Wilson Medical Exchange
Program Description
The Wilson Medical Exchange is a 3 or 4-week winter or summer professional and cultural exchange program to the U.S. for university medical students.
During the program, students will interact with professionals in hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities to gain a better understanding of the western healthcare system and to experience careers they are interested in pursuing.
Participants will live with individual host families to experience daily life and culture in an American home. In addition, there will be opportunities to visit local tourist attractions, participate in volunteer activities and join in English discussion groups.
Program Objectives
With the Wilson Medical Exchange, we hope to compliment the knowledge students acquire in university classrooms by providing practical, professional experience in an environment that expands the students’ global understanding and enhances their English communicative skills.
Upon graduation, we hope students will enter society equipped with the knowledge, skills and character that lead to successful careers and vibrant communities.
Professional Development
- Experience mentoring by U.S. doctors and healthcare professionals
- Explore a variety of medical and healthcare occupations and facilities
- Learn the latest trends in medicine and healthcare
- Broaden understanding of medical and healthcare social and ethical issues
- Learn new methods of patient care
Robert O. Wilson
The Wilson Medical Exchange was named in honor of Robert O. Wilson, the American doctor who stayed in Nanjing to help Chinese people during the 1937 Japanese invasion. We hope that those students who participate in the Wilson Medical Exchange will learn to emulate Dr. Wilson’s bravery and sacrifice, and be remembered for saving many lives and contributing to the health of society.
Testimonials
My favorite part of dinners together was listening to the experienced doctors talking about the skills of communicating with patients. I learned that we should use both our medical knowledge and compassion, not only to help fight illnesses but also to show our care for them. In addition, the love doctors have for their families has greatly influenced me to do the same with my family when I get home.
I learned about the professional differences in dentistry between China and the U.S. The U.S. dentists attach great importance to humanistic care for patients, and they take a long time to communicate with each patient patiently and intently. They also use colorful materials when doing children’s orthodontics, making a positive difference in the children’s impression of the clinic/hospital.
Because we needed to speak English all day, my spoken English made great progress, especially during small talk. I realized that it is not as difficult as I thought to communicate in English in daily life. The most impressive thing is the friendly relationship between physiotherapists and patients.
I used to have some wrong ideas about the U.S., but my trip changed my world view. To know a country, you need to go there in person; to know someone, you need to make friends with them; to know something, you need to experience it firsthand. I was impressed the most by my host family. I felt like I was their daughter instead of a stranger. I was moved by their love and respect for everyone.
Latest News
Winter 2020 WME program highlights
Our Winter 2020 Wilson Medical Exchange (WME) program completed about a month ago. Despite the challenges introduced by COVID-19, most participants were able to complete the program. Some medical facilities imposed restrictions on international visitors. In those cases, our US hosts got creative in finding ways to provide our participants valuable knowledge and experience during […]
Welcome to the new CONNECT website!
We are so excited to launch our newly designed CONNECT website! You will find new information, such as resources for participants and partners, photo galleries, testimonials, and the latest news on various services we offer. Please contact us if you have suggestions for improvement on the structure and/or content.
Responding to COVID-19 concerns
To Our Customers: Like me, I’m sure you have been receiving updates from many of the companies you do business with about how they are responding to the current health crisis. We also wanted to share how we are working to meet your needs during these uncertain times. As more information becomes known about the […]
Next Steps
Frequently Asked Questions
Check out our list of Frequently Asked Questions for commonly asked questions and answers.
Contact Us!
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Ready to Apply?
Complete a program application and a CONNECT representative will contact you to discuss next steps.