Tarija, Bolivia 2025

I’ve had the opportunity to travel abroad throughout my life, but my time with CHFI on a global health trip to Tarija, Bolivia stands out as one of the most rewarding experiences as a pediatric resident in training.

After arriving, I was warmly welcomed by the medical director and local coordinator, who provided a comprehensive orientation. My host family was also incredibly kind and hospitable. My host mother went above and beyond to ensure my comfort, even accommodating my dietary restrictions throughout my stay.

Once I began working in the hospital, I met weekly with the medical director, who connected me with local specialists in my areas of interest including pediatrics, pulmonology, and infectious disease. During my first week, I focused on the pediatric floor, where I had the unique opportunity of working with residents in the same field and year of training. Together, it was interesting to compare similarities and differences in our medical practices. In the following weeks, I worked one-on-one with a pulmonologist, learning about infectious diseases and teaching medical students how to read chest films that we taped up to windows each day.

In addition to my medical rotation, I attended Spanish classes every afternoon which were unlike any I’d taken before. These lessons combined classroom instruction with cultural immersion, as we visited local museums, cafés, and shops to practice Spanish in real-world settings. Despite having studied Spanish for seven years, I learned more during these lessons than ever before and even hope to continue them virtually.

During my time in the hospital, I encountered medical conditions I had previously studied in school but had not seen during residency. It was a valuable opportunity to observe how these conditions are managed in a different healthcare setting. At the end of my rotation, I delivered a presentation on respiratory diseases in Bolivia, which served as a meaningful culmination of my experience. This opportunity allowed me to deepen my understanding of respiratory disease management within a different cultural context while fully immersing myself in Bolivian culture.

My time in Tarija was an enriching experience that I will always treasure. My host family was truly amazing—and even after the trip, they continue to feel like a second family. I am also deeply grateful to the medical director and program coordinator, who thoughtfully tailored my clinical experience to align with my passions. I will always have close friends and lasting connections in Tarija, and I’m incredibly thankful to CHFI for making it all possible.