The Dominican Republic was completely unknown to me, but it reminded me of home even before I arrived. The country is currently going through a health crisis, specifically concerning non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart failure, etc. The same crisis that my country, The Gambia, is struggling with. I felt a pull towards the Dominican Republic; in front of me was the invaluable opportunity to learn from their amazing doctors how to fight against this crisis. As a Pre-med, it was something I would not let slip through my fingers. I understood it would be a challenge; bringing in my broken Spanish from my semester abroad and a thirst to improve and learn, I set off, awaiting not only the challenges I would face but the lessons I would remember. 

Over the span of two months, I volunteered across 3 different community hospitals, each focusing on a different level or demographic of the public health sector. One of those hospitals was Bella Vista, a community-level hospital with a department for almost every patient’s need. I could be found in two places: the small HIV clinic tucked away in the basement that cared for patients ranging from healthy to those for whom the common cold was fatal, or the 10-bed emergency room bursting at the seams with energy, action, and life. Yet, that room wasn’t unaccustomed to the stinging sorrow of death, but I was. I vividly remember that old man being wheeled in a hurried rush. The blazing-fast Spanish from the EMTs, which I could barely piece together, explained his symptoms. However, what I could understand without any translation: he was at death’s door and in dire need of our help. It was all hands on deck. One doctor took his blood pressure, another took his glucose, and I helped with the catheter. We were there for almost thirty minutes trying to keep him alive, repeating CPR and giving him everything he could need. Through all this chaos, I made eye contact with him, gripping his hand, trying to reassure him, but it seemed he accepted something we couldn’t. That day, I learned firsthand the stakes of being a physician. So, from that point on, I brought intentionality to every patient interaction. Whether it was making them comfortable while taking their blood pressure or just lending an ear to hear about their day. I came in every day with the intention of being someone who listens and advocates for their patients. 

However, a significant barrier I had throughout my experience was language. I am an intermediate Spanish speaker, and there were times when that really shone through. For example, on my first day, I awkwardly introduced myself to my patients, spitting out a cringe-worthy “¿Tienes dolor?” Which I quickly learned was not the right way to ask a patient about their pain. I remember taking the blood pressure of a hypertensive patient and struggling to find the right words that wouldn’t scare them. I remember cleaning a patient’s wound but only understanding bits and pieces of their story. Many days were like this, learning little by little, piece by piece. Until I reached the day when a lady walked in looking pale. As I sat her down on one of the beds, I asked, “Dígame, señora, dónde le duele?” Throughout the interview, I was able to understand her and make her feel heard. This small moment meant a lot to me; it was my first step into being able to connect with my patients. There were many times when I saw a patient's shoulders soften just by simply asking how their day was going. I learned how meaningful it can be to take the time to truly talk to patients, not just listening to their symptoms but to their stories. 

Throughout my experience, humility, an OCP character dimension, is what I carried with me. And with it, I learned so many valuable lessons that will stay with me, especially about being a leader in my communities. I believe many times people view being a leader as the person who orders others around and dictates the flow of everything. I disagree with this notion; I’ve learned that the best leaders are the ones who listen and learn from the people around them. To be a leader is to be empathetic, understanding, and humble, choosing to focus on bringing people together to solve a collective issue rather than being the only voice allowed in the room. So with this, I left the Dominican Republic with many lessons and skills in my tool belt, truly a time that I will forever cherish.