Eastern Michigan University has joined Taiwan's National
Yang-Ming University (YMU) to create a study abroad exchange
program for nursing students.
"The importance of this program is to enhance our students'
and faculty members' understanding of global issues impacting
health care delivery, both through the interaction with
the international students and the opportunity to go to
Taiwan," said Jeanne Thomas, dean of the College of Health
and Human Services.
 |
GLOBAL HEALTH CARE: Nursing students
Chien-Huan Wu and Yu-Hsia Chiu (front,
from left)) and Yan-Fan Chao, dean of
nursing from National Yang-Ming
University in Taiwan, show off their school
banner. The banner was presented to
Naomi E. Ervin (back row, left), EMU's
director of the School of Nursing,
to
celebrate an agreement between the two
schools. Photo
by Pamela Young |
Virginia Lan, associate professor at EMU, served on the
committee that established the School of
Nursing at YMU
21 years ago. She has spent more than two years planning
this exchange.
"This is an opportunity for students to experience living
in another culture," said Lan. "They expand their knowledge
while observing how health care works in other countries."
A group of seven Taiwanese students are taking the "Health
Assessment" course at EMU this summer. In addition, the
exchange students will visit area hospitals and cultural
institutions.
Eastern's students in the College of Health and Human
Services will have the opportunity to apply to study in
Taiwan as an elective course in spring 2007. EMU students
will participate in a practicum with Taiwanese nurses that
will expose them to the medical practices of eastern culture,
such as acupuncture, nutrition and herbal remedies.
"Many of their [Taiwan's] practices are patterned after
ours," said Lan. "[EMU] students will encounter doctors
who use western health care, but also traditional Chinese
health care."
"Internationalizing our curriculum and ideas about health
care will be a great value to our program in nursing," said
Thomas.
