Global Health in Tarija, Bolivia

Several years ago, I spent two years living in a rural village in the Dominican Republic as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Immersed in a different culture, language, and way of life vastly different from my privileged upbringing, I experienced immense personal growth and gained a perspective that informed my path in public health and medicine. Now in my 4th year of medical school, I had the opportunity to spend a month living in Tarija, Bolivia through Child Family Health International, rotating in cl...

My name is Jenna Frantz, and I am a fourth-year medical student (just weeks away from graduating as an MD) at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine. As I am preparing for my residency and career in emergency medicine, I am continually inspired by my foundational goal: to serve Hispanic patients facing barriers to healthcare, both domestically and abroad. When I found the rotation to Tarija, Bolivia, through Child Family Health International (CFHI), it was a great fit with my goals...

I participated in this program because it focused on primary care and rural medicine. I am currently pursuing an MPH and with the help of CFHI, this program was more tailored towards me due to the community outreach it had and its global health components. My program consisted of a one week orientation in La Paz, Bolivia followed by a shorter orientation in Tarija. Most people that I met in the La Paz program rejected the idea of spending 4 weeks in a “rural” setting. Actually, Tarija is a hidde...