For many Pitt students, life on campus means spending time in the shadow of its iconic architectural centerpiece, but for her last semester, Cindy Hsieh traded in the Cathedral of Learning for the Eiffel Tower.
A fourth-year JD/MPH student in the Department of Health Policy and Management, Hsieh is studying abroad in France at University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, earning a fourth (!) graduate degree there.
“I first learned about the opportunity to spend a year abroad earning my LLM (Master of Laws) after my first semester of law school,” she said “I was interested. I love school and had never been to Europe, but the School of Law and Public Health requirements were daunting.”
Hsieh says she was convinced to take the leap when the pros drastically outweighed any potential downside.
“I knew if I could study in Paris and earn another degree, I would grow in ways that wouldn’t be possible if I stayed in the U.S. The challenge of immersing myself in an unfamiliar environment excited me. And it’s Paris—at the very least, I knew it would be a beautiful experience.” But, she added, the program’s focus on international law felt like a good complement to her skill set. “Given my multicultural background, I saw it as an opportunity to develop a broader perspective that would be valuable regardless of where I ultimately focus my career.”
Like anyone adjusting to a prolonged stay in another country, Hsieh says there was an adjustment for her to life in France.
“French culture places a much greater emphasis on enjoying life,” she said. “The café culture, where people take time to sit and enjoy a coffee rather than rushing through the day, is a noticeable contrast too.”
As a lawyer-in-training, there’s also a challenge in learning a legal landscape much different from the United States. “France, as a civil law country with socialist influences, relies heavily on codified laws rather than judicial precedent. In contrast, the U.S. common law system gives courts significant power to shape the law,” she said, also noting that a major difference is how the judiciary operates in each country.
In the United States, the Supreme Court plays a pivotal role in law, often creating de facto laws through landmark decisions and courts are given considerable power through checks and balances. In France, however, the legal system is more compartmentalized, with distinctions between public and private laws. Judges are less likely to issue broad, sweeping decisions and the legislature holds significant authority dating back to concerns about centralized powers from the Napoleonic era.
Differences in social rights and public services are something Hsieh says is very noticeable between the two countries.
“France treats certain benefits, such as health care, as fundamental rights, whereas the U.S. leans more heavily on capitalist principles,” she said. “That said, both systems have trade-offs. France’s bureaucracy can be frustratingly slow, making me miss the efficiency of the U.S. But then I step outside, take in the beauty of Paris, and the frustration fades.”
It’s a difference in health care and how it's perceived outside of the U.S that has been among the most unexpected lessons “I had studied universal healthcare models in my public health courses, but talking about these systems with friends from Europe and Latin America—along with experiencing the French system firsthand—has been eye-opening. The contrast with the U.S. is striking.”
As she prepared for the next step after returning from France and graduating from Pitt, Hsieh says the experience will shape her career in many ways.
“Before coming to France, most of my international exposure had been personal rather than academic. This experience has highlighted the immense value of a comparative international perspective,” she says. “It has given me a broader perspective on the world and the future clients I may work with, especially those engaging in international business.”
After graduation, the newly minted JD, MPH, LLM will join the Life Sciences Health Industry Group as an associate at national law firm Reed Smith’s Philadelphia office and says this experience will help her hit the ground running.
“Coming from a Taiwanese and North American background, I’ve always valued multicultural experiences, and this LLM has further strengthened that perspective. Additionally, having a degree from a prestigious European institution will enhance my specialization and competitiveness as a candidate in my future career.”
She says the experience has been one of the most rewarding of her life and encourages any student who is thinking about studying abroad to take on the challenge. “For those who, like me, love academia—there’s no such thing as too much school and learning. Do something bold. You’re only as young as you are right now.”
One more thing she adds of her time in Paris, “French bread really is superior.”
-Mike Friend