The Global Health Academic Concentration
Follow UC San Diego School of Medicine's GHAC students around the world.
Costa Rica stands out for its remarkable biodiversity, frequent seismic and volcanic activity, and significant agricultural exports. The country has prioritized the preservation of its diverse ecosystems by establishing 29 national parks, interconnected by pristine wilderness. During my travels, I had the opportunity to explore Manuel Antonio National Park, founded in 1972. This park is … Continue reading Costa Rica’s Biodiversity, Culture and Commerce
During my immersion in Costa Rica's healthcare system, I have frequently been asked by locals, affectionately known as Ticos, why I chose Costa Rica. The answer is straightforward. Firstly, I aimed to enhance my proficiency in medical Spanish by learning directly from native Spanish-speaking healthcare providers. Given that 35% of San Diego County residents speak … Continue reading Costa Rica – Immersion in Healthcare System
Hola! Checking in again from San Jose, Costa Rica. Since I last wrote to you, I have worked in two different medical environments. I spent my 3rd week at Hospital San Rafael in Alajuela, Costa Rica. Alajuela is around 45 minutes from San Jose and much hotter than San Jose. I had the opportunity to … Continue reading Last Two Weeks of Medical School in Costa Rica
¡Buenos Días! from San Jose, Costa Rica! My name is Jordan. I am a MS4 in the Global Health Academic Concentration (GHAC) at UC San Diego School of Medicine. I am so excited to tell you a little bit about my adventures in San Jose, Costa Rica. I am working in San Jose for 4 … Continue reading ¡Buenos Días! from San Jose, Costa Rica!
Hola! I survived my final week of Costa Rican rotations in the interventional cardiology department at Hospital Calderón Guardia (where I previously rotated on hematology). Despite having a bout with “la gripe”(the flu – but not COVID!) and missing two days of work, I was still able to spend three full days on the cardiology … Continue reading Week 4 – Cardiología
Hola! This week I had the privilege of working at my neighborhood’s health center (I live in Pavas, a residential section of San Jose). On Monday and Thursday, I worked in a primary care clinic with Dr. Chinchilla. Like most primary care physicians here, Dr. Chinchilla is a “generalist” – i.e. someone who has completed … Continue reading Week 2 – Clinica de Pavas
Hola from Costa Rica! I have just finished a wonderful first week at Hospital Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia where I was observing in the hematology department. Hospital Calderón is a 630-bed public hospital in downtown San José, the capital city of Costa Rica and home to roughly half of the country’s 5 million inhabitants. Despite … Continue reading Week 1- Hematologia