Remi Matza in London, United Kingdom
Program: King’s College London
Term: Spring 2026
Major: Biological Studies
Minor: Health Care Studies
I have always dreamt of studying abroad but didn’t know if it was possible as a pre-med student. Health & Society was the perfect solution! Not only did I get to live in a new country and travel throughout Europe, but I also learned so much about an entirely different health care system by shadowing physicians and participating in workshops with medical students.
Coming from New York, I was shocked by how clean and efficient the London Tube is! In just a few days public transportation became my best friend and helped me get to know the city so much better.
One of my favorite memories abroad was heading to the pub for a Sunday Roast on one of my last weekends in London. There is nothing more cozy than sitting in a pub with your best friends when it’s raining outside, listening to live music, and eating good food 🙂
I truly learned so much from my courses at KCL! Health and Society is really special because it brings together a tight knit group of about 11 students from the U.S. to participate in shadowing, medical humanities museum visits, medical ethics workshops, and more! By the end of the program, all of the students had bonded so much over our shared journey and learning experience.
I was able to live with two of my closest friends from USC which helped me adjust quickly to a new lifestyle in a new country. I think there are pros and cons to this, but for me, it truly made London feel like home almost immediately.
One challenge I had to overcome was budgeting while abroad. Not only is London an extremely expensive city, but there was also so much I wanted to do and try! From new restaurants, to cafes, to weekend trips, it was important to come into abroad with an organized budgeting plan. Pro tip: all of London’s museums are free!
For future students going on this program, I highly recommend you introduce yourself to all of the other students, both in Health and Society and your other courses. On my first day of epigenetics class, I met two KCL students who I ended up sitting with every class. They gave me amazing recommendations for things to do in London and also helped me navigate being a student at a new school, whether it be showing me where the cafeteria is to helping me study for finals.