Today was our last day in Bilbao, which honestly felt bittersweet. It’s hard to believe how quickly the trip went by and how much we experienced in such a short amount of time. We started the day with another presentation from Saioa, who explained how the healthcare system in Spain works from a patient’s perspective….

Today we visited Tekniker, an engineering company that focuses on innovation and research in many different fields. We started the visit with a presentation from one of the employees, who explained the company’s history, mission, and the different types of projects they work on. After the presentation, we were taken on a tour through several…

Today, we started the day at the School of Engineering, where we listened to a presentation from Mikel, one of the members of the Oreka Balance team. His presentation focused on balance and the many different systems in the body that contribute to it. He explained how balance involves much more than just coordination and…

Today we started the day at the School of Engineering, where we visited one of the research groups working in the labs. They gave us a presentation about a wheelchair they were developing that used sensors to track a patient’s center of mass. It was really interesting to see how engineering and healthcare can work…

After leaving the flea market, we rode the funicular, which is still one of my favorite words to say, up to the top of a mountain overlooking the city. The ride itself was really cool, and once we reached the top, the view was absolutely beautiful. While we were up there, we had a group…

Today we traveled to San Sebastián, another beautiful city here in the Basque Country. Our first stop was a small amusement park overlooking the city. Even though I didn’t go on any of the rides, the view alone made the stop worth it. While everyone else was busy taking pictures, I somehow became the group’s…

Today we had the opportunity to tour Hospital Universitario Basurto, and it was one of the most interesting hospital visits so far. When we first arrived, we listened to several presentations from different nurses and an engineer who worked with the hospital. The presentations focused on Spain’s public healthcare system and how patient care is…

Today was another exciting day of hospital visits and exploring! We had the chance to see even more rehabilitation devices in action, but the most fascinating by far was the robotic exoskeleton walker. It was designed to help patients with mobility issues regain movement and independence. Watching technology like that being used to improve patients’…

Today was a super fun day! We started off by listening to a couple of presentations. One was from a professor in the School of Nursing here in Bilbao, who discussed the structure of nursing and nursing education in Spain and throughout Europe. The second presentation was given by one of the team members working…

Today, we headed to Hospital Gorliz, where the nurse director gave a presentation on the hospital’s history, policies, and overall structure. We had the opportunity to ask questions and learn from the nurses about some of the similarities and key differences between healthcare in Spain and the United States. After the presentation, we were split…

Today, we started the day at the Bilbao School of Engineering, where we listened to Professor Saioa’s presentation on the history of Bilbao and her Oreka Balance Project. This project focuses on a device currently in development that measures the pressure exerted during various tilt-motion exercises. Its goal is to diagnose a person’s balance capabilities…

Hi! My name is Cameron Hanley, but everyone calls me Cam, and I am a first-year nursing student at the University of Pittsburgh, where I have been building a strong foundation in sciences and healthcare. I’m originally from a suburb about 30 minutes outside of Pittsburgh, so I’ve grown up relatively close to campus but…