Bolivia
As I continued in my biology academic career, I developed a strong interest in public health outreach. Biological foundations of a major public health issue are infectious and chronic diseases. Understanding of a disease must be connected to the control and prevention of a disease. I became aware of the dangers of infectious and chronic disease after interning at a hospital in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. I conducted surveys on the effectiveness and accessibility of the national tuberculosis program in an impoverished peri-urban neighborhood.
​
To the right is a paper summarizing what I learned during my 320-hour internship in Bolivia.
Link to Paper
Prepared to observe my first c-section!
We were amazed at how easy it was to obtain drugs over-the-counter.
Off to watch open-heart surgery!
Prepared to observe my first c-section!
I also saw firsthand the effects of Chagas disease, which disproportionately ravages rural areas. Effective public health campaigns must include educational programs, prevention strategies, and vaccine initiatives. I later presented this research at a conference. To the left is a PowerPoint of what I presented.