News
Tennessee Tech students shadow doctors in Italy
Tech student Jaycie Hitt takes in the sights on a city tour as part of her study abroad
in Italy.
The fall semester at Tennessee Tech University may be winding down, but a group of
four students are still reflecting on their summer of a lifetime spent shadowing doctors
in Italy.
Jaycie Hitt, a senior nursing major from Mount Juliet; Seth Tolbert, a senior biology
major from Cookeville; Emma Grace Carter, a senior biology major from Cookeville;
and Sarah Beshara, a junior biochemistry and microbiology major from La Vergne, spent
two-to-three weeks abroad immersing themselves in Italian culture and completing clinical
rotations at some of Italy’s best hospitals through the Doctors in Italy Fellowship
Program.
Launched in 2018, the fellowship aims to “create a generation of healthcare professionals
who share the vision of a world where language and culture are not barriers in healthcare.”
It invites aspiring healthcare professionals to shadow doctors and surgeons while
sightseeing in Rome, Milan, Florence, Genoa and other notable cities.
For Hitt, who aspires to become a cardiac intensive care unit nurse after graduation
from Tech, the study abroad opportunity was another way that Tech puts students first.
Tech student Sarah Beshara is shown third from left at the Arco della Vittoria in
Genoa, Italy.
“Being a student at Tennessee Tech has allowed me to gain opportunities I never thought
I would have,” said Hitt. “I know that I would not have taken the leap to go to Italy
if it was not for the program Tech offers. I have always felt that I could make all
my dreams come true here.”
Tolbert, who plans to enroll in dental school after completing his undergraduate studies,
recalled being able to see sights like the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain and the Roman
Forum. Still, he said the best part of the experience was being able to bond with
his peers.
“The most rewarding parts of my trip were the memories and friendships I made within
the program,” said Tolbert. “Several of the students came from different backgrounds
and parts of the country, and getting to bond over our passion for medicine was something
I’ll never let go of.”
Beshara, who also plans to enter dentistry, said that the fellowship gave her the
opportunity to assist with an oral surgery. 
Tech students Jaycie Hitt (second from left) and Emma Carter (second from right) scrub
in to assist with surgery at an Italian hospital.
“The entire time, I could only think of how much pain relief the patient would feel
after they healed and how, one day, my job would be to provide that kind of relief,”
said Beshara. “I will truly never forget this.”
She adds that study abroad programs are among the many opportunities at Tech that
set it apart – another being the faculty in the chemistry department.
“They are welcoming, student-centered and willing to let students join their research
projects as early as freshman year,” added Beshara.
Carter, who plans to return to school to get her accelerated Bachelor of Science in
nursing after graduating this December, said the study abroad program helped her remember
why she was passionate about the medical field.
“Italy was somewhere I had always wanted to visit,” said Carter. “After talking with
Amy Miller in Tech’s study abroad office, I knew this program would be a great educational
experience in the medical field while getting to explore the beautiful country of
Italy.”
While the Tech students who traveled to Italy all say they came away with meaningful
learning experiences and lifelong memories, Nadia Neytcheva, CEO and co-founder of
the Doctors in Italy Fellowship Program, adds that the program benefited from Tech’s
students, too.
“Jaycie, Seth, Sarah and Emma performed their duties with excellence during their
time in our fellowship program. They will make outstanding healthcare professionals
and will continue to represent Tennessee Tech well,” said Neytcheva. “We value our
partnership with Tennessee Tech and know we can count on the university to send us
hardworking, dedicated students who are eager to learn and grow their understanding
of other cultures.”
According to Tech Provost Lori Mann Bruce, 155 Tech students studied abroad during
the spring and summer of 2023, visiting countries such as Belgium, Costa Rica, Finland,
France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Japan, Netherlands, Peru, South Korea, Spain, Sweden
and others.
Learn more about study abroad opportunities at Tech by visiting www.tntech.edu/studyabroad.
