Six students from the Department of Healthcare Administration at Asia University received subsidies from the Ministry of Education's "Overseas Internship Programme" to travel abroad. Assistant professor Yu-lyu Yeh led the team on a one-month internship at the Health Behaviour Department of Texas A&M University, School of Public Health, where they joined the Health Promotion and Genomics Lab and participated in research where they study the physiological, psychological, and developmental effects of smoking cessation on breast cancer survivors.
Dr. Yu-lyu Yeh mentioned that the six students participated in questionnaire design and program promotion under the guidance of Dr. Lei-shih Chen (陳蕾詩), professor of Texas A&M University. The students visited Chinatown in Houston, Texas, where they promote the benefits of smoke-free households and recruit participants for the program. A student said that through on-site visits and participation, they were able to learn how to conduct research on health behaviour and learn about the importance of health behaviour research to the development of our society.
A student who participated in the internship, Zhang Zhiling (張芝菱), said that she was very surprised by the high efficiency of the lab. She also stated that by Professor Lei-shih Chen(陳蕾詩)’s guidance, the research team is very organized, with the students completing their assigned work on time and accurately, which helps move the project smoothly.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Dr. Yu-lyu Yeh take students to visit the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, where they visited one of the 13 Biosafety Level 4 laboratories (BSL4) in the United States. The students were also given the opportunity to visit Texas’ oldest medical building, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and a student clinic that helps low-income families. These opportunities allowed the students to observe the operation of American healthcare institutions in the community.
In addition to participating in research projects, the students got the opportunity to experience the diversity of the health industry in the United States. Yang Shuyong (楊書詠), one of the students, said that he fairly enjoyed the Health Museum in Houston. She said the most impressive thing was the various anatomical models, which look very realistic. During her time in anatomy class, Yang Shuyong learned that the smallest human bone is the "auditory cochlea," and seeing the actual bone in the museum was quite different from imagination.
Student Liao Minhui (廖敏惠) said that visiting UTMB was an amazing experience as they witnessed the protective measures required in different-level laboratories and learned about the various applications of animal testing. UTMB's lifelong learning institute were well-equipped, placing great emphasis on curriculum arrangement, cleanliness, and comfort, providing the elderly with a good living experience. It serves as an excellent model for long-term care in Taiwan.
Dr. Yu-lyu Yeh stated that Department of Health Administration revolves around core courses in public health, including health promotion, environmental health, preventive medicine, and more. Students who went to Texas A&M University for their internship were able to expand their knowledge in different professional fields. Professor Lei-shih Chen and the Health Administration Department have had close collaborations, she has brought students to Taiwan for exchange and visits on multiple occasions. Looking forward, Dr. Yu-lyu Yeh hopes that the two universities can have deeper cooperations, offering more chances for students pursuing further education abroad.
The image shows Professor Lei-shih Chen at Texas A&M University (3rd from the left) taking a group photo with the interns from the Department of Healthcare Administration at Asia University.
The image shows students from the Department of Healthcare Administration visiting a student clinic in the United States that helps low-income families.
This image shows students from the Department of Healthcare Administration at Asia University, visiting the Lifelong Learning Institute in USA.
This image shows students from the Department of Healthcare Administration at Asia University, visiting the Museum of Health and Medical Science in Houston, USA.
