Amelia Cunningham

Mississippi, USA

2023

Amelia is a pre-med student at the University of Mississippi.  She joined the VACorps program in May 2023 and participated in a medical internship at a local public hospital.

I heard about the VACorps Program from friends who had done it before, and had good things to say. I’ve always heard Cape Town is a beautiful place, and as a pre-med student, I wanted to learn about the medical system in South Africa, and gain exposure to the field. Mostly, I loved meeting the people at my internship site.  I loved shadowing the doctors, and learning from the nurses, and I will never forget watching my first birth at the clinic. I learned that I am capable of more than I thought before coming on this trip, and this experience has solidified my decision to study towards becoming a doctor. I will miss everything about Cape Town, the markets, the food, the views, and the especially the friendly people.  The program staff and the activities are incredible, and I am so grateful to VACorps and Kuselwa and Kholi in particular for the facilitating this unforgettable and impactful experience.