Yiran Wang is an international student from China majoring in nursing in the College of Nursing. Wang took time to share insights into her experience at Ohio State.
Why did you choose to attend Ohio State?
I chose The Ohio State University because its nursing program is ranked 4th in the nation and provides high-quality education. Its multicultural environment allows me to better understand the needs of patients from different backgrounds and provide specialized care. I hope to learn solid nursing knowledge and skills, and to understand how to take care of patients. I also hope to improve my communication skills and clinical experience through my studies at Ohio State and build a foundation for my career.
What inspired your choice of major, and what has your experience been like in the program?
First, Ohio State's nursing program not only teaches me professional nursing knowledge, but also helps me improve my critical thinking and communication skills. Second, the clinical practices could be offered by Ohio State allow me to gain experience in real-life healthcare environments. For example, the clinical experience at Wexner Medical Center gave me valuable hands-on experience.
What differences have you seen with classroom learning in China and classroom learning in America?
In China, teaching is usually "the teacher speaks in front and the students listen." Great emphasis is placed on laying a solid foundation of basic knowledge, and high scores and accuracy are achieved by doing more exercises. In the United States, teaching is more like "letting students use their own hands and brains." There are many discussions and projects in the classroom, and students are encouraged to put forward and express their own ideas. Each teaching method has its own advantages.
Are you involved on campus in any way?
I have joined many volunteer groups; one is to help Down Syndrome children painting. The goal is to encourage children to use various tools (brushes, fingers, sponges) and materials (paint, clay, sand) to express themselves freely, without fixed standard answers. Such activities have helped me understand the unique needs and expressions of autistic children and have given me great patience.
What internship, research or professional opportunities have you explored at Ohio State?
I volunteered at a nursing home to accompany the elderly with memory loss, not just to help them with their daily work, but more importantly to listen to them and take care of their emotions. This confirmed my passion for the field of health care, and laid the foundation for me to find more professional internships or research at Ohio State University in the future.
What advice would you give to prospective Chinese students interested in similar career paths?
My advice is that for Chinese students who want to work in the medical or service industries, it is not enough to just study well. You must go out of the classroom more often and take the initiative to go to nursing homes, community clinics or volunteer organizations. This is not just to make your resume look good, but to help you truly understand the needs of society and improve your ability to deal with people from different cultural backgrounds. When looking for a job or applying, the experience of personally serving 'people' is far more convincing than the scores on paper.
What is your favorite thing about being an Ohio State student?
As an Ohio State student, my favorite thing about the school is the "big" feel. This doesn't just mean that our school is big, but that you can cheer for the Buckeyes in a stadium with tens of thousands of people and feel the super-burning collective honor.