My time at the Duke Summer Program was an incredibly memorable and rewarding experience, and one that I will always be grateful for. The opportunity to take part in a programme of this calibre allowed me to expand my knowledge of global health, explore new perspectives, and learn from world-class researchers who are so passionate about their work. Hearing about the research being carried out and the different approaches to global health challenges deepened my understanding of the importance of international collaboration in improving health outcomes. 

One of the biggest highlights of the programme was meeting people from all around the world. Connecting with students who are also studying nursing, from different countries and cultural backgrounds, sharing our experiences and learning from one another helped me become more open-minded and appreciate how culture, healthcare systems, and lived experiences can influence the way we understand and approach health.  

The programme also encouraged me to think more broadly about my future in nursing and the role healthcare professionals can play in addressing global health challenges. It reinforced the importance of continuing to learn and being open to perspectives beyond our own experiences. I gained a greater appreciation for the value of research and the role it plays in shaping healthcare and improving patient outcomes.  

I am incredibly grateful for the scholarship that made this opportunity possible. Being able to participate in the programme helped me grow, both academically and personally. I left Duke with new friendships, valuable knowledge, and a broader outlook on the world.

Being awarded the opportunity to partake in placement in the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney was an incredible and memorable experience. I was allocated to the Cardiology and CCU ward which provided opportunities to learn about cardiac conditions, investigations, procedures and pre and post operative care. A highlight for me was being able to watch an angiogram in the catheterisation laboratory.

From a nursing perspective, I found it interesting using the pyxis dispensing machine which helped reduce medication errors. In addition, having all documentation computerised made it efficient to view multidisciplinary input and gain a better understanding of patients’ condition. Personally, having access to both Cardiology and CCU helped me observe differences in patient acuity, the intensity of treatment, levels of monitoring required. The exposure to these two different yet unique environments sparked my interest in specialising in this area in the future. As Children’s student nurse, I was grateful getting a tour of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), paediatric wards, and other departments such as the adult burns’ unit and the emergency department. This provided insight into a variety of specialised clinical settings within the hospital.

From a cultural perspective, the multicultural environment within the hospital created opportunities to learn about patients’ diverse life stories and experiences. I really appreciated the supports available for patient centred communication including interpreter services and the use of Google Translate. Sydney itself had so much to offer from beautiful landmarks such as the Opera house to beaches, botanical gardens, vibrant city life and a warm sunny weather. At the end of my placement, getting the extra time to explore around Australia made the overall experience even more rewarding and something I am very grateful for.

I was very fortunate to travel with Ashley to complete an unforgettable clinical placement in Sydney. My experience in Australia lasted nearly 2 months! Our first few days in the country allowed us to settle in and attend our orientation sessions. Over the following weeks, we undertook our 4 week clinical placement in Sydney’s Royal North Shore Hospital. Lastly, my trip ended with a 2 week break to travel and explore! 

I arrived in Sydney where I met Ashley at our new home for the next few weeks. We started our trip with an orientation day at the Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery building at the University of Sydney. During this orientation, we each received our uniform and completed a clinical skills session. We got to learn about the use of the ‘Between the Flags’ tool, EMR and CIAP, which is used throughout Australia to research, document and assess patients. This session allowed us to prepare for placement and work in their incredible clinical skills lab! We also received an orientation in the hospital, where we met our facilitator Rosie and visited the ward prior to placement. We also got an opportunity to see the public and private hospital. This allowed us to see many clinical areas such as the children’s ward, the burn unit, ED, ICU and the NICU. 

The following week, we started our placement on Ward 6D, which was a general cardiology ward. We worked the morning shift, which ran from 7am to 3:30pm Monday to Friday. The staff were very kind and had plenty of time for students. This allowed us more opportunities to take part in skills and ask questions. We became very familiar with the ward routine and how the Australian healthcare system operates. We learnt a lot about cardiac conditions, diagnostic tests, medications, cardiac surgeries and pre/post-operative care. The ward also contained 6 CCU beds, where we had the opportunity to care for patients after an MI or who had a dangerous arrhythmia, such as VT. Our facilitator visited us everyday, where we had the chance to read through a patient's medical history and imaging. This helped us view the patients care through a multidisciplinary approach. Finally, at the end of each week, we met with other Sydney nursing students for a debrief and practised providing handover for one of our patients. 

