Within the UA College of Humanities, I did not only complete a degree in German studies, but also completed a Spanish minor and took Portuguese courses. In these classes, I learned about diverse cultures tied to the languages. My education in the Humanities simultaneously increased my curiosity for other cultures and helped me be more respectful and mindful of possible cultural differences. It did this by teaching me to be more observant, understanding, and adaptive. These qualities are extremely important in any field, especially in the field of scientific research and medicine, because you are constantly dealing with researchers, colleagues and patients from distinct socio-economic, ethnnic and linguistic backgrounds. Therefore, it is necessary to have the intercultural competence that can be obtained from an education in the humanities. In my current job as a researcher in stroke research lab, I live in a country very distinct to my own and work with researchers from an array of backgrounds, so I have to apply the skills I obtained in the humanities. As for my future career as either a neurologist or pediatrician, my Humanities education will greatly influence the way I treat patients and their families as I will be more aware of important cultural and socioeconomic differences and problems. Overall, my education in the humanities not only deepened my knowledge of my own culture, but also gave me the foundation to respect and understand other cultures, languages and societies.
