RIT's study abroad experiences continue on virtually despite travel restrictions
When Carla Stebbins redesigned the health systems management MS degree, she included a culminating travel course in Sweden for her students to observe a different approach to health care. Stebbins, program director, built the online hybrid program to educate health care leaders to navigate a quickly changing field and widen their perspective. Even though COVID-19 canceled the trip, Stebbins found a solution and “made lemonade out of lemons.”
Health systems management teaches problem solving, and Stebbins negotiated with the study aboard company Swedish Health Care Academy to develop a virtual travel course for her class. The vendor agreed and they created a six-week Zoom class as a pilot. The health systems management program and RIT Global shared the cost of the online travel course since travel plans were abruptly changed and the students were unable to make the trip.