“¡Hola Antonio! Esta es Cameron, un estudiante de Dettmann (perdóname, mi español está muy malo)… nuestra (Nikki y yo) avión llega a 1005. ¿Te veo mañana?”
This was my first attempt at Spanish for the trip, and a text that I’ve been nervous about for months now. Respectable sure, except for the fact that it took me over five minutes to write. Shortly after sending that text to our preceptor in Bolivia, Nikki and I boarded a plane to continue what would ultimately be a 32-hour trip to Rurrenabaque, Bolivia for a rotation during our clinical year of Physician Assistant school. And it was there in the terminal, during our first layover in Orlando, Florida, that things started to slowly become different. Over half of our flight was comprised of families visiting Disney World who were returning to South America, and as such, the announcements were split into Spanish and English. The language barrier has thus far been one of my biggest anxieties when preparing for the international rotation. Our next layover in Lima, Peru was a little further from comfortable, but you could at least hear English occasionally, and certainly most flight attendants and airport staff were bilingual. Then came the last layover in La Paz, Bolivia, where we truly felt removed from home. Nikki and I found ourselves needing to resolve an issue with our customs forms and you could almost see the hope dwindle from each of our faces as we collectively realized that none of us could effectively translate. Even now, as I sit in the airport, I’m overwhelmed with frustrations at myself and how I wish I would’ve paid a little more attention in Spanish class, or taken a few Spanish classes in college, or even studied abroad. Yet we’ve so far effectively stumbled our way through every conversation. And furthermore, I’m becoming more and more confident that this was a good decision. As the plane flies over South American cities and we make our way in and out of difficult language barriers, my anxieties are being wiped away and replaced with memories.
I knew before starting Physician Assistant school that I wanted to attend a school that offered international rotations. In fact, it was one of my highest priorities when looking for PA schools. MCPHS was the first that jumped off the page for me. The mission statement I’ve created for myself – my life-goal – is to provide medical care to medically underserved people groups. This was originally birthed out of a medical mission trip to Cambodia, where I met with patients who had never seen a healthcare provider before. Furthermore, it was this trip to Cambodia that solidified the desire to become a Physician Assistant. Becoming a PA and working in healthcare is great, but helping people get medical attention that don’t readily have access to it is what has driven me through school. I eventually want to teach as a professor in a PA program (alongside practicing), and advocate for international rotations. I’d thoroughly enjoy providing healthcare to one person who doesn’t have access to it, but it’d be even better to inspire more students to do the same.
To the right is a picture of my awesome wife and I. 
I honestly had many thoughts early on in clinical year about canceling my trip to Bolivia because of the distance we’d face. We’ve never been apart this long before and saying goodbye for the month was very difficult. Yet we are both confident that me going to Bolivia is the right choice. Many, maybe just several, years from now, I’ll be convincing students to go on a clinical rotation who could be in a similar situation. Everyone has things they’re leaving behind: relationships, American food, Sunday football (I’m actually hopeful I’ll be able to screen games… fingers crossed!) But providing access to medically underserved people-groups sometimes comes with that sacrifice.
To-be-determined are the inevitable illnesses we’re bound to acquire while down in Bolivia. I’m hopeful that they won’t completely debilitate us, but Nikki is currently laying on th
e floor next to me in the airport. Who would’ve ever thought altitude sickness was that bad!? (definitely not Nikki and I…). La Paz, the airport we’re currently in, has an altitude of nearly 13,000 feet, which is roughly 13,000 feet more than what we’re used to. Luckily, Rurrenabaque is at a much lower elevation. We should’ve planned for this long of a layover, but oh well… hindsight is 20/20. Pro tip: if you find yourself in a similar predicament, your go-to cocktail should be lots of water, Ibuprofen, and oxygen (you can get oxygen from most pharmacies). And walk slowly! (our first mistake).
I think even though we’re exhausted from travel, nauseous, and frustrated, Nikki and I (and most likely the other two students who are also going to Bolivia but are flying separate), are just excited to get started with the rotation. This rotation, and other international rotations, are built on the foundations of students that’ve gone in the past. We’re thankful that that makes our lives easier, but we’re also hopeful that we can make an impact on the community here and inspire and encourage other students to continue building relationships with the people of Rurrenabaque, Bolivia.
Buenos Dias Bolivia 