Contact: Maridith Geuder
Emily Hicks
Rural medicine, acupuncture and athletic injury treatments will be among subjects Mississippi State junior Emily Hicks soon will explore during a two-week study of medicine in China.
The biological sciences major from Tupelo is among 80 university and college students from around the nation leaving Saturday [May 15] for a two-week visit to the world's largest and most populous country.
Sponsored by Washington, D.C.-based International Missions on Medicine, the travel program for aspiring medical doctors allows academically talented students to work in a variety of overseas locations with medical leaders, researchers and practitioners while learning about the host country's culture.
An MSU Presidential Scholar, Hicks was recommended for the program by her genetics professor David A. Peebles. "I could have selected Australia, Brazil or South Africa, but I was interested in China because my youngest sister is adopted from that country," she said.
The oldest of four siblings, Hicks is the daughter of Drs. Julia and Ricky Hicks, both Lee County physicians. The Tupelo High School graduate recently completed the entrance exams required for medical school.
"Chinese medicine is known for incorporating cultural aspects in treatment, and I'm interested in seeing the way the country approaches medical training," she explained.
As a freshman in 2001, Hicks was part of the inaugural MSU Presidential Endowed Scholarship Program that recognizes exceptional academic achievement and the promise of major contributions to their chosen professions.
During her Far East tour, Hicks will visit Peking Union Hospital College and Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine to observe firsthand the relationship between Western and Eastern medical practices.
"As students like Emily progress in their studies, it becomes increasingly important to gain a full perspective on how medicine is practiced in the United States and abroad," said John Hines, executive director of Envision Institute, sponsor of International Missions.
In Xi'an, China's ancient capital, Hicks and her student colleagues will join in discussions with local physicians and nurses about leadership and management issues that rural Chinese face.
"Anytime you experience a different culture, you learn more about yourself, as well as the other culture," Hicks said.
In addition to the Presidential Scholars, Hicks is a member of the MSU Alumni Delegates and has served as director of international student affairs for the Student Association.