THE PROJECT

Communication is key in making sure proper medical care is delivered.  I traveled to the Dominican Republic - a Spanish speaking country - in December of 2018 as part of a volunteer medical team.  I speak advanced intermediate Spanish and have had experience living and working in Spanish dominant communities, but it has been some time since I fully used my Spanish.  In order to improve my personal Spanish abilities, as well as to better serve as a translator and helper at medical clinics there, I created a plan to improve my Spanish.  I practiced and learned new words, phrases, and grammar prior to my trip.  Much of this was under the tutelage of other, much more proficient Spanish speakers.  I originally had a plan to have a set number of phrases and words to learn, but in conversing in immersion style Spanish speaking worked on overall conversation skills rather than counting words I learned or remembered.  I was able to use these skills to my advantage, and the advantage of my team, throughout our stay in the Dominican Republic  I was able to translate between our medical staff and patients.  In addition to the Spanish I learned prior to my trip, I continually learned more as I conversed with people apart from the medical setting as well as during examinations.  In the below picture, a man is being treated for spinal issues by two medical students who were working as the de facto doctors.  In this and other situations like it I was the only individual who could speak and understand Spanish, and was able to adequately help provide care for patients through interpreting for our team.