One of my biggest regrets from my undergraduate education was not attending a study abroad educational program, so when I got accepted into MSUCOM and learned about all of the study abroad program options that they had to offer, I promised myself that I would make it on at least one trip. Now after attending the Dominican Republic Health Care Delivery and Culture IGH Study Abroad Program, I am interested in attending many more programs and expanding my work in the Global Health field. I was able to learn so much more about the Dominican Republic cultures and traditions, their health care system, their language, and their history while also gaining valuable experience that prepared me for my future role as a physician. Going into the study abroad program I was nervous to be in a new place, with new people, while attempting to practice and improve my history and physical skills, but by the end of the week I felt so comfortable and accomplished that I was not ready to leave the Dominican Republic. 

I have always had a passion for volunteering and working with underserved populations, but this program helped to spark another passion in me for Global Health. I have been able to see the importance of reaching out beyond the communities around us and how many communities around the world require our help. Being able to see all of the time and work that Dr. William Cunningham, Dr. Arpon Shahed, Dr. Aileen Aldrich, and Dr. Darren Eblovi have done in the Dominican Republic and so many other communities around the world has made me determined to continue giving my time to improve Global Health as well. It was such an amazing experience to be able to work with so many wonderful physicians that were encouraging and conducive to providing all of us students with an exceptional learning environment. They each served as great role models and helped me to be the best student that I could be in the short week that I had with them.

After having my first year of medical school in this new time of COVID, being able to have this opportunity to get hands on experience and practice everything that I have learned over the course of the past year was the perfect way to wrap up my OMS-I year and send me into my OMS-II year. I was able to learn about so many things that went beyond the scope of the education that we have had thus far, including how different health care systems work and how we can attempt to improve different health care systems. This experience also helped me to further my understanding of different cultures and traditions while being able to meet so many amazing people. Being able to see how different communities interact with one another and the values that they have reminded me just how different and diverse the world is and why it is so essential to individualize each patient’s care that they receive. It was also amazing to see how different communities and groups could come together and successfully work toward a common goal. 

Through much of my time in the Dominican Republic, I was able to truly gain an understanding of how important communication is and how barriers in communication can drastically affect your relationship with another person. Going into a country with only a beginner level experience on how to speak the native language proved to be much harder and more frustrating than I anticipated it to be. This in turn helped me to realize how people who do not speak English fluently may feel the same way when they come to the USA and how important it is to have understanding and patience with those people. It also helped to push me more and more to use my Spanish while also actively expanding my vocabulary and confidence in speaking Spanish. While working through this communication barrier, it showed me how far human touch can go with another person, regardless of whether you are able to communicate verbally. I was able to see just how far having a hand to reach out with and an ear to listen with could go for so many people. 

The Dominican Republic Health Care Delivery and Culture IGH Study Abroad Program was set up in the perfect way to give me the opportunity to explore a new place, meet new people, learn new things, and gain experiences that I will take with me for the rest of my life. I gained insight on the kind of person and doctor that I want to be for my patients when I become a physician and learned so many skills that I will carry with me into the future. I hope to attend many more programs and would highly recommend this program or any other IGH Study Abroad Program to any other student as a way to give them a new perspective and understanding of the world. 

Name: Heather Heuer
Status: Graduate (2nd year medical student)
Major: Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Plymouth, Michigan
Program: Introduction to Global Health and Culture in the Dominican Republic