USCB Students Explore Medicine in Poland Study Abroad
For many students who dream of becoming physicians, the biggest obstacle is not ability
or motivation—it is cost.
With medical school tuition in the United States continuing to rise, some undergraduates
are exploring high-quality, more affordable options abroad. This summer, 12 University
of South Carolina Beaufort students had the opportunity to see one of those options
firsthand through an innovative study abroad experience at Poznań University of Medical
Sciences (PUMS) in Poland.
The group, made up of Public Health, Psychology, Nursing, and Biology majors, included Steven Santos, Nichole Chacon Orellana, Daniela Lopez, Taniyah Bowman, Sydney Kibler, Brittney Aquino, Madison Self, Savanna Fumbi, Jada Young, Kaymar Griffin, Abigail Jones and Ellie Albert. Accompanied by Dr. Emily Webb of USCB's Department of Natural Sciences, the students spent 10 days in July living on the PUMS campus, staying in a residence hall, eating meals at the university's Campus Bistro, and attending classes in the Medical Biology Center, Medical Simulation Center, Pulmonary Hospital and other campus facilities.
The program is designed to give Sand Sharks an authentic glimpse into the life of a medical student at PUMS. Students participate in workshops on diagnostics, ultrasound, surgical suturing, dentistry, dermatology, cell culture and other health-related topics led by PUMS faculty and clinicians. They also observed an operating room, explored applications of lasers in dermatology and cosmetology, and learned about research in pharmaceutical sciences and healthy aging.
"We were able to observe a real surgery — a liver biopsy— in a hospital operating room," said USCB Honors Biology student Daniela Lopez, who hopes to attend medical school.
One of the highlights of the experience was the university's five-story Medical Simulation Center. Equipped with high- and low-fidelity manikins and realistic clinical environments, the center allows students to practice responding to complex medical situations before working with real patients. The USCB group participated in emergency response simulations that included triaging victims at a mock car accident and transporting a patient by ambulance. Other floors housed a simulated surgery center, trauma unit and an obstetrics and gynecology suite.
Beyond the simulation center, PUMS faculty provided tours of research laboratories focused on healthy and active aging, innovative pharmaceutical technologies, metabolic programming and other areas of biomedical research.
Although the program centered on medicine, students also experienced Polish culture and had a chance to travel to Germany. They enjoyed a barbecue at Lake Rusałka, a guided tour of Poznań, and visits to the city's historic town square and Imperial Castle. The USCB group also travelled to Berlin by train.
Founded as a public medical school, Poznan University of Medical Sciences (PUMS) pioneered English‑language medical education in Poland beginning in 1993. Today the university enrolls approximately 7,000 students, including about 800 international students in its English‑language medicine and dentistry programs. More than 650 students from the United States have earned M.D. degrees at PUMS, and more than 80 have completed D.D.S. degrees. Among its American graduates is Dr. Raymond Turner, a neurosurgeon at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville.
As the demand for physicians continues to grow in the United States, experiences like this help students broaden their perspectives while preparing for the next step in their healthcare journeys.
For Summer 2026 and Summer 2027, this competitive program is being financed by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange NAWA under the Strategic Partnerships 2024 Program. Tuition, room and board are free for accepted students. USCB students who are accepted into the program are responsible for their own plane fare to and from Poland and spending money for incidentals.
To apply, contact studyabroad@uscb.edu and visit: https://pums.edu.pl/admissions/medical-summer-program/
- USCB -
CW 08/31/2026