Culture Shock as a Catalyst for Clinical Growth

For many students embarking on a global health internship, the phrase “culture shock” sounds like something to brace for. Or avoid. But in reality, culture shock isn’t just an emotional hurdle. It’s one of the most powerful catalysts for clinical and personal growth.

Whether you're a pre-med, nursing, PA, dental or medical student, your time abroad will challenge the way you think about healthcare, communication, and what it means to provide care in a global context. And that’s a good thing.

> Explore Go-Elective PreMed, PA, and Medical Internships Abroad

What Is Culture Shock?

Culture shock is the disorientation or discomfort people experience when they enter an unfamiliar environment. It’s not just about food or language. It’s about values, systems, expectations, and norms. For students interning abroad, common triggers include:

Differences in healthcare delivery
Perceptions of time, urgency, or patient autonomy
Hierarchies and communication styles in clinical teams
Resource limitations and improvisation
Community attitudes toward illness and treatment

> Learn more about navigating culture shock during internships

Why Culture Shock Happens in Clinical Settings

In Go Elective placements, students are immersed in real public hospitals, not simulated environments. You’ll see:

Patients waiting hours (or days) for care
Providers making do with limited equipment
Family members playing an active role in nursing care
Cultural or religious beliefs influencing medical decisions

“In my first week in Kenya I was shocked to see patients sharing beds or lying on floors. It challenged everything I thought I knew about patient dignity and system efficiency. But it also made me look deeper and listen more.”

— Pre-med intern, 2025

Emotional Reactions Are Normal

Students often describe an emotional rollercoaster in their first week:

Confusion: “Why is this done this way?”
Frustration: “Why can’t I help more?”
Guilt: “Do I deserve to be here just observing?”
Awe: “How do these providers do so much with so little?”

This emotional friction is not a failure—it’s where growth begins. And with Go Elective’s in-country support and group debriefings, you’ll never have to process these feelings alone.

Clinical Skills Sharpened by Cultural Discomfort

Culture shock can activate a surprising set of clinical competencies—ones that are harder to learn in traditional classrooms.

Observation

When you don’t understand every word or process, you begin to notice everything:

How clinicians communicate nonverbally
How patients express pain or concern without saying a word
How decisions are made collaboratively or authoritatively

Empathy

Experiencing discomfort yourself fosters deeper compassion. You start to understand:

What it feels like to not be understood
How much cultural context shapes health behavior
Why listening is more powerful than speaking

Adaptability

You’ll witness moments where a lack of resources requires creative thinking. Providers may:

Reuse sanitized tools
Substitute medications based on availability
Prioritize care based on triage, not protocol

These lessons teach future clinicians to work flexibly, especially in high-pressure environments.

Turning Culture Shock Into Reflection

At Go Elective, every placement is structured to include weekly mentorship, guided journaling, and peer reflection. Students are encouraged to process questions like:

How did today’s experience challenge my assumptions?
What did I learn about myself through this discomfort?
How might this experience make me a better clinician?

Culture Shock Makes You a Better Applicant

Admissions committees aren’t looking for perfect candidates. They’re looking for resilient, self-aware, and culturally competent applicants. When you write about culture shock in your:

Personal statement
AMCAS/CASPA work & activities
Interviews

You can frame it as a moment of awakening, not a crisis.

“Instead of being discouraged by what I couldn’t fix, I learned to focus on what I could understand, document, and grow from. That shift in mindset made me a better student and will make me a better PA.”

— Pre-PA intern, Tanzania

Final Thoughts: Embrace the Discomfort

Culture shock isn’t a glitch. It’s part of the design. It pushes you to question, to listen, and to grow. In the process, you don’t just learn about another country, you also learn about yourself.

Go Elective placements are intentionally structured to support this transformation. With orientation, housing, placement support, and guided reflection, you’ll be challenged—but never alone.

> Explore programs designed for immersive learning

Ready to Grow Beyond the Comfort Zone?

If you’re ready to move beyond the classroom and into a global clinical environment that will stretch your thinking and sharpen your skills, Go Elective is ready to take you there.

> Apply Today to Join Our PA Program Abroad