This trip also allowed for lots of travel and activities! Ashley and I did many things together in between shifts and on the weekends. We went to the Sydney Opera House, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Taronga zoo and even watched a firework show at Darling Harbour! After we completed our clinical placement, I remained in Sydney for 2 weeks staying with my family. This gave me an opportunity to explore Sydney independently and with family! I visited many attractions such as the aquarium, Sydney’s Tower Eye, the Blue Mountains and went to an outdoor cinema! Some of my personal highlights were the Bondi to Coogee costal walk, swimming at Bondi Beach, climbing the Harbour Bridge, visiting Manly and skydiving in Port Macquarie! I also met with USYD students, Charlotte and Aaron for dinner. They had previously travelled to Dublin a few months prior to complete a clinical placement with Trinity College. This was a lovely opportunity to spend the evening together and exchange our experiences with one another! 

This truly was a once in a lifetime opportunity, where I got to learn so much clinically and personally about myself. This experience exceeded my expectations and I will continue to hold this trip very close to my heart. I would highly encourage every student to apply for this scholarship! 

My two-week summer programme at The University of Hong Kong was an incredible experience and something I know I will remember for the rest of my life. I flew over to Hong Kong in July, not really knowing what to expect and came away with so many new experiences, memories and friendships. 

A big part of the programme was getting to see healthcare in Hong Kong from lots of different perspectives. We worked on an SDG 3 community assessment and made our own windshield survey for a small fishing village. It was an interesting way of looking at the health and wellbeing of different communities. We also explored HKU, including the Medical Library and TechMezz Library where we tried virtual reality anatomy dissections. At the School of Chinese Medicine, we learned about acupuncture and even experienced cupping which was something I had never done before.  

We visited different community settings including a nursing home and learned more about the services available to older residents. One of my favourite experiences was AKA Time Travel, where we experienced what everyday life can be like for someone with reduced mobility or visual impairment. We were blindfolded and had to be guided across the road to a shop to buy a snack. It was surprisingly challenging and really made me think about how difficult simple everyday tasks can become. It helped me to understand the importance of empathy and seeing things from the patient’s perspective.  

We also visited HK Adventist Hospital where we attended talks from doctors, nurses and the hospital director. Alongside this, we went to visit The United Christian Nethersole Community Health Service and saw a wide range of services they provide, including dentistry, optometry, Chinese medicine, herbal medicine and x-rays. 

Another highlight was using the HKU Simulation Centre. We worked with high fidelity simulators, virtual reality community learning and GenAI patient simulations. 

Outside of the programme, I spent time with new friends I made during the programme. We visited many amazing places such as Wong Tai Sin Temple, braved the rain to Victoria Harbour and rode the tram to see the amazing views from Victoria Peak. We ate countless delicious meals and food such as char siu pork, egg tarts, wontons and lots more in restaurants unique to Hong Kong. I also went on some solo trips too to The Ladies' Market and The K11 but there’s too many to name. 

Overall, this was way more than just a university programme. I have made so many memories I will truly never forget and friends I will have for life. I feel incredibly lucky to have had this opportunity and would highly recommend anyone to apply for the scholarship.  

~ Emma Sheeran-Purcell, 4th Year Children’s and General Nursing 

 In July 2026 I was selected to attend the two-week HKU School of Nursing summer school, and it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my nursing studies. Every day was jam-packed, and every day taught me something new. 

The programme centred on SDG 3 and community health. In the first week we learned how to assess a community, then visited Kennedy Town and Lei Tung to carry out windshield surveys with local residents. We used that data to design and present a proposed intervention for promoting health and wellbeing in the community, and we presented this as a PowerPoint presentation. In the second week we visited older people in their homes in Sham Shui Po and Ping Shek Estate, and spent time with the United Christian Nethersole Community Health Service. 

We also visited a wide range of care settings, from the Chuk Lam Ming Tong Care & Attention Home for the Aged to private hospitals, including Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital and Hong Kong Adventist Hospital. A visit to the School of Chinese Medicine, with hands-on experience of treatment modalities, showed me how nursing in Hong Kong balances modern technology with both Chinese and Western medicine. A mindfulness session and a laughter yoga icebreaker reminded us to look after ourselves as well. 

The clinical simulation centre was on another level. We tried high-fidelity simulators, virtual reality community learning and AI-driven patient simulation, and HKU's advances in this area are well beyond anything I had seen before. 

The staff and students were incredibly welcoming. In the evenings, HKU students brought us to the best places to eat and helped with every question about getting around Hong Kong. Sharing our healthcare systems with nursing students from other universities was a highlight too, since each university demonstrated a different healthcare system. 

After the two-week programme, I also had the chance to travel in mainland China, which I entered by bullet train. The 30-day visa-free entry saved a lot of time and potential stress. 

I came home with new skills, and friendships I hope to keep. This insightful trip was the experience of a lifetime, and I would recommend this programme to any nursing student. I am very grateful to have had this opportunity and my thanks to Gráinne and Jacqueline of Trinity College Dublin and the University of Hong Kong for their support. 

My study abroad experience at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, significantly transformed both my professional and personal development as a student nurse. This opportunity not only honed my clinical skills but also deeply influenced the type of nurse and individual I aspire to be in the future. Before my arrival, I held the perception that the Australian healthcare system was superior to that of Ireland due to its access to specialised, high-tech equipment, contemporary technology, and streamlined protocols. I assumed that these factors rendered nursing more manageable; however, I quickly discovered that I was mistaken. The distinguishing elements of my experience were the people I encountered and the conducive environment in which they operated.

The presence of adequate staffing, a 4:1 patient-to-nurse ratio, and the ease of accessing necessary equipment collectively fostered an environment where nurses were able to deliver the highest standard of care without feeling overstretched. This experience illuminated what a sustainable and rewarding nursing career can entail within a well supported and thoughtfully organised healthcare system.

A particularly remarkable aspect of this experience was the trust placed in me as a student nurse. I felt encouraged to take initiative, actively learn, and seize every opportunity presented to me. The supportive team surrounding me sincerely wished for my growth, enabling me to expand my learning during my time abroad.

Living in Brisbane compelled me to step beyond my comfort zone, as I transitioned to managing independently in a major city, far from home, and within an entirely different time zone, mindset, and lifestyle. Upon returning to Dublin, I felt a renewed sense of purpose and a strong desire not only to become the best nurse possible but also to do so in an environment that actively supports and nurtures my development.

Following my clinical placement, I made the decision to travel along the east coast from Brisbane to Sydney, with several stops in towns along the way. Travelling solo down the East Coast proved to be an exceptional choice, as each Australian town offered its own unique and captivating attractions. Along my journey, I encountered numerous inspiring individuals, making this experience one that I will cherish and reflect on fondly.

Receiving the opportunity to travel to Australia as part of my nursing placement was an unforgettable experience that helped me grow both personally and professionally. During my time there, I spent two weeks in endoscopy and two weeks on a ward, which gave me the chance to experience different clinical environments and gain valuable insight into how healthcare is delivered in Australia.

One of the most rewarding aspects of the placement was the opportunity to compare the Australian healthcare system with that of Ireland. During my time in endoscopy, I was impressed by how smoothly patients moved through the service, from admission to discharge. The process was very well organised, which helped ensure patients received quick efficient care while also feeling informed and supported throughout their visit. On the ward, I noticed that the nurse-to-patient ratio was generally around 1:4, which allowed nurses to spend more time with their patients and focus on providing excellent person centred care. There also seemed to be less time spent on paperwork, giving nurses more opportunities to provide education, monitor patients closely, build therapeutic relationships with patients and family members. Seeing these differences highlighted for me the positive impact that effective organisation and staffing can have on both patient care and the nursing role.

Outside of placement, I made the most of my time off by exploring everything Australia had to offer. Some of the highlights included visiting Australia Zoo, exploring Noosa Heads, relaxing at Burleigh Beach and taking a trip to Stradbroke Island. I also loved spending time in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast, experiencing the Australian way of life and making memories along the way.

Looking back, this placement provided an exceptional learning experience. It enabled me to widen my knowledge of nursing beyond the Irish healthcare system. This experience has strengthened my enthusiasm for nursing and reinforced the importance of continuing to learn, develop and grow throughout my career.