San Jose Poaquil

Our first clinic site was a place we visited last year - San Jose Poaquil. Nothing has changed since our last visit, but I did notice we didn't seem to have as many patients this time (only about 175, I believe). That was OK, since we're able to work out the kinks that are inevitable in any large operation such as this. We are expecting over 400 tomorrow.

Throughout this trip I hope to highlight a few KCUMB students each day, and let them share their stories directly through this blog. Basically, I will select the students based on who I got good photos of that day, and who I sit next to on the bus ride home.

Let's start with Alice Rutatangwa (below). She wants to specialize in Pediatrics, and worked Peds at today's clinic. She was nervous about communication problems. She says, "I was nervous about the language barrier, but it was not as hard as I thought. I previously underestimated the importance of getting a good medical history, and not just relying on the physical exam."

 

Brigid O'Brien is another student who wants to specialize in Pediatrics. She worked in family medicine today. She also shared the concern about her limited Spanish skills. But, she added, "I was very surprised at how much I was able to learn through emotional and non-verbal cues." She said that while in the U.S., we rely heavily on diagnostic tests, but in Guatemala, these health care advances are not available, so a simple physical exam must suffice.

 

 

Finally, let's hear from Josh Ezelle. He worked triage today, and will specialize in Internal Medicine. Coinicidentally, today he found out he was matched with Doctors Hospital in Columbus, Ohio for his residency. Josh has been on mission trips before, but even then, he said you don't know what your strengths and deficits are until you arrive and get to work. He also admires the culture here. Josh said, "A positive attitude goes a long way. The people here have very little, yet they are still happy."