“For the health of it. Be Selfish: Invest in education. Your own and the kids down the street.”
When we asked ChatGPT if it was a good idea to invest in education it responded with the wisdom and confidence of a sentient being who believes they are on the cusp of knowing everything. It told me the reason to invest in education and yourself is primarily financial, using examples like increased lifetime earnings, career stability, etc. And yes, although these things are true and GPT was not hallucinating, it missed the mark.
Education abroad programs through universities are one of the many vetted, safe, hands on, transformative experiences educational institutions provide to students and a great way for students to invest in their learning. This past May we co-led our fifth education abroad program with nearly 30 future healthcare professionals to Ghana. We spent 2 weeks in west Africa shadowing and learning, providing support as needed, developing empathy, and building communication, diagnostic, & clinical skills. This experience was transformational, for me as an educator, and for every student who is so fortunate to invest in themselves in this way.
