Hannah Smith

During my final school years in Hamburg, I volunteered weekly at Ronald McDonald House, where I learned the power of empathy and service. Additionally, during my last two years in Canada, I served as a Drama and Dance teaching assistant for students aged 6–11 years. This role not only developed my skills in communication, leadership and perseverance, but also allowed me to explore and express my creativity.

I spent the summer of 2024 working with International Medical Aid at the Mombassa Hospital gaining a wide variety of medical experiences in a challenging medical setting, A particularly formative aspect of my time in Kenya was my involvement in outreach programs with local schools, where I worked with girls aged 12–18 years. These sessions focused on topics often considered taboo in Kenyan society, such as STDs, birth control and personal hygiene. This experience broadened my perspective on healthcare, deepening my understanding of the cultural nuances that influence medical practice