Nayana: In the countries that I visited, most of them Spanish-speaking, there was an emphasis and value placed on family and community. We saw neighbors driving patients to the hospital even if it was 50 miles away, and they cooked meals together. This becomes apparent in countries that have limited resources as different resources are prioritized for patients, such as masks for TB or even gauze for wounds. Although there are communities like that here [United States], we are more of an individualistic society and the resources are, for the most part, readily available. The resources that limit rural care in Panama or the DR are different from the US which is more provider centric.

Nayana: I think there should be a focus on cultural competence and empowering students to learn different types of treatment in other countries such as alternative medicine. The standards for Western medicine are not applied everywhere and things like acupuncture in Eastern medicine are not considered. So, if a patient comes in desiring acupuncture, instead of dismissing it, understanding why they would want it, reflecting on my own bias, and making a recommendation considering both sides is important.

Nayana: Global health is more than just traveling to countries and understanding them. I think it extends into, how does what I do here affect others around the world? Technology and discoveries here extend to the global environment and vice versa. Things like HIV/AIDS research is a global effort as some countries have more resources and can supplement the efforts of another region which may not have the same financial background.

Nayana: Be curious, open-minded, and don’t be afraid to engage. Getting connected to global health does not necessarily have to be joining a project that focuses on a specific outside country. There are always expansions into global health and connections into a wider picture such as talking to your professor about their experiences in a different country or another student about the languages that they know. Although it may be intimidating to email or talk to new people, within academic medicine, a lot of people want you to succeed in global health. Research the programs at your university and reach out if you have more questions, you must take that first step. The Fullbright scholarship, the NIH, WHO volunteering, and the local public health department, are all starting points.