Global Health Institute Field Scholars

Community Health and Primary Care Rotation in Guadelupe, Costa Rica

Eileen C. Lau, Emory Physician Assistant Program, Emory University School of Medicine

Ms. Lau is a student in Emory's Physician Assistant Program at the Emory University School of Medicine. As a Global Health Institute Field Scholar, she worked on an urban community-based primary care rotation with the non-governmental organization, International Health Central American Institute (IHCAI), located in San Jose, Costa Rica. She participated in clinical rounds, clinic work with attending physicians and basic health team units, community (work/school/home) visits for health prevention, management, and education, and emergency department call days. She also helped health professionals learn to communicate effectively with Spanish-speakers in order to combat health disparities due to language barriers in the United States. In addition to cultural emersion, this training involved IHCAI-sponsored medical Spanish tutorials and other Spanish language building tools to assist students in improving their Spanish-language communication abilities in medical settings.

To read Ms. Lau's account of her field scholar experience, please click here. Please see below pictures she took during her field scholar experience.

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