Volunteer Programs in Rural Areas, Bolivia

Choosing CFHI for a global health experience was the best decision I could have made for my personal and professional growth. The cultural exchange aspect of the program was profoundly impactful. Living and learning within the community allowed me to understand that healthcare is inseparable from culture. Interacting with the local population and learning from the incredible healthcare workers on the ground taught me the true meaning of cultural humility. From navigating daily routines to observing patient care, I learned how to connect with people holistically. As an aspiring clinician, I have found that this internship has given me an invaluable foundation for providing compassionate, culturally competent care to diverse patient populations in the future.

Visiting Tarija for 2 weeks with CFHI has been one of the most meaningful summer experiences I could have had. Living in a new country, fully immersed in the culture, leads to growth that's difficult to find otherwise. After completing the program, I better understand the health challenges faced outside of the US. I feel more able and inclined to work to resolve them and discuss potential solutions. In addition, I believe I’m better prepared to help immigrants navigate the US health system now that I understand how their experiences with healthcare might differ from those who were born in the US. Overall, the experience helped me be a more well-rounded person and prepared me to serve diverse populations as a physician.

My CFHI elective in Bolivia was one of the most meaningful parts of my medical training so far. I rotated through surgery, primary care, infectious disease, and psychiatry. Each showed how medicine is practiced when resources are limited in a country with a completely different health system than in the US. The CFHI team was responsive throughout the whole process (before, during, and after) and the local team was extremely supportive and flexible. The medical coordinator went so far to coordinate a new rotation for me when I asked to rotate with a psychiatrist. This was especially meaningful, as I was able to connect with patients and learn from physicians in my preferred specialty. The local team also helped me organize weekend trips to other parts of the country or locally, such as the Uyuni Salt Flats. I walked to clinic almost every morning, which is something I love about Tarija. At midday I went home for almuerzo with my host family. Being able to live with a family added a rich layer to the experience as well—they made me feel like part of the family, exchanged life experiences with me, and we have remained in contact since I left. My Spanish classes were unique and significantly improved my confidence in the language. We discussed Bolivian history and culture, reviewed grammar, medical Spanish, differences between U.S. and Bolivian medical care, Chagas prevention, toured museums, and even visited a folk medicine ‘curandero’ to learn about traditional healing practices. Something that stood out to me about CFHI is that the program addresses the history of global health. They talk openly about how the field has been shaped by colonization, racism, and elitism, and how those patterns still show up now. They also shared how they actively counter this in their organization with concrete examples. Overall, this elective pushed me to think more deeply about health systems, culture, and communication. It made me more comfortable caring for diverse patients and reminded me why cultural humility is essential. I’m grateful I had the chance to learn from local clinicians, families, and patients, and I’ll carry these lessons with me into my training and future work. I hope to return to Bolivia one day and find ways to participate in global health as a resident physician.

I had a wonderful experience with CFHI in Tarija, Bolivia. Just right before the program, I earned a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics. I chose Tarija due to my interests in communicable diseases and also because the description of it being a small, tranquil city appealed to me. I initially felt nervous about the program since I wasn’t pre-med and thought I might not gain as much as my peers, however, I soon found myself deeply engaged in learning about the community’s public health in ways that genuinely interested me. I did rotations in family medicine, surgery, and gynecology, exposing me to different areas and levels of patient care. Through this, I gained a wide understanding of how social and structural factors shape health outcomes in Tarija. Moreover, each week we met with the medical director, where we learned more about the Bolivian health system, providing essential context to better make sense of what we were witnessing in our rotations. The medical director and local coordinator are wonderful people who I’m grateful to have had supporting me throughout the program. My favorite part of the experience was definitely my homestay. My host mother was so sweet and hospitable. I absolutely loved getting to chat with her every day over almuerzo and updating her on all of my program experiences, all the while practicing my Spanish. It felt so special getting to know Tarija and the Bolivian culture through living with her. My Spanish skyrocketed throughout my time there. In addition to practicing at home and on my rotations, there were also afternoon Spanish classes that I was attending. The Spanish teacher truly believes in immersion, so every day for class we would meet at the main plaza and then do different cultural activities together, such as ordering at cafes and visiting museums, to improve our conversational skills. I felt very comfortable in Tarija and was able to reach pretty much anywhere I needed to by foot without worries. Beyond this, I also took a weekend trip with a few of my peers to the Salar de Uyuni. We did a private tour with Sur Bike, which our local coordinator had recommended to us—so worth it! We had such an amazing time, and it was a great opportunity to explore Bolivia beyond just Tarija. Overall, I’m so glad I did this program. I really love what CFHI stands for, and they provided us with a great course on global health ethics to go through beforehand. This was my first time in South America, and it was also my first time doing a global health education program. I cherish the experiences I had and the connections I made there, and feel I found this program at the perfect time in my life as a recent graduate. CFHI’s slogan is “let the world change you,” and I didn’t realize how true that would be until I found myself learning not just about healthcare, but about people, resilience, and community.

If you're a pre-med student looking to gain real-world global health experience while also exploring a beautiful, culture-rich part of the world, I highly recommend CFHI’s program in Tarija, Bolivia. I spent four weeks rotating through different hospitals and clinics, shadowing doctors in specialties like gynecology, anesthesiology, and general medicine. I even got to observe surgeries and learn how healthcare teams work together under resource constraints. But the program was so much more than just shadowing. I took Spanish classes each week, which really helped me communicate and better understand the patient-provider dynamic in Bolivia. My favorite part, hands down, was living with my host family. They were incredibly kind and made sure I felt safe, comfortable, and immersed in Bolivian culture—from shared meals to local traditions and conversations about life and healthcare in Tarija. This program helped me grow in ways I didn’t expect. It challenged me to think critically, step outside of my comfort zone, and develop soft skills like empathy, patience, and cultural humility. I came home not only more confident in my career path but more inspired to advocate for healthcare equity wherever I go. It was an unforgettable experience that I’ll carry with me for a long time.

I’ve had the opportunity to travel abroad throughout my life, but my time with CHFI on a global health trip to Tarija, Bolivia stands out as one of the most rewarding experiences as a pediatric resident in training. After arriving, I was warmly welcomed by the medical director and local coordinator, who provided a comprehensive orientation. My host family was also incredibly kind and hospitable. My host mother went above and beyond to ensure my comfort, even accommodating my dietary restrictions throughout my stay. Once I began working in the hospital, I met weekly with the medical director, who connected me with local specialists in my areas of interest including pediatrics, pulmonology, and infectious disease. During my first week, I focused on the pediatric floor, where I had the unique opportunity of working with residents in the same field and year of training. Together, it was interesting to compare similarities and differences in our medical practices. In the following weeks, I worked one-on-one with a pulmonologist, learning about infectious diseases and teaching medical students how to read chest films that we taped up to windows each day. In addition to my medical rotation, I attended Spanish classes every afternoon which were unlike any I’d taken before. These lessons combined classroom instruction with cultural immersion, as we visited local museums, cafés, and shops to practice Spanish in real-world settings. Despite having studied Spanish for seven years, I learned more during these lessons than ever before and even hope to continue them virtually. During my time in the hospital, I encountered medical conditions I had previously studied in school but had not seen during residency. It was a valuable opportunity to observe how these conditions are managed in a different healthcare setting. At the end of my rotation, I delivered a presentation on respiratory diseases in Bolivia, which served as a meaningful culmination of my experience. This opportunity allowed me to deepen my understanding of respiratory disease management within a different cultural context while fully immersing myself in Bolivian culture. My time in Tarija was an enriching experience that I will always treasure. My host family was truly amazing—and even after the trip, they continue to feel like a second family. I am also deeply grateful to the medical director and program coordinator, who thoughtfully tailored my clinical experience to align with my passions. I will always have close friends and lasting connections in Tarija, and I’m incredibly thankful to CHFI for making it all possible.

I participated in this program because it focused on primary care and rural medicine. I am currently pursuing an MPH and with the help of CFHI, this program was more tailored towards me due to the community outreach it had and its global health components. My program consisted of a one week orientation in La Paz, Bolivia followed by a shorter orientation in Tarija. Most people that I met in the La Paz program rejected the idea of spending 4 weeks in a “rural” setting. Actually, Tarija is a hidden gem. You will be able to live with an amazing family and get to meet so many friendly locals, and to understand the culture as well. My program consisted of clinical/hospital rotations. The physicians and med-students that I encountered were very helpful and were willing to answer our questions during the rotations. Also, we had weekly meetings with our medical coordinator and spanish classes. Not only, that you will have the option to volunteer at youth center to serve as an after school tutor for children. We also had the opportunity to do weekend trips like for example the Salar de Uyuni. CFHI welcomes students from different backgrounds and give us the opportunity to live in another country a see their healthcare system. I appreciate the resources that CFHI provides before, during and after the program. Thus, take advantage of this wonderful opportunity!