When Caitlyn Sams arrived in Jamaica last year to pursue research under the United States Fulbright programme, she expected to gain new academic perspectives while conducting research, but little did she know that she would rekindle a childhood passion while developing a deep appreciation for Jamaican culture.

The 23-year-old American, who hails from Massachusetts in the United States, commenced her Fulbright scholarship at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, in September 2025.

Sams told Observer Online that her interest in oncology was inspired by seeing several family members and close friends battle cancer.

“It started with a personal encounter with cancer through family members and friends,” she said. “I fell in love with cancer research and oncology, but it’s really just a field where I think there’s so much that we can do to improve the lives of others, and so I think it’s a field that I would love to dedicate my life to.”

Caitlyn Sams in the lab

Her research project, Alternative Medicine in Oncology: Safety of Psilocybin and Cancer Therapy Co-Medication, examined the opportunities and challenges of integrating herbal and traditional medicine into conventional cancer care.

“I was trying to understand perceptions around herbal medicine use and also frequency of use. I also did a survey with oncologists in Jamaica trying to understand their perspective because there’s been a lot of research on patient perspective and how it’s used with different patient populations, but there isn’t much information about the physician side of things,” Sams said.

She said her research gave her a deeper appreciation for Jamaicans’ reliance on traditional remedies.

“I found people in Jamaica are very resourceful,” she said. “If there’s something that’s ailing them, most people nowadays will resort to going to the clinic or the hospital, but almost everyone knows of or is participating in some sort of herbal medicine or alternative medicine because it’s what their parents taught them, what their grandparents taught them, or what they’ve seen friends do.”

Caitlyn Sams

The experience, she said, reinforced the importance of understanding patients’ cultural practices, something she hopes to carry with her as she begins medical school in New York.

“I am looking forward to continuing my education in a field that I’m really passionate about, and also the school that I’m going to will allow me to continue to participate in global health and research and all these things that the Fulbright instilled in me,” she added.

But the aspiring doctor did not just spend her time in Jamaica confined to the laboratory. She immersed herself in campus life, eventually rekindling her love for football when she joined the UWI women’s football team.

“I’ve been playing football for about nine years, but I stopped after high school, and so I was able to pick it back up again after a little hiatus,” Sams shared.

She credited her football team for helping her adjust to life outside of the US.

“It was a bit of a culture shock,” she said. “It took about two months just to adjust. Learning how to get around, using the taxi system, phone plans and everyday things. The football team was my lifeline. It was familiar, and I knew what I was doing there.”

The UWI women’s football team

Sams competed in both the intercollegiate competition and the Jamaica Women’s Premier League. The UWI women’s football team finished runners-up in the intercollegiate league before winning gold at the UWI Games in Trinidad and Tobago.

Sams also represented UWI in swimming, earning four silver medals in the 200m medley relay, freestyle relay, 200m individual medley and 200m freestyle events.

During her 10-month stay in Jamaica, Sams shared that she travelled across the island, volunteered in relief efforts following Hurricane Melissa and embraced Kingston’s vibrant live music scene.

“I think Jamaica is an incredibly rich country in terms of the music, the culture, and the landscape. It’s just so beautiful, and everyone that I have met has been so nice and welcoming, and I feel like that’s just so unique. There are not many places in the world where people will just so generously invite foreigners,” she said.

Among the highlights of her stay was a visit to the Maroon community of Moore Town in Portland, where she conducted a survey session with a colleague before visiting Nanny Falls.

“It was just the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen,” she said. “The people were so welcoming, and learning so much about the history and how it evolved to what it is today was just so special.”

Sam is now encouraging others to embrace cultural exchange opportunities, such as the Fulbright programme.

“There are opportunities for US students to come to Jamaica but also for Jamaicans to go abroad. The cultural exchange goes both ways, and it’s something really valuable,” she said.