Fulbright made it possible to pursue a dream

My name is Sanam Safi and I am a last-year medical student at the University of Copenhagen – and I’m fortunate enough to call myself a Fulbrighter!

Being a Fulbright scholar made it possible for me to combine my dream of living abroad while doing something I’m passionate about despite the outbreak of a pandemic. In the midst of Covid-19 and the cold of January 2021, I left my home and the Danish ‘hygge’ behind to embark on new adventures in a different city and a different country.

I moved to Boston where I worked as a visiting research fellow at the Department of Cardiology at Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH), Harvard Medical School. The purpose of my fellowship was to study congenital heart disease, more specifically coarctation of the aorta and the late development of hypertension in these patients.

Even though I gained tremendous experience professionally and academically, I would argue that I gained even more on a personal level. During my stay, I have had the opportunity to meet incredible and truly inspiring people and made long-lasting friendships through the Harvard and Fulbright community. I got to experience and live the ‘American life’ with everything that it includes from celebrating 4^th of July to going to a Red Sox baseball game and experiencing and enjoying the beautiful city of Boston through all four seasons.

Moving to the US during the pandemic was far from optimal and not something I had ever imagined. Did my stay get affected by the circumstances? Yes, unfortunately, that was inevitable, but do I have any regrets? That’s a big NO! This journey and attending Harvard Medical School has been beyond anything that I could ever have wished for, and I will cherish the beautiful experiences, moments, and relations which I will forever carry with me.

Fulbright made all of this possible and I’m deeply thankful for not only the financial and practical support but also for making me a part of the Fulbright family and opening my doors to a great academic and social network.

If you are having the smallest doubt on whether or not to start your own adventures on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, I can without any hesitation say – GO for it and take the leap! Keep your eye on the goal, don’t give up, and Fulbright will help and guide you through the whole process and I promise, you won’t regret it!