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 Alan
Jensen of Pass Christian spent his summer investigating
the ancient and modern medical practices of China. Jensen,
who is a junior pursuing pre-medical studies at Millsaps,
was one of 64 students from across the nation selected
by the National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF) to participate
in their medical mission to China.
Each
summer, the NYLF conducts career-oriented, experiential
programs for youth who have expressed interest in the
fields of defense, intelligence, diplomacy, law and
medicine. The program enrolls a diverse group of high-achieving
youth who show academic promise and leadership potential.
"I've
spent the past four summers traveling abroad, and this
was a wonderful way to continue that tradition," said
Jensen.
As
part of the NYLF trip, Jensen visited hospitals, clinics
and medical schools throughout the country, speaking
with medical professionals and students about their
studies, practices and methods. The trip took place
May 31 - June 19, and students visited the cities of
Beijing, Xian and Chengdu.
"I
was very impressed with how modern many of their facilities
are," said Jensen. "They've made so much progress integrating
traditional Eastern medical techniques, such as acupuncture,
with the Western science that we are familiar with in
the United States."
The
group engaged in discussion throughout the trip to reflect
on what they had seen and learned, and students had
the opportunity to earn college credit by keeping written
and photographic documentation of their travels.
Students
also had opportunities for sight-seeing and exploring
the cultural heritage of China. They observed traditional
tea ceremonies, ate Chinese cuisine in local restaurants
and enjoyed theatre performances, parks and zoos.
"It
was an amazing trip, and I'd definitely like to return,"
said Jensen. "I'd love to go back after five years and
see how everything has changed."
Jensen,
a physics major, is a member of Sigma Lambda (a leadership
and service honorary), the Millsaps Campus Ministry
Team and Alpha Epsilon Delta (a pre-medical honorary).
He also volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and serves
as a campus volunteer recruiter for CampusLink. Jensen
is the son of Alan and Vivian Jensen of Pass Christian.
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