The end of the spring semester signals a time for change: a chance to get away from daily classwork and recharge and re-energize. For some that means a summer job, while others pursue an internship or plan a getaway to a sunny destination.
For a group of Carlow University students, the end of spring semester meant the opportunity for a study abroad experience in Italy to learn at one of the premier medical facilities in Europe.
“Our Study Abroad experience in Sicily, led by me and Ms. Teya Kamel, had our nursing students and a graduate social work student observe in UPMC’s Palermo ISMETT hospital,” said Jessica Huber, PhD, MSN, RN, CCRN, CPN, director of Experiential Learning and assistant professor in the undergraduate Nursing program at Carlow University. “They had a great time learning how the staff at ISMETT provide care. This experience helps our students really immerse themselves culturally.”
“I was very impressed with ISMETT and its healthcare professionals,” said Kaleigh Flavin, one of the nursing students. “The hospital’s environment was very clean, and it was such a pleasure to see beautiful images of the Pittsburgh skyline throughout the hallways.”
Translated from Italian, ISMETT stands for Mediterranean Institute for Transplantation and High Specialty Therapies. UPMC established this health center in 1997 and operates two other facilities – Salvador Mundi International Hospital in Rome and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in San Pietro FBF.
“Everything that I saw over there was amazing,” said Marissa Fabac, a nursing student who was making her first trip to Europe. “The whole hospital experience was great. Everyone we interacted with was so nice.”
Flavin agreed wholeheartedly. “The healthcare professionals at ISMETT were extremely knowledgeable in their respective areas of care and eager to teach us new things. Being paired each clinical with English-speaking nurses allowed me to fully understand what was happening and have my questions answered in detail.”
In addition to the hospital tour, the group also found the time to go on several excursions to see more of Italy than just the clinical setting. Flavin said seeing Mt. Etna, a volcano, was an experience and a view she will never forget.
“This collaboration, now in its second year, between Carlow University, ISMETT and UPMC in Italia has been an incredible opportunity for reciprocal learning and cultural exchange,” said Giuseppe Arena, director of Health Professions at UPMC ISMETT, in a LinkedIn post. “Hosting the students has allowed us to share our healthcare practices and insights, while also learning from their fresh perspectives and experiences. This exchange has enriched our nursing education programs and fostered a deeper understanding of global healthcare practices.”
While the students observe and learn how UPMC ISMETT provides patient care, there is an exchange of ideas and cultures in the program, too.
“Ms. Kamel and I gave a presentation at the Palermo Nursing School on our experience from our first year, what we all learned, and our future plans with this wonderful experience,” said Dr. Huber. “Our Carlow students volunteered to share what they learned in their last two weeks at ISMETT and how that has already impacted how they look at nursing care for their future patients.”
After the initial visit to ISMETT, four more Carlow students (from MBA/social work, neuroscience, perfusion, and speech pathology) and Dr. Dawn Diehl also toured the ISMETT facility as part of the cultural immersion experience.
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Professors Jessica Huber, Teya Kamel, and Rosario Lombardo Nursing Education Coordinator at ISMETT, for their dedication and hard work in making this valuable learning experience possible. Their commitment has been instrumental in building this bridge between our institutions,” said Arena.
“I also want to thank Dr. Kathy Humphrey, President of Carlow University, whom I had the honor of meeting during my last trip to Pittsburgh for the planning of this visit. Her full support for this collaborative project has been invaluable. The skills and relationships developed during this program will have a lasting positive impact on all participants. I look forward to continuing this fruitful collaboration in the years to come!”
As for the Carlow students on this trip, it made an impression.
“Applying what you’ve learned in the classroom and clinical settings to an international setting can seem a bit intimidating, but it is incredibly rewarding,” said Flavin. “It allows you to integrate everything you’ve learned and come away with amazing learning experiences and new friends.”
“Having the opportunity to interact with others as colleagues was important, and I found being in a different culture beneficial for how you interact with patients, too,” said Fabac. “I’m telling everybody I know to go if they can.”