| My Internship at School of Public Health and Primary Care | |
| My month interning in the School of Public Health and Primary Care was challenging, eye-opening and educational. The wide and varied tasks I had to fulfil included a short research project, giving assistance in the Bachelor of Science in Public Health Orientation Camp and two educational trips into China. I particularly would like to focus on the China trips, which gave me valuable exposure to issues and social conditions that are so often ignored by the rest of the world. The day in Shen Zhen visiting health centres and shadowing Sian and some professors to high-profile meetings led me to comprehend the difficulty of progress and effective discussion when both parties have different self-interests. Glimpsing the factory conditions – even though they were supposedly better comparatively to others in the city – were shocking and sad, because the reality was that the workers led a rather dreary and monotonous existence with no hope for a better future. However, the two-night trip to Shan Tou where Gemma was involved in setting up a new program was really what opened my eyes. The visit led us to visit a cleft lip hospital, hospice for cancer patients, an eye hospital and a day trip to a rural village. What struck me was the hospitality that the doctors bestowed upon us; whilst overwhelmingly not wealthy compared to Hong Kong, they were still very friendly and happy to escort us around neighbouring villages to reveal the rural poverty that has become an everyday lifestyle for almost all of the residents. This experience was such a contrast to the normal stereotypical 'mainland Chinese' who is typically portrayed as selfish and rude. Overall my time here as a CUHK High-school Intern has been a good one and I would finally like to convey my appreciation to all those who made it possible! Sharon Tsoon-ting LO |
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