This project focuses on establishing a partnership between the University of Minnesota Global Pediatrics Program in the U.S. and Hospital Nacional de Niños (HNN) in San José, Costa Rica, which is the children’s hospital serving as the only training site for the two pediatric residency programs in the country. The purposes of this project are to facilitate bidirectional exchange for trainees from the pediatric residencies in Costa Rica and at the University of Minnesota. These global health rotations will include clinical experiences (including general pediatric wards, ICU, ED, and outpatient clinics), as well as collaboration on educational and possibly research projects. This relationship will benefit both institutions, their trainees, and their patient populations.
While at HNN I will work with leadership to finalize program details and establish logistical frameworks, spend time in various clinical settings to guide future rotations, meet with the residency programs to identify opportunities for educational and research collaboration, as well as assist in defining their goals for rotations in the U.S.
I completed my pediatrics residency at the University of Minnesota this past year and am now a board-certified pediatrician working as a Global Pediatrics Instructor, which is a unique position where I have the opportunity to work both clinically and also focus on education in a global context. I am deeply committed to global health equity and exploring ways to integrate global health locally and internationally, and I strongly believe that cultivating intentional and sustainable partnerships between institutions in diverse regions is a key strategy for advancing this mission over time. While our Global Pediatrics Program has established exceptional partnerships worldwide, this collaboration will mark our first clinical site in Latin America - a region I consider vital to engage with, especially given the increasing mobility of populations across the globe.
This project will benefit the institutions, pediatric residency programs, trainees, faculty, and patient populations in both regions. Pediatric residents from Costa Rica and the U.S. will both gain valuable hands-on clinical experience, exposure to diverse healthcare systems, and insight into varying management protocols shaped by resource availability. They will also address conditions uncommon in their home settings, broadening their clinical expertise in multiple ways. This exchange will also foster cross-cultural competence and humility among all participants, which may be particularly valuable for U.S.-based providers caring for the growing number of patients from Latin America. Faculty involved will also benefit from shared learning opportunities and collaborative efforts, enhancing the educational environment at both institutions.
Patients in both countries will indirectly benefit from the enriched training of their providers, as well as from innovations and best practices developed through this partnership. This collaboration aims to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes for children in both regions while promoting the professional growth of all involved.
This project is expected to enhance the medical education of pediatric trainees and faculty from both institutions while strengthening our commitment to global pediatric health in the Americas. The initial clinical collaboration will serve as a foundation for future research and educational projects, fostering an ongoing exchange of expertise that improves patient care and promotes sustainable advancements in healthcare education and delivery.
By intentionally building this partnership in a sustainable and ethical manner, we aim to facilitate ongoing collaboration and establish a long-standing relationship that adapts to the evolving needs of both institutions and their communities. Lessons learned from this initiative will guide the development of future global health programs, ensuring they are bidirectional, mutually beneficial, and impactful from the start.
Upon my return, I will share insights with the University of Minnesota Global Pediatrics Program to refine our current partnerships and inspire similar collaborations. These findings will also be disseminated to other partner institutions to encourage broader participation in global health initiatives and secure long-term institutional support for similar collaborations.
My trip to San José, Costa Rica, focused on helping establish a new bidirectional partnership between the University of Minnesota (UMN) Global Pediatrics Program and Hospital Nacional de Niños (HNN), Costa Rica's national children's hospital. The primary people impacted by this work were pediatric residents and faculty at both institutions, with the ultimate goal of improving care for children and families in both countries.
During my visit, I had the opportunity to spend time at HNN, learn from local pediatric providers and trainees, and better understand the hospital's clinical and educational environment. HNN serves as the primary training site for Costa Rica's two pediatric residency programs, affiliated with Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR) and Universidad de Ciencias Médicas (UCIMED), and provides specialized pediatric care to children from throughout Costa Rica and neighboring countries.
One of the most valuable aspects of the trip was building relationships with local faculty, residents, and hospital leadership to help establish a foundation for future collaboration. Through these experiences, I gained a better understanding of the clinical learning opportunities available to visiting residents, as well as the logistics and expectations involved in developing a sustainable international rotation. Following the visit, I compiled a detailed guide for future trainees, including recommendations for clinical rotations, educational opportunities, and practical considerations to help prepare residents for their experience. I also met with several Costa Rican residents while there to help facilitate and provide guidance regarding their ability to rotate at our institution.
An important goal of this partnership is to create meaningful opportunities for learning in both directions. For UMN pediatric residents, rotations at HNN will offer exposure to a different healthcare system, a broad range of pediatric conditions, and clinical approaches shaped by different resources and patient populations. Equally important, we hope to facilitate opportunities for Costa Rican pediatric residents to rotate in Minnesota, learn from our clinical teams, and share their own expertise and perspectives. Faculty at both institutions will also benefit from opportunities for shared teaching, mentorship, and potential future educational and research collaborations.
Although the direct impact of this initial visit was primarily focused on building relationships and establishing the foundation for these exchanges, the longer-term beneficiaries will be the children and families cared for by participating physicians. By fostering cross-cultural learning, clinical collaboration, and a better understanding of different healthcare systems, we hope to help trainees become more thoughtful, adaptable, and culturally responsive pediatricians.
This partnership represents the University of Minnesota Global Pediatrics Program's first bidirectional clinical elective site in Latin America, and I am grateful that support from the Doximity Foundation helped make this initial visit possible. I hope the relationships and groundwork established during this trip will continue to grow into a lasting, mutually beneficial collaboration between our institutions.
