Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine in La Paz, Bolivia

Combining my passion in healthcare and travel

Submitted by HY429 - United States Robert Wood Johnson Medical School | August 02, 2016

I participated in the Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine program in La Paz, Bolivia for four weeks and loved it! I liked that I was able to see healthcare in La Paz in different settings: I had two weeks of rotations at two different local community clinics and two weeks at the city's largest children's hospital (one week in surgery and one week in the pulmonary unit). The physicians I worked with were patient, kind, and very willing to work with me. I saw patients with cases that I would never see in the United States such as echinococcus granulosus.

Not only was the clinical experience great, but the cultural experience was even better. My group and I were able to visit a new tourist site every weekend and our language facility made it so easy to plan the weekends. I also loved my homestay mother. The homestay experience was key in helping me practice and improve my conversational Spanish.

I would definitely recommend this program to anyone looking to combine their interests in healthcare and experiencing new cultures!

Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine in La Paz - February 2014

Submitted by RachaelJ - Saint Louis, MO Washington University on St. Louis School of Medicine | March 05, 2014

I just returned from the Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine in La Paz, Bolivia program. I had a wonderful experience and definitely feel that the time I spent participating in the program will have a positive impact on my future career as a pediatrician. I saw some interesting diseases (i.e. Leishmaniasis) that are very uncommon in the United States. I also had the opportunity to explore some beautiful sites within the country. My host family was phenomenal and all of the food was delicious. Although I am still not fluent in Spanish, I feel that my language ability has improved and I have gained cultural perspective that will most definitely be beneficial in my future interactions with patients. I highly recommend this program, especially to those considering careers in pediatrics!

Great experience for global health

Submitted by Chrissa - Santa Cruz University of California, Santa Cruz | August 03, 2015

I participated in the Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine program in La Pax, Bolivia this past June 2015, and it was an extremely beautiful and illuminating experience. My time spent working with doctors and nurses in varying specialties was invaluable in giving me a chance to learn more about the health care field, as well as about intercultural medicine. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone who wants more exposure to the medical field, or to those who aren't sure if this career is right for them. As for me, as a result of this program I have decided to continue along my path into medicine.

CFHI does a great job finding inspiring and intelligent doctors to shadow during our time at the program. Before I left, they were extremely helpful, accommodating, and answered all questions and concernsi I had about my trip. They also provide many resources to fundraise for the program. During the program itself, we are connected with a coordinator who lives in the country, in my case the kind and wonderful Gonzalo Claire. He was available for us whenever we needed him, and worked with us to give us each experience we desired. With his help I was able to shadow a doctor in a women and children's clinic that no other student had worked in before. Overall, I would recommend this program, and CFHI specifically, for anyone who desires to expose themselves to global medicine.