight of the internship was being able to speak Hindi and Marathi in a professional context. While I have grown up speaking both languages, using them in a context outside of informal, social settings was an eye-opening experience. I was able to witness compassionate doctor-patient communication watching Dr. Chordiya explain confusing medical terminology in simple terms using creative examples and metaphors. I was able to learn more about the importance of accessibility in the medical field. The need for accessibility goes beyond financial means; it must also include treating patients with care and respect, regardless of their level of education and background. This also requires medical professionals to go beyond their academic work and learn to alter their language and behaviors to create a welcoming environment for each individual patient and family.
One of the challenges I faced in this internship included a language barrier. While I speak Marathi and Hindi fluently, many of Dr. Chordiya’s patients spoke Marwari, a language I struggle to understand well. However, over the weeks spent shadowing, I gained more familiarity with the language and was able to better parse it
Overall, this experience provided a perfect complement to my academic university experience, giving me practical real-life experience to take into my professional journey ahead. I would like to thank AIO McGill, Martine Vanasse, and Randall Edwin Wilbert II for making this experience possible. Your contribution has made me a better student, professional, and person.
