Graduate Shares Experiences Shadowing Healthcare Workers While Studying Abroad

Brenden Kudla | January 12, 2021

Htoo Thu ’20 was born in Burma and moved to Indianapolis eight years ago.  Thu’s family moved to the United States as she was beginning the eighth grade at St. Mark’s Catholic School. Thu continued her Catholic education at Roncalli High School.

“In 2016, I was given the Spirit of Service Youth Award from Catholic Charities Indianapolis,” Thu said. “I knew that I wanted to continue to do service in college, and staying close to home at Marian made sense for me.”

As a Marian student, Thu was able to travel the world while studying in the biology program in preparation for medical school.

“In 2018, I was able to study abroad in Chile. This was a great opportunity for me because I was able to use both my major and minor while on the trip,” Thu said. “I shadowed many different doctors, nurses, and physical therapists while being able to immerse myself in the Spanish language.”

In 2019, Thu was able to travel abroad for a second time. Thu was the first person in her family to return to Burma since moving to the United States.

“I had the opportunity to see family and friends that I haven’t seen in eight years. During that time, I was able to learn the healthcare services in Burma. I hope this experience helps me in my future because I want to work with Burmese refugees and Hispanic communities,” Thu said.

After her two trips abroad, Thu became a citizen of the United States and is planning on pursuing higher education in the medical field.