By Angelika Austria, University of Washington
Hello Everyone! My name is Angelika Austria, and I was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. I am currently a nursing student at the University of Washington – Seattle, where I am pursuing my Bachelor of Science in Nursing. While nursing school keeps me busy, I also work part time as a CNA at Seattle Children’s Hospital. Outside of school and work, I enjoy staying active through hot pilates and yoga classes. I try my best to find a work/life/school balance, as hard as it is. This summer I hope to enjoy my break and go on as many PNW hikes as I can before embarking on my journey to Brazil.
Me standing in front of UW School of Nursing sign at the University of Washington Seattle campus.
I have always been passionate about making a meaningful difference in people’s lives. My professional goal is to become a Critical Care Registered Nurse in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Seattle Children’s Hospital, where I currently work. Looking even further into the future, I hope to become a Flight Nurse serving the WAMI region with critical care transport from rural communities. Critical care interests me because it keeps me curious, there are always new things to learn, and I feel that I can directly apply my studies of pathophysiology in the care I deliver.
This same passion for healthcare has also inspired my research interests abroad. During my upcoming study abroad in Londrina and Sao Paolo, I will be exploring how local communities interact with their healthcare systems and how those interactions influence community health outcomes. My research is guided by a simple but important question. How do people’s experiences with healthcare systems shape health promotion and community well being?
Map of Brazil with pinpoints at London and São Paulo, the two cities we will be exploring this September
What drew me to this topic was my curiosity about healthcare outside of the United States. As a first generation student and a daughter to immigrants, I have witnessed what it is like to struggle seeking help from a system that wasn’t designed for me. Working in healthcare and studying healthcare systems has shown me that access to care, patient experiences, and health outcomes are influenced by much more than medicine alone. Social determinants of health such as culture, community resources, economic stability , and public health policies all play important roles. I am interested in learning how these different factors operate within a healthcare system (foreign to myself) and what lessons can be shared across countries.
Interacting with a non-U.S. healthcare system brings me a lot of curiosity, and I look forward to meeting people where they are to learn more about health promotion. I am excited to work in collaboration with the University of Londrina’s Health Sciences Center and the Center for Physical Education and Sports to engage with the local community.
As I prepare for this journey, I am most excited about the opportunity to connect with people from different backgrounds and learn through shared experiences. I hope to learn new perspectives on health promotion, community engagement, and patient care. While I’m a little nervous about navigating a new country and language, I know that stepping outside of my comfort zone is an important part of growth.
I plan to make the most of my time in Brazil by staying curious, asking questions, and approaching every interaction with respect and openness. More than anything, I am eager to learn from the people I meet and bring those lessons back with me as I navigate my journey in nursing. I want to dive deep into the people’s perspectives of what’s working with their healthcare system and what they want to change most. I believe that understanding healthcare from a global perspective will make me a stronger nurse and a better advocate for the diverse communities I hope to serve throughout my career.
I am honored to have been selected as a Tyler Center Fellow and grateful to be part of such a diverse cohort of students. This opportunity would not be possible without the generous support of the Tyler Center. I am deeply thankful for their support of both my study abroad program and my nursing education. I look forward to bringing the knowledge and experiences I gain in Brazil back to my community and future nursing practice.
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