Whether you want to eventually practice in the United States or take what you learn back home, one benefit of a visitor experience with AMOpportunities is that it gives you the chance to learn more about the U.S. healthcare system. That’s what brought our May 2021 Photo and Blog contest winner, Luisa, to the U.S. from Colombia.
Luisa had already found a passion for orthopedic surgery and chose to rotate with AMO to learn more about her field within the U.S. healthcare system. But Luisa was able to find so much more in her experience, from community to a rejuvenated dream.
Read Luisa’s story below, and find out why her rotation experience exceeded her already high expectations!
My first rotation
I decided to study medicine because I wanted to help people with their illnesses. I also wanted to have a significant role in making a better society by working with people.
One year ago, I started my clinical rotations in Bogotá, Colombia. My first rotation was in orthopedic surgery, and I enjoyed it from the very first day. I was absorbed by the musculoskeletal system and the range of injuries orthopedic surgery helps heal: sports injuries to help athletes return to chasing their goals, arthritic patients looking for a better quality of life, and trauma injuries, one of the main causes of mortality in young people.
Last year, I started looking for a clinical rotation in this field to become more involved with and learn more about the U.S. healthcare system. Before starting my experience with Dr. G in May 2021, I already had many good expectations, but my rotation with him and his staff exceeded all of them.
Becoming a part of the team
Dr. G is both an incredible human and orthopedic surgeon. He really cares about his patients and involves himself in each of the cases he sees, from the simplest to the hardest. All his patients say he is the best doctor, and I 100% agree with them. However, Dr. G is also a great teacher. He shares about his experiences and gives students the opportunity to share their knowledge. I admire him for all these reasons, and I’m so inspired from this rotation because it not only reaffirms my desire to be an orthopedic surgeon but also reminds me why I started down this road: to help my patients with great attention, great knowledge, and from the heart. From the simplest case to the hardest.
I also want to highlight all the team members of Dr. G’s office. His Physician Assistant always receives patients with a smile that you can see even through her mask. She was always willing to teach and explain things to me step-by-step.
Dr. G’s assistant, was so helpful and kind. She always made sure I was doing OK. She is also so good at helping with casts and splints that Dr. G had a modified spica cast honored in her name. Can you imagine?
The X-Ray Technician was very professional and helpful. She really makes the office work!
My new friends
I had the opportunity to rotate with Tatiana and David, third year and fourth year medical students, respectively. Tatiana is a smart and funny woman who wants to be a pediatrician, and I’m sure she will be. Last week, we made some lectures, and she chose pollicization for congenital abnormalities as her topic. She found a way to connect pediatrics to orthopedics. So clever.
David is in his final year as a medical student and is from Colombia. He also wants to be an orthopedic surgeon, so we had the opportunity to talk about how to achieve this common goal. Right now, we are working on a case report. Here we go; walking to the goal step-by-step.
This rotation gave me more knowledge and the opportunity to meet wonderful people. It taught me about professionalism and quality care, but it also encouraged me to reach my goals.
Interested in participating in a clinical experience like the one Luisa completed?
