GRADUATE PROFILES
Annie Park, D.O.
Park completes international rotation at her childhood medical center When Annie Park was in sixth grade she
“International rotations allow students
“My international rotation
broke her arm and was hospitalized for
to take an active role when resources
provided me a unique
three weeks at Asan Medical Center
may be limited,” Park said of overseas
opportunity to experience
(AMC) in South Korea. She remembered
facilities. “Additionally, the experience
different cultures and gave
that the facility is a well-established
will help students become more open
me medical exposure to
teaching hospital as well as one of
minded when it comes to patients
pathologies and treatments
the biggest quaternary care centers
with different cultural background and
that are not common in the
in Seoul, so it was no surprise when
different beliefs.”
U.S.,” she said.
Park, a native of Korea, also
Park also completed a two-
wanted to see if she would be
week elective orthopedic
the recent WVSOM graduate wanted to complete an international rotation there.
able to communicate with patients
surgery rotation in her
“I was very impressed by the quality
and understand Korean medical
third year in Landstuhl,
of care at the facility and thought to
terminology.
Germany. She is
myself that I would recommend my Korean relatives to go there for medical care,” Park said. “I was treated with respect by attendings, residents and other hospital team members and most of them were eager to help me.”
see how the medical system was in Korea,” she said. “Residents are responsible for at least 50 patients daily and they were expected to work seven days a week.
During Park’s one-month rotation during
Residency is brutal and hours
her fourth year of medical school she
are long. I heard that doctors
learned much about gastroenterology.
are not paid by the time they
She wanted to learn all she could about
spend with patients but by
the specialty and knew that AMC had
the number of patients they
a higher number of gastric cancer
see and the procedures they
incidences.
perform. I learned quickly
“If cancer is found in early stages there are procedures such as endoscopic mucosal resection that are done daily, which are not commonly performed
the importance of asking pertinent questions and how to maximize efficiency.”
in the U.S.,” she said. “I wanted to be
Students interested
exposed to those procedures.”
in honing their
Academically, Park said she couldn’t be more satisfied with her rotation experience and is thankful that WVSOM provides opportunities for students to complete international rotations.
22
“As a student, I think it was good to
medical knowledge should consider an international rotation, because according to Park, the experience is a reward of its own.
WVSOM MAGAZINE
•
SUMMER 2013
currently completing her residency in internal medicine at Plaza Medical Center in Ft. Worth, Texas.
