Our first day of classes at Universidad de Austral Pilar Campus were a wonderful experience! From the lectures to the tour, Austral did not disappoint. The day began with an hour bus ride to Pilar, a surrounding town of Buenos Aires. We then heard two lectures from physicians at the university regarding the hospital side of Austral. Following these lectures, we ate lunch at the cafeteria. Because Argentines commonly allot a longer amount of time for meals, we ended up with an hour and a half to spare after lunch. With all of the spare time, we decided to enjoy the gorgeous fall weather! Walking around the campus, it was clear that Austral has put careful planning into the construction of new buildings. From the modern architecture to the beautiful green lawns, the campus left me in awe.

As soon as we arrived at the university it was apparent that operations there are different than they are at the University of Pittsburgh. The main objectives of the two schools are similar: education and research. Pitt’s campus feels dense and hectic, while Austral’s was peaceful and inviting. Another major difference that I noticed was the lack of dormitories for students on the Pilar campus. Without the option to live on campus, the schedule of classes and a common lunch time was reminiscent of a high school schedule. Additionally, after speaking with some of the faculty, despite Austral’s status as a premier private institution, the tuition is significantly cheaper than Pitt’s. The public universities in Argentina are free of tuition, making students much more incentivized to go public. Keeping this in mind, universities like Austral seek to constantly improve their quality and innovation standards. A striking similarity between Austral and Pitt is the partnership between the hospital side and the educational side of the system. In Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) has a partnership with the university for students to learn and partake in clinical. Although UPMC is no longer affiliated with the school directly, the two still work together in this way. Similarly, the hospital in the Pilar campus partners with the school to provide educational opportunities. In the case of Austral, the two work hand and hand. I found it surprising that although Universidad de Austral has only been in existence for forty years, it is already ranked number two in the entire country. In the US, universities with high rankings have been existence for hundreds of years. Overall, the feeling of the campus was similar to Pitt as a whole. Students were cheering for the end of their exams, and others were sitting on the floor cramming for class. I guess somethings don’t change no matter where you are.

After another lecture from a physician at Austral, we hopped on the bus for a tour of the city. Seeing the beautiful street art in La Boca was my favorite part. Although sitting on the top deck of the bus was chilly, it was definitely worth it. I cannot wait to explore this part of the city more on foot! I am excited to return to the campus tomorrow to learn more about the healthcare system here in Argentina!