What Did Abu Dhabi Teach Me About Culture, Innovation, and Health Care?
As a student from a small women’s college in Georgia, I arrived in Abu Dhabi full of excitement and curiosity. I was eager to study sustainability, innovation, and health care systems from a global perspective while experiencing a culture very different from my own. I did not expect how much this experience would shape the way I think about public health, health care delivery, and the practice of medicine.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and health care innovation
NMC Royal Hospital in Abu Dhabi integrates AI throughout its healthcare operations to enhance patient care, improve hospital efficiency, and support national wellness strategies. AI-driven systems assist with diagnostics, patient monitoring, and preventative care, allowing for more accurate treatment plans and streamlined clinical workflows. This approach demonstrates how technology and policy can work together to advance health care delivery and public health outcomes.
Sustainability in practice
Sustainability is not an afterthought in Abu Dhabi. It is a priority in everything from wellness-focused urban planning to energy initiatives at Abu Dhabi National Oil Company. Seeing firsthand how environmental responsibility supports healthy communities firsthand reinforced something I already believe: public health and sustainability are connected, and strong health care systems need strong, healthy environments.
Living the culture
Experiencing local culture was just as powerful. Trying on an ivory and gold abaya while visiting a mosque, riding a camel through the desert, and watching a pearl diver work gave me a real sense of the region’s history and traditions. Exploring Al Ain’s museums and historical sites showed me how innovation and heritage can coexist. I realized that understanding and respecting culture is just as important as technical knowledge when thinking about global health.
A global cohort, a broader perspective
Learning alongside students from Russia, Lebanon, Oman, and the United States made this experience even richer. Our conversations about health care systems, policy, and cultural norms challenged assumptions, encouraged empathy, and reminded me how important collaboration across backgrounds is for solving big problems.
Advice for students considering study abroad
- Step outside your comfort zone. Growth happens when you step into spaces where systems operate differently than what you are used to.
- Engage beyond the classroom. The most meaningful lessons often come from site visits, conversations, and cultural experiences that reveal how a country truly functions.
- Embrace complexity. A place cannot be reduced to headlines or stereotypes. When you allow yourself to see both tradition and innovation, privilege and disparity, progress and preservation, you begin to understand a country more fully.
My time in Abu Dhabi strengthened my desire to pursue medicine with a global lens. I arrived eager to study sustainability and health care innovation, and I left understanding that the future of medicine will require cultural humility, bold ideas, and collaboration across borders. This experience was just the beginning of a lifelong commitment to health care that prioritizes wellness, equity, and resilience.
Lauren F. | Spelman College | Spelman College at Abu Dhabi University ISAP Program (an IFSA Custom program) | Winter 2026