Medical Diagnostics and Agriculture????? by Julia

 

I hesitantly got off the bus at Lincoln University about one month ago. This next month would push me to be the most uncomfortable I’ve ever been– diving into the world of agriculture. As a medical diagnostics, pre-PA (physician’s assistant) major, I came on this program to broaden my horizons and take some time off from the usual chemistry and pathology classes to learn something totally different. I’ve only taken a single nutrition class, so sustainability and agriculture are new topics I didn’t know much about.

 After sitting in my first lecture, I learned that agriculture was not so cut-and-paste, but vigorous and ever-changing. I was intimidated to say the least. Almost all the other students have somewhat of a background to agriculture and here I was, never setting foot on a farm. But I was determined to learn as  much as I could and do my absolute best in the program. The first farm visit we went to was Lincoln Dairy Demonstration. I walked in with such an open mind to leave feeling defeated. I felt confused and couldn’t fathom how my peers were asking such good questions and understanding what was going on. It was then I realized that in order to be successful, I had to change my perspective. I pushed myself to ask questions and do my own research outside of class and farm visits. From there, the farms we visited became less daunting and gave me more time to fully digest agriculture as a whole– and I began relating it to my major.

Farmers work endlessly to produce the best livestock for their communities in the
most sustainable way. They’re constantly managing their practices as the environment changes to give their livestock nutritious pastures while also preserving the natural land as much as possible. Some farmers are even into regenerative agriculture, which is a holistic approach to managing a farm with a conservative and rehabilitative approach. In healthcare, medical professionals too are doing everything they can to better aid their community. Many new technologies and practices are being introduced to find treatments and medical trials. After finally opening my mind, learning came with ease.

As my month here in New Zealand is coming to an end, I’ve learned a great deal about sustainability and agriculture around the country. From never stepping onto a farm before this program, I can confidently say I’ve pushed myself far beyond the realms of medical diagnostics.