Global Health Lessons

Each night before the medical brigades, we had a lecture on different global health lessons taught by a local doctor or a global health professional. For example, we gained knowledge on malnutrition and public health concerns, lessons on the proper ways to give care effectively and how to take vitals, and lessons about the economic and political standings of the Dominican Republic. While all of these lessons were eye-opening and incredibly informative, the malnutrition lesson interested me the most. I learned about the many causes, treatments, and risk factors. Most importantly, I learned that this was a significant issue that needed to be addressed. There was not nearly enough being done to help this issue. By witnessing the unimaginable burden that malnutrition can have on entire communities, I fostered a significant passion for alleviating the global health crisis of malnutrition. This passion has fueled my capstone research project as I explore the relationship between access to healthcare and education on child and maternal malnutrition in the developing world. 

Spanish Skill Development 

During the many medical brigades, I had the opportunity to develop my Spanish-speaking skills further while practicing cultural humility. Much of my job on these days included welcoming patients, checking them in, and asking them questions about their medical history in their native language. Not only did I learn a wide variety of medical terminology in Spanish, I learned to interact and hold conversations with native speakers. While I have always enjoyed Spanish class, nothing compares to this first-hand experience. I can honestly say that the best part of this trip was getting to interact with locals and form connections with many of the children.