Hello! Welcome to our travel blog. We're here to keep you updated on our travel and work as we go through three weeks of clinicals in Guatemala. Beth and I (yes, we have the same name!) are both second year PA students (PA-S2) at UTMB. If you are unfamiliar with the PA educational framework, we go through one year of didactic or classroom learning, followed by one year of month-long clinical rotations in various specialties. After completing these rotations, we will spend about three months finishing coursework, preparing for graduation and studying for the PANCE, the PA certification exam. In August 2017, we will graduate and be ready to practice as PAs!
We are very fortunate that the UTMB PA program has the option for international rotations. The Guatemala rotation is three weeks long and takes place in regional clinics in the rural areas of the country. In addition, Beth and I will be able to explore the city of Antigua and the countryside on weekends. This rotation will give us incredible learning opportunities both about medicine as well as the people and culture of Guatemala and Central America.
Resources are very limited in these clinics. We are very grateful for the generous donations that we have received in order to prescribe medications to our patients. If you would like to donate, please visit https://www.gofundme.com/utmb-pa-guatemalan-rotations.
We'll try to keep this blog updated a few times a week to let everyone know what we are up to! We are so excited for this opportunity and what it will mean to us and our patients!
-Elizabeth