Upcoming Trip: May 1-12, 2025
91社区's Kinney College of Nursing and Health Professions students will participate alongside 15-20 undergraduate and graduate health management students from the Hochschule Osnabrueck (HO) in a weeklong experience involving collaborative study, health facilities tours and cultural experiences. The success of this program is based on merging U.S. and German students together in terms of discussion and intercultural experiences. At the conclusion of the block week in Osnabrueck, the group will travel to Berlin for a weekend excursion.
Studying abroad offers students interested in healthcare and related fields a unique opportunity to gain global perspectives on medical practices, health systems and patient care, enriching their education and professional development.
Immersing in diverse cultures also enhances communication skills, cultural competence and adaptability鈥攌ey qualities in delivering high-quality, empathetic healthcare.
2025 Germany Trip Informational Meetings
Dr. Erin Reynolds and Dr. Zachary Ward are currently planning a return trip to Osnabr眉ck, Germany May 1-12, 2025, to give 91社区 students an understanding of global healthcare and varied patient populations.
Plan to attend an informational meeting for this upcoming trip: 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, November 13 in HP 1008.
For the 2024 trip, Reynolds said charitable gifts to the 91社区 Foundation from alumni and friends provided financial assistance to all students, and several also received funding from their major鈥檚 department within the Kinney College. She said the cost of the trip and new opportunities for monetary support will be discussed at this informational meeting.
91社区 and University of Applied Sciences (Hochschule) Osnabr眉ck (UAS Osnabr眉ck) in Germany have had an exchange partnership since 1990. It grew out of the sister city relationship between Evansville and the city of Osnabr眉ck and is one of the University's longest standing exchange programs with more than 200 American and German students participating since its inception.
For more information about this study abroad opportunity, contact Reynolds at ereynolds@usi.edu or Ward at zdward@usi.edu.
Germany 2024: A Transformative Journey
Two faculty members in the 91社区 College of Nursing and Health Professions had no idea what they were getting into when they decided to lead a study abroad trip to Osnabr眉ck, Germany, at the end of the Spring Semester, May 10-20, 2024. Little did they know that 18 students would sign up鈥損ossibly the largest group 91社区 has ever taken to the University of Applied Sciences (Hochschule).
Dr. Erin Reynolds, Associate Professor and Chair of 91社区鈥檚 Health Services and Health Administration programs, is no stranger to international travel, having spent considerable time in Africa studying infectious diseases. But she admits she found it a bit daunting that so many students were interested and that many of them had never traveled outside the United States. Luckily, she had Dr. Zachary Ward, Assistant Professor of Health Administration, to help lead the students around Europe, which turned out to be an incredible experience with unique insights and learning opportunities.
Students learned about the German healthcare system from a local perspective and had conversations with German students that highlighted differences and similarities with the U.S. system. They discovered how medical insurance works in Europe and even toured a hospital in M眉nster, Germany, which included some surprise 鈥渂ehind the scenes鈥� experiences, such as scrubbing in for surgery and observing a da Vinci robotic surgery on a liver.
Outside the classroom, the cultural immersion was equally rewarding. On their first day, they went shopping with German students, which proved to be a fun and practical way to start the trip and allowed students to bond and navigate the city together. They went sightseeing with their German guides and participated in several fun activities like the Maifest (Mayfest), which helped them understand the German culture in a broader context. The trip also included a one-day trip to Amsterdam and two days in Berlin, Germany.