Traditional Medicine in Oaxaca City

I spent 4 weeks living in Oaxaca City, Oaxaca, Mexico and exploring the foundations of traditional medicine. I chose to travel to Oaxaca because of my connection to traditional medicine and my interest in cultural anthropological studies. As a physician, I hope to incorporate elements of traditional medicine into my practice, and I have a particular fascination with how different cultures integrate western and alternative medicines into one system for healing.

My experience with CFHI allowed me to compare the uses of traditional medicine practices in Oaxaca to the understanding of integrative medicine and traditional practices in the United States. I am so incredible grateful for the opportunity to learn in such an expansive and lively city. Being able to immerse myself in the Oaxacan culture was an experience I will never forgot and will only continue to inform my practice as a physician during residency. I improved my medical and conversational Spanish to the point of intermediate learner and was able to engage in learning that was entirely in Spanish. I learned so much about the traditional medicine practice in Oaxaca and different herbs that I can continue to learn about and utilize in my medical practice. I developed a deeper understanding of the interactions between traditional medicine and hospital medicine to inform my practice as an integrative medicine – family medicine physician. I also immersed myself in the Oaxacan culture and food and found a deeper appreciation for the way of life present in Oaxaca. I am so grateful I applied for this program and will continue to draw on experiences from this journey for the rest of my life.

Oaxaca is a food city and is known for its unique and delicious cuisine, so do not hesitate to explore and try the different foods that it has to offer.