By Molly Gallagher, PTK member at Springfield Technical Community College
Hello friends, my name is Molly Gallagher, and my ultimate dream is to build a meaningful career in healthcare. While my passion for medicine has always been my driving force, it was my time as a Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) officer that truly unlocked my potential and gave me the confidence to pursue that dream on a global scale.
Over the summer, I had the amazing opportunity to travel across the Atlantic to Croatia! This was not a vacation. It was an opportunity to learn, grow, and see healthcare from an entirely different perspective. While studying abroad, I shadowed healthcare professionals at one of the oldest hospitals in Western Europe called Klinički Bolnički Centar Sestre Milosrdnice. The staff shared how their healthcare system differs significantly from what we experience in the United States, opening my eyes to new approaches to patient care while developing cultural competence.
The first unit I shadowed was Neurosurgery, where I spent a day observing brain surgery. Watching the skill, precision, and teamwork involved in such a complex procedure was both inspiring and unforgettable. My second rotation was in Pediatrics, where I worked alongside healthcare professionals caring for children of all ages and backgrounds. Being in a country where I did not know the native language presented challenges, but it also taught me an important lesson about human connection.
Even without understanding every word, I could see the relief and gratitude on parents’ faces when they received good news about their children. I could not tell you exactly what was said, but I understood what those moments meant. It reminded me that no matter where we come from, we all share the same hopes, fears, and love for the people we care about most. My final rotation was in OBGYN, and as a woman, this experience was especially meaningful. I witnessed moments when new life entered the world and had the privilege of being among the first people to see a baby take its first breath and hear its first cries.
That one moment in particular has stayed with me.
As I sat in a pink-painted room in the OBGYN emergency office, a new patient walked in. She and the doctor began speaking in Croatian as she took her seat for an ultrasound. The doctor explained to her that we were students visiting from America. She immediately greeted us in English and shared that she was 36 weeks pregnant. The conversation returned to Croatian, and I quietly listened from the corner. Then I heard the patient ask in broken English, “Can I know the sex?” The doctor studied the ultrasound and smiled. “You’re having a girl.” The room instantly filled with happiness.
In that moment, I felt something difficult to describe. I was one of the first people to know that this woman was having a daughter. A little girl who had not even been born yet but who would soon enter the world and begin a life of her own. What struck me most was that the mother did not need to speak English. Yet she asked that question in a language I could understand, allowing me to share in one of the most personal and meaningful moments of her life. Thousands of miles from home, in a country where I could barely speak the language, I experienced a connection that required no translation. It is compassion, service, and human connection.
If you have a passion for helping others through healthcare, I encourage you to explore a study abroad program such as CEA Study Abroad, which offers opportunities in multiple countries and cities around the world. PTK encourages students to seek opportunities that stretch their learning, develop confidence, and turn personal passion into meaningful service. Experiences such as studying abroad can help students discover not only what they want to do, but also the kind of leader, healthcare professional, and human being they hope to become. Thank you.
