A team of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy students have returned from an immersive clinical and cultural experience in Antigua, Guatemala, feeling excited about and prepared for the mission ahead of them as doctors of pharmacy.
Five students participated in a five-week Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) from mid-February to mid-March, including David Felts, of Belleville, Nikolina Golob, of St. Louis, Ashley Riley, of St. Charles, Mo., Abbey Rodeghiero, of Morton, and capstone student Carlos Pardo, of St. Louis.
The APPE experience involved participation in ambulatory care clinics. In addition to clinical practice, students gained experience in cultural competence, proficiency in medical Spanish, health literacy and health disparities.
“My favorite part of the APPE was the hands-on impact we made by presenting on health topics, completing clinical pre-consultations, and hosting pop-up clinics at schools and other local settings,” said Felts. “We were able to flex our physical assessment muscles, practicing blood pressure readings, blood glucose screenings and counseling patients, all the while speaking and taking medical notes in Spanish.”
“The people of Antigua were incredibly nice, and grateful to be receiving medical care and information,” added Golob. “My Spanish was conversational before this rotation, but this experience greatly enhanced my medical terminology. Being bilingual or trilingual would be helpful in any medical setting, as you can better communicate and troubleshoot the problems presented.”
While in Guatemala, the team saw more than 905 patients for pre-consultations. They conducted nearly 500 blood pressure screenings and more than 380 blood glucose screenings. The students also hosted presentations on such health topics as depression, stress, hypertension, sleep hygiene and diabetes.
Guiding the students during the APPE were the SIUE School of Pharmacy’s Misty Gonzalez, PharmD, and Carrie Vogler, PharmD, both clinical associate professors in the Department of Pharmacy Practice.
“I was extremely impressed with the care our students provided to all of the patients they saw,” Vogler commented. “It was great to watch them work, and to share these enlightening experiences with them.”
Gonzalez and Vogler received a Global Education Grant to support their participation and purchase of clinic supplies. A significant amount of the APPE’s success was due to a partnership with Lissette Ortega, of Antigua
, who facilitated medical Spanish tutoring through Spanish 2tor, and organized clinical activities with local Guatemalan partners.
The School of Pharmacy’s APPE Elective in Antigua was implemented in 2015. This was the first year the students conducted depression (PHQ-9) screenings during clinic. This addition was part of Pardo’s capstone work.
“When we were doing the PHQ-9s, patients were incredibly grateful that we were even talking about depression,” explained Pardo. “A lot of people said that often depression symptoms are just labeled as stress. The appreciation they showed was heartwarming.”
The students’ travels were also filled with weekend excursions that brought them to the amazing Guatemalan sites of Lake Atitlán, the ancient Mayan city of Tikal, and to the active complex volcano Pacaya. Other cultural immersion experiences had them picking, sorting and roasting coffee beans, learning the art of making fans using reeds, and making tortillas.
Photos: SIUE pharmacy student Ashley Riley conducts a blood pressure screening in Antigua.
The SIUE clinic team stands with Lissette Ortega, their Guatemalan partner who coordinates student activities, including clinic work and Spanish lessons. (far right). (L-R) Dr. Misty Gonzalez, Carlos Pardo, Abbey Rodeghiero, Ashley Riley, David Felts, Nikolina Golob and Dr. Carrie Vogler.
SIUE pharmacy student Carlos Pardo implemented depression screenings during the Guatemala APPE as part of his capstone project.
SIUE School of Pharmacy students traveled to the ancient Mayan city of Tikal during a weekend excursion. (L-R) Abbey Rodeghiero, Nikolina Golob, David Felts, Carlos Pardo and Ashley Riley